PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harry Winston (ranked 382 p4p, 53 weight class) and Ash Catchum (ranked 666 p4p, 92 weight class). Winston comes to the cage accompanied by The Lost Boy. Ash Catchum told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Winston
vs
Catchum

178 cm
28
200 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

185 cm
26
190 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
BuriedAlive// Fight Gear

Urban Fighter
Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Harry Winston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ash Catchum!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Anthony Taglia and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Catchum throws a body shot but no joy.
Catchum with a jab.

Catchum gets a clinch.
Winston fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Catchum lands a left hand.
Winston tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Catchum smiles and moves away.

Catchum forces Winston back against the cage and clinches.
I was talking to Winston's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Winston blocks a body shot from Catchum.
Winston jumps guard but Catchum turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harry Winston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Winston is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Catchum to keep the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Catchum swings wildly with an uppercut but Winston uses good head movement to avoid it.
Winston blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Catchum throws a head punch that misses.
Winston jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Catchum walks away with a smile on his face. Winston gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Catchum lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Catchum keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Catchum throws a looping overhand right but Winston ducks down to avoid it.
Winston keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Winston feinted with a counter takedown.
Winston with a lazy takedown attempt
and Catchum cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Catchum swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Winston changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Catchum lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Winston circles away quickly and effectively.
Winston half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Catchum throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Winston throws a body shot but no joy.
Catchum now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Winston misses the shot to the body.
Catchum tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Winston was well out of range. Poor timing from Catchum.
Catchum just misses with a punch to the body.
Catchum takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Catchum tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Winston dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Catchum is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Winston rather than just go for the knockout.
Winston has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Winston. Catchum does a little dance to reset his feet.
Winston misses with a straight right.
Catchum pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Winston tries to counter with a takedown but Catchum is quick to defend against it.
Winston takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Winston connects with a body shot that sends Catchum's belly button to the back.
Catchum has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Winston is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Winston slips under a jab from Catchum.

Catchum closes the distance and clinches.
Winston tries to pull guard but Catchum holds him up against the cage and eventually Winston drops back down to his feet.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Winston.
Winston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Catchum just stands there and leans against the cage.
Catchum misses with a short punch on the inside.
Catchum misses with the head strike.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Catchum.
Catchum throws a punch but it's blocked by Winston.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Winston tries to pull guard but Catchum won't allow it.

Winston has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Catchum uses from the top position.
Winston is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Winston working for submissions but it's allowed Catchum to get to half guard.
Winston is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Winston looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Catchum pushes past his half guard into mount!
Winston wants to hold on but Catchum pushes him away.
Winston keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winston is working hard here to advance position.
Winston sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Catchum really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Winston. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Winston is trying to get back to full guard.

Winston looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Winston gets full guard.

Winston throws his legs up looking for a submission but Catchum uses it to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ash Catchum dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Winston lands a right hook to the body.
Nice defenses there by Winston.
Winston half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Catchum misses the shot to the body.
Winston changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Winston steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Catchum.
Catchum has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Catchum with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Catchum misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Winston. Catchum does a little dance to reset his feet.
Winston slips a jab from Catchum.
Catchum misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Catchum misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Catchum. Winston does a little dance to reset his feet.
Catchum throws a body punch but Winston moves out of range.
Winston looks to land a left hand but Catchum moved out of range nicely.
Catchum misses with a few strikes there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Catchum avoids the body shot from Winston.
Ash Catchum is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Winston lands a nice shot that snaps Catchum's head back.
A swing and a miss from Catchum.
Winston throws out a powerful jab.
Winston dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Catchum misses the shot to the body.
Catchum throws a right and a left that both miss.
Winston misses with a jab to the body
and Catchum cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice body punch from Winston.
Catchum is looking to clinch.
Winston moves out of range of the strikes.
Catchum just misses with a punch to the body.
Catchum moves into range and connects with a jab.
Winston misses with a takedown attempt - Catchum sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Catchum swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Winston swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Winston misses with an uppercut
and Catchum counters with a stiff right hand.
Winston lands a body shot.
Catchum ducks under a wild hook from Winston.
Good shot there by Catchum.
A punch lands to the side of Catchum 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Winston avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Nice cross by Catchum.
Winston throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Catchum counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Winston swings away with a body shot that misses
and Catchum counters with a stiff right hand.
Ash Catchum seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Winston takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Winston scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Catchum doesn't seem bothered though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Catchum looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Catchum pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Catchum thuds a left hand into Winston's body.
Catchum closes the distance looking to clinch
and Winston cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Winston slips a jab and a cross from Catchum.
Catchum bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Catchum fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Catchum swinging wildly here.
Catchum misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Winston.
Winston shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Winston moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ash Catchum seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winston takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A jab from Catchum finds it's way through Winston's defenses.
Catchum misses with a hook. Winston ducked under it nicely.
Winston throws a poor cross that misses
letting Catchum counter with a right hand.
Catchum walks into a jab.
A jab from Catchum misses.
A quick step to the side and Winston tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Winston scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Catchum tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Winston swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Winston walks into a stiff left hand from Catchum.
Catchum connects with a body shot.
Catchum throws a sloppy body shot

and Winston counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Winston throws a strike but Catchum rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ash Catchum showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Catchum on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Good standup being displayed there by Catchum as he connects with a hook.
Catchum missing with a left hand there. Winston was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Catchum misses with a shot to the body
and Winston counters with a nice body shot.
Winston lands with a straight right. Catchum didn't see that one coming.
Catchum works Winston's body with a nice hook.
Catchum throws a body shot but no joy.
Catchum stuffs the takedown.

Catchum moves into range and clinches up with Winston.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Catchum tries a body shot but Winston blocks it.
Winston is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Catchum to keep the fight standing.
Winston blocks an uppercut.
Winston jumps guard but Catchum turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harry Winston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Winston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Catchum just stands there and leans against the cage.
Catchum working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Winston jumps guard but Catchum turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Winston pulls guard.

Winston looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Catchum slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Winston working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Catchum doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Catchum manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Catchum avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Winston working for a triangle but Catchum defends it easily.

Winston is looking for a triangle but Catchum pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Winston escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Catchum gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Catchum got a little sloppy there for a moment and Winston has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Catchum has managed to get both his arms back between Winston's legs - danger averted.

Winston is looking for a triangle but Catchum pushes his legs off easily.

Winston escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Catchum gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Winston is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Winston throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Catchum escapes and throws Winston's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Winston is looking to regain half guard here but Catchum keeps moving and retains side control.
Winston regains half guard.
Winston controlling the position well.
Winston wants to get back to full guard.
Ash Catchum is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Winston regains full guard. Nicely done.

Winston looking for a guillotine here but Catchum defends easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Winston looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Harry Winston.
I think Catchum has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ash Catchum!
Ash Catchum decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.