PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Watson (ranked 4389 p4p, 421 weight class) and Rocco Dangerfield (ranked 1333 p4p, 167 weight class). Dangerfield comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Immortal - All Shall Fall kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Watson
vs
Dangerfield

179 cm
51
175 lbs
33 - 24 - 1

168 cm
29
180 lbs
19 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 33 - 24 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thomas Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Rocco Dangerfield!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Watson moves into the clinch.
Dangerfield blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Dangerfield turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Dangerfield manages to end up in side control.

Dangerfield is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Watson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Dangerfield with the ground and pound but Watson regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Watson is trying to escape back to his feet but Dangerfield uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Watson defending against the ground and pound.
Watson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Dangerfield throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Watson is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Dangerfield has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dangerfield working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Watson is looking for a sweep.
Dangerfield wants to lay and pray for a moment but Watson keeps working.
Watson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Dangerfield working over Watson with some ground and pound. Watson looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Watson trying to hold on to Dangerfield's head to control him but Dangerfield postures up.
Dangerfield takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Dangerfield thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson wants to control but Dangerfield is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Watson wants to get back to his feet.
Watson keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Dangerfield stops Watson from getting back to his feet.
Dangerfield is controlling the pace.
Dangerfield is trying to control. Watson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Dangerfield misses with a combination
and Watson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield tries a head kick but it misses.
Watson wants to clinch.
Dangerfield flicks out a counter leg kick but Watson steps away.
No joy there for Watson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Dangerfield misses with a series of wild punches.
Watson is looking to counter punch.
Dangerfield bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Dangerfield tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Watson swivels and escapes.
Dangerfield shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watson pinned against the cage. Watson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield throws a right and a left that Watson avoids nicely.
Nice shot by Watson.

Watson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Watson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watson misses with a punch on the inside.

Dangerfield wants the takedown. Watson is fighting it off but Dangerfield persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Watson's guard against the cage.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Watson pushes Dangerfield off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Watson throws a jab but it's blocked by Dangerfield.
Dangerfield changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Watson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Dangerfield swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Watson looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rocco Dangerfield will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Watson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Dangerfield tries to move into range but Watson moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Dangerfield throws out a loose jab but Watson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Watson avoids the head kick by Dangerfield.
Watson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Dangerfield throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Dangerfield drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Dangerfield must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Watson is trying to keep Dangerfield in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dangerfield stops Watson from standing up.
Dangerfield is fighting to break Watson's control of his arms but Watson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Dangerfield trying to control but Watson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rocco Dangerfield has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dangerfield 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.
Dangerfield trying to control the position from guard on top but Watson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Watson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Dangerfield at a distance.
Watson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
A clash of legs there as Watson blocks the low kick.
Dangerfield avoids a kick to the body.
Dangerfield is trying to counter with his kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield loads up on a big right hand but Watson slips the punch.
Dangerfield pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dangerfield throws a good cross that connects.
Dangerfield shoots in for a takedown but Watson shows good takedown defense.
Watson swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Watson misses with a wild combination.
Dangerfield slips under a jab from Watson.
Dangerfield is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Watson with a body shot.
Dangerfield takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Dangerfield misses with a hook. Watson ducked under it nicely.
Watson seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Dangerfield misses the target.
Dangerfield avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Watson lands with an uppercut that bounces Dangerfield off the cage and back into range.
Watson dips to his left and cracks Dangerfield with an uppercut!
Watson lands with a cross.
Watson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dangerfield circles away from the clinch attempt

and Dangerfield counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Watson manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Dangerfield drags the fight down to the ground.
Dangerfield not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Dangerfield can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dangerfield working a defensive guard here.
Dangerfield tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dangerfield pulls Watson in close to his closed guard and prevents Watson from doing any damage or advancing position.
Watson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Dangerfield looking to control.

Dangerfield throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Watson escapes and throws Dangerfield's legs to the side, diving into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Thomas Watson will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Watson works the jab nicely.
Watson catches Dangerfield with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Dangerfield throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Watson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Dangerfield tries a head kick but it misses.
Dangerfield rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Watson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dangerfield throws a predictable looking body shot
and Watson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Dangerfield bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Dangerfield let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Watson takes one on the button.

Watson forces Dangerfield back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Watson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dangerfield's elbow.
Watson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Watson has a couple of punches blocked by Dangerfield.
Dangerfield tries to pull guard but Watson won't allow it.

Watson has Dangerfield pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Watson pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Dangerfield tumbling to the mat - Watson dives into Dangerfield's guard.
Watson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Dangerfield controls Watson momentarily but Watson frees himself.
Watson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dangerfield throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Dangerfield is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dangerfield is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Watson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Watson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Watson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Dangerfield counters with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson is looking to clinch but Dangerfield is avoiding it.
Watson needs to keep his hands up - Dangerfield had a free shot at his head there.
Watson throws the left hand but Dangerfield avoids the punch easily.
Dangerfield stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Watson scores with a sloppy right hand. Dangerfield should have avoided that one.
Dangerfield misses the jab.
Watson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Dangerfield slips a jab from Watson.
Dangerfield is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
A low kick from Watson misses

and Dangerfield counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Dangerfield content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Watson is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Watson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dangerfield throws an elbow that misses. Watson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dangerfield's guard. Nice move by Watson!

Dangerfield trying to control the position.
Dangerfield utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Dangerfield is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Watson defends well.
Watson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Dangerfield keeping full guard, as Watson tries to pass.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Watson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Watson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Watson!