PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Watsz Mawe (ranked 2232 p4p, 258 weight class) and Better Dead (ranked 3341 p4p, 356 weight class). Dead is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Death March - Motionless in White. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Mawe
vs
Dead

170 cm
33
160 lbs
14 - 12 - 0

183 cm
38
168 lbs
31 - 39 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Watsz Mawe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 31 - 39 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Better Dead!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mawe closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Dead quickly recovers to half guard.
Dead wants to improve his position but Mawe is controlling well.
Dead is trying to control but can't.
Mawe working the head and body with strikes.
Dead is pressing down on Mawe's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mawe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Dead working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mawe.
Dead pulls Mawe in to control the position.
Mawe stops Dead from standing up.
Dead is trying to control the position but Mawe postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mawe stands and throws Dead's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Dead is trying to improve his position.
Dead pushes Mawe away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Mawe gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dead is looking for a sweep.
Dead is being controlled here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mawe's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Dead wants to control but Mawe postures up.
Mawe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Dead tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mawe wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Dead is trying to control Mawe's posture but Mawe avoids it.
Mawe in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Mawe controlling from side mount.
Dead felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
You can see the frustration on Dead's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
A control attempt from Dead but he's now mounted!
Dead is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dead taking shots to the head.
Mawe working Dead over with strikes here.
Dead is in all sorts of trouble here.
Dead is squirming around, avoiding Mawe's attempts to control the action.
Mawe scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Dead?
Mawe wants to control the pace but Dead is squirming around nicely.
Mawe lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Dead hang on?
Dead is wriggling around trying to escape.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mawe trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Mawe takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Mawe seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Dead for as long as he can get away with.
Mawe is landing with some decent strikes but Dead is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mawe wants to control the pace but Dead is squirming around nicely.
Mawe with shots to the head and body - Dead looks very uncomfortable down there.
Dead is trying desperately to improve position.
Dead is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dead is looking to improve his position but Mawe isn't that keen on the idea.
Mawe pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Dead is looking to improve his position but Mawe isn't that keen on the idea.
Mawe controlling the position easily from mount.
Dead tries to hold on but Mawe postures up.
Mawe controlling the pace for now.
Mawe avoids the attempt from Dead to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mawe controlling the position easily from mount.

Mawe is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Dead to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Dead shrugs it off.
Dead is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Mawe controlling from the full mount.
Mawe has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Mawe with shots to the head and body - Dead looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Watsz Mawe dominated that round.
That's time! Mawe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Dead tests Mawe's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Watsz Mawe is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dead lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Mawe backs up against the cage.
Mawe takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Dead swings for the body but Mawe moves out of range.
Mawe on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Sloppy strikes from Mawe. Those never looked like landing.
Nice body kick from Dead.
Dead tries to clinch up but Mawe circles away and keeps his distance.
Mawe lands a right hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dead stuffs the takedown attempt from Mawe. Mawe gets slowly back to his feet.

Mawe throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Dead tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mawe is in Dead's guard.

Dead is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dead tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mawe looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dead is looking to stand up but Mawe isn't so interested in that idea.
Mawe sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mawe scoring with punches to the head and body.
Mawe passes Dead's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mawe lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mawe performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Dead trying to hold on to Mawe's head to control him but Mawe postures up.
Dead tries to get to full guard but Mawe has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mawe trying to control the action but Dead is working from the bottom.
Dead is trying to control but can't.
Mawe working the head and body with strikes.
Dead gets full guard.
Dead working a defensive guard here.
Mawe lands a couple of elbows.
Mawe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Mawe tries to free his leg and advance position but Dead is retaining full guard.
Dead tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mawe seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mawe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dead swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mawe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mawe won't allow Dead to sweep him here.
Dead is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Dead is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mawe trying to control but Dead is working from the bottom.
Mawe being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Mawe shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Dead sprawls well. Dead wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Mawe gets slowly back to his feet.
Dead misses with a straight left.
Mawe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dead can do to turn this around?
Mawe takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dead swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Mawe shoots for a double leg takedown but Dead sprawls well. He's pushed Mawe's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Watsz Mawe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dead tries to land a front kick but Mawe steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Mawe tries to counter with a takedown but Dead is quick to defend against it.
Dead swings away with a body shot that misses

and Mawe counters with a single leg into guard. Dead didn't expect that.
Dead is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Mawe lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mawe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Dead is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mawe stays in close to Dead's body and controls the position.
Dead 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Better Dead will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Dead fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mawe shoots in looking for a takedown. Dead tries to sprawl out of it but Mawe keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Dead manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A punch combination from Dead misses.

Mawe tries to keep at a distance but Dead has taken the fight into the clinch.
Dead misses with a knee strike.
Mawe is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Dead pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Dead is trying to stall.
Dead misses with a punch to the body.

Mawe pulls guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mawe looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dead is one step ahead there.

Dead stands up and waves to Mawe to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dead doesn't manage to clinch there - Mawe circles away.
Mawe attempts a counter takedown but Dead avoids it well and moves away.
Mawe lands a nice hook to Dead's body. Dead takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Mawe is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Mawe bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Dead tries to buck Mawe off but Mawe is having none of it.
Mawe cracks Dead with a big right hand but Dead just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Mawe looks up at the clock and then as Dead takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Mawe smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Mawe advances to full mount.
Mawe landing strikes from the mount and Dead is in trouble!
Mawe controlling from the full mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Mawe lands a big shot there that rocks Dead but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Mawe trying to control but Dead is having none of it.
Mawe in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mawe wants to control the pace but Dead is squirming around nicely.
Dead tries to hold on but Mawe postures up.
Mawe prevents Dead from getting the reversal.
Dead wants to hold on but Mawe pushes him away.
Dead is working to get back to half guard.
Dead takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dead manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Mawe controlling the action here.
Mawe working over Dead with some ground and pound. Dead looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Mawe is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mawe winds up and cracks Dead with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mawe performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Dead is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Dead is trying to stand.
Dead trying to hold on to Mawe's head to control him but Mawe postures up.
Mawe takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Mawe is looking to advance position but Dead won't allow it.
Dead is trying to control but can't.
Mawe keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Mawe is looking to take a break and control but Dead is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dead regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Mawe looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Dead working a defensive guard here.
Mawe trying to control the position from guard on top but Dead is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Mawe postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Mawe controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Dead working a defensive guard here.
Dead keeping moving, preventing Mawe from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Mawe uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Mawe misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Watsz Mawe showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Mawe 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Watsz Mawe!
Watsz Mawe bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.
In defeat, Better Dead stepped up to the mic, saying 'I was a little off today...o.k. I'm always a little off.'.