PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thin Zainse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thin Zainse could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to David Watson's chin.

Zainse
vs
Watson

168 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

172 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thin Zainse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, David Watson!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Zainse has managed to clinch.
Zainse tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Watson has had enough of the clinch but Zainse keeps him there for the moment.
Zainse lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Watson or not.
Zainse effectively controlling the action here.
Zainse prevents a takedown attempt there.
Zainse lands a nice knee to the body.

Zainse pulls Watson into guard.
Watson slips nicely into half guard.
Zainse is trying to get back to full guard.
Zainse trying to control but Watson postures up.
Zainse is holding on to half guard well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zainse wants to get back to full guard.
Zainse knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Watson on the ground.
Watson controlling the pace.
Zainse is looking to improve his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Zainse tries to land a front kick but Watson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Watson misses with the combination.

Zainse clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Zainse stalling.

Watson has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Zainse regains guard immediately.
Watson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Watson controls from within his opponent's guard.

Zainse is looking for a triangle but Watson pushes his legs off easily.
Watson wants to stand but Zainse is controlling his posture from full guard.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Zainse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Watson stops Zainse from standing up.
Watson is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Watson keeps the fight on the outside.

Watson feints and as Zainse raises his hands in defense, Watson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Watson looks gassed!
Watson landing with the ground and pound.
Zainse wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zainse throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Watson connects with a couple of short punches.
Zainse looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Watson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Watson connects with a nice short shot to Zainse's temple.
Zainse wants to get back to his feet.
Watson is looking to advance position but Zainse won't allow it.
Watson passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Watson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Watson fails with a takedown attempt.

Zainse decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Zainse is looking to advance position but Watson won't allow it.
Watson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Zainse is working away from the top position though.
Watson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Zainse.
Zainse wants to take a breather but Watson is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zainse throwing shots but Watson is blocking nicely.
Zainse is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson is trying to control but can't.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Watson.

Zainse forces Watson back against the cage and clinches.
Watson wants to get back to striking at distance but Zainse won't allow it.
Watson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Thin Zainse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Watson.

Zainse's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Watson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Zainse lands a jab-cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Zainse.
Zainse tries to clinch up.

Zainse closes the distance and clinches.
Zainse dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Zainse has Watson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Watson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Zainse slowing the pace effectively.
Zainse unloads a knee to the mid-section. Watson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Zainse throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zainse goes for a takedown attempt but Watson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Watson darts in trying to clinch

and Zainse counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Watson wants a takedown.

Zainse drags the fight down to the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zainse lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Watson!

Zainse is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Watson has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Watson!
Zainse looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watson is one step ahead there.
Watson trying to control but Zainse is working from the bottom.
Watson connects with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zainse is looking to stand up but Watson isn't so interested in that idea.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Zainse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watson preventing the sweep.
Watson trying to control but Zainse is working from the bottom.
Watson stops Zainse from standing up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Zainse tries to clinch

and Watson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thin Zainse dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Zainse moves in looking to clinch but Watson pushes him off.
Watson swings for the body but Zainse moves out of range.
Zainse throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Watson.
Watson tries for a takedown but Zainse sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Zainse drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Zainse misses with the ground and pound.

Zainse stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Zainse misses with a double jab

and Watson counters with a takedown into side control.
Watson lands a nice forearm strike.

Watson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Watson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zainse tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Watson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zainse regains half guard.

Watson seems to be looking for submissions.
Zainse landing strikes from the bottom.
Zainse is refusing to be controlled, as Watson sits in half guard.
Zainse is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Watson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Zainse doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Watson.
Watson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Zainse is looking for a sweep. Watson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
David Watson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zainse blocking the ground and pound attempt from Watson.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Zainse lands with a slapping head kick.
Watson lands a head kick!
Zainse swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Watson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Watson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zainse wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Watson is pushing down on Zainse's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zainse is fighting to maintain full guard but Watson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Watson wants to control but Zainse is keeping him busy.
Zainse is trying to control but can't.
Watson trying to control the action but Zainse is working from the bottom.
Watson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Zainse!
Watson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Zainse can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
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.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Watson avoids the attempt from Zainse to control.
Zainse is desperately trying to improve his position but Watson has a good base and remains in mount.
Watson controlling the position easily from mount.
Zainse tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Watson content just to control the position here.
Zainse is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Watson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Watson 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29

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