PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rolls Royce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erris Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Erris Watts was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Royce
vs
Watts

175 cm
25
147 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

150 cm
26
155 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rolls Royce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Erris Watts!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shirou Masuda and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Royce shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watts pinned against the cage. Watts gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Royce fails with a takedown attempt.
Royce fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Watts avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rolls Royce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Watts drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Royce escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Watts gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Watts stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Royce swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Royce working for a triangle but Watts defends it easily.
Watts missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Royce will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Let's hope that Watts has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Watts trying to control the position from guard on top but Royce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Royce controls Watts momentarily but Watts frees himself.
Watts trying to control but Royce is working from the bottom.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Erris Watts hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Royce connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Watts's hands.
Royce takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's two 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.
Royce misses with a jab to the body
and Watts counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Watts shoots in and gets a takedown into Royce's guard.

Watts avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Watts trying to control but Royce is working from the bottom.
Watts wants to pass the guard but Royce is keeping the position.
Royce controls Watts momentarily but Watts frees himself.
Watts sitting in guard here, content to control.
Watts postures up in Royce's guard and throws a big left but Royce blocks it.
Watts controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Erris Watts has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Royce closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Watts did well to prevent Royce getting side control.
Royce trying to control from half guard but Watts is working away.

Watts is defending against the submission attempts here by Royce.

Watts looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Royce is trying to work for a kimura but Watts is defending well.
Royce seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Watts does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Royce looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Watts really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Royce. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Royce wants to control but Watts is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erris Watts dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Watts sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Watts drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Watts is looking to take a break and control but Royce is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Royce is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Watts is controlling him well.
Royce is looking for a sweep.
Royce regains half guard.
Royce is trying to get back to full guard.
Watts tries to pass to full mount but Royce defends it.
Royce is trying to maintain the position but Watts is very close to passing his half guard.

Royce looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royce is trying to maintain the position but Watts is very close to passing his half guard.
Well, if Watts is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Watts thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Royce's head.
Royce regains full guard. Nicely done.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Royce is on top in guard.
Watts keeping moving, preventing Royce from controlling successfully.

That's two 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.
Watts looking for a sweep. Not yet Watts, not yet.
Royce wants to control from the top but Watts keeps moving.
Royce slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Royce trying to control the position from guard on top but Watts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Royce is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Watts is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rolls Royce.
Watts misses with a body shot.

Watts decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Watts is taking a breather. Royce says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Royce trying to control here.
Royce is trying to get back to full guard.
Watts is trying to control. Royce wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watts is looking to advance position but Royce won't allow it.
Royce regains full guard. Nicely done.
Watts is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Watts preventing the sweep.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Erris Watts hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Watts shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Watts was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Watts trying to control but Royce is having none of it.
Royce is working to get back to half guard.
Watts sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erris Watts showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Royce's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Royce misses with a series of wild punches.
Royce tries to clinch up.
Watts keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Royce misses with a jab to the body

and Watts counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Royce!

Watts looking for a guillotine from mount but Royce is having none of it.
Royce is looking to get to half guard.
Watts looking to land elbow strikes but Royce uses the position to regain half guard.
Erris Watts has got the better of the ground game so far.
Watts wants to stand but Royce has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Royce is trying to get back to full guard.

Watts is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Royce doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Watts.
Watts trying to control the pace.
Royce is looking for a sweep. Watts is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Royce is trying to control but can't.
Royce is looking for a sweep. Watts is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Royce makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Royce.
Rolls Royce has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Watts landing with the ground and pound.
Wattsis looking to pass into half guard but Royce pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Royce is in guard.
Royce wants to control from the top but Watts keeps moving.
Watts working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Royce.
Watts wants to sweep here but Royce controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watts keeping moving, preventing Royce from controlling successfully.
Royce connects with a couple of short punches.
Erris Watts is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Watts seems keen to control Royce's posture.
Royce postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Royce throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Watts works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Watts is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Royce fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Watts manages to avoid it.

Watts throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Royce was covering up waiting for the punch and Watts finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Royce is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Royce is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Watts controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Royce looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erris Watts comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Watts winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Erris Watts!