PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Witte Mano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Watkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mano
vs
Watkins

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
20
299 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Witte Mano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matthew Watkins!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Aafke Stam and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watkins tries a head kick but it misses.
Watkins tries for a takedown but Mano circles away easily

and Mano counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Watkins trying to control here.
Watkins keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mano knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Watkins on the ground.
Mano is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Watkins is trying to control but can't.
Watkins is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Mano is staying active.
Watkins trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watkins is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Mano controlling from mount.
Mano is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Watkins can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Watkins is trying to escape the mount.
Watkins tries to hold on but Mano pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Mano dominating with strikes here.
Watkins is trying desperately to improve position.
Mano sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Watkins tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mano putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Mano fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Watkins takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Watkins is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Watkins looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mano lands a big shot there that rocks Watkins but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Watkins tries to reverse the position but Mano maintains control.
Mano cracks Watkins with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Mano controlling from mount.
Mano in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Mano controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mano is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Mano fails in his attempt to clinch.
Watkins fails with the takedown

and Mano counters with a single leg into guard. Watkins didn't expect that.
Watkins wants to sweep here but Mano controlling him for the moment.
Mano pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Watkins is keeping the position for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Witte Mano dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mano gets the takedown into side control.
Mano advances nicely into full mount.
Mano will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Watkins regains half guard.
Mano perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Watkins is looking for a sweep. Mano is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Watkins is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mano performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

We're going to have a standup here because Witte Mano wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Watkins fails with the takedown

and Mano decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Watkins's guard.
Mano 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.
Mano pushing down on Watkins's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Mano is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Watkins defends it well.
Watkins is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mano is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Witte Mano.

Mano closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Watkins to the mat! Watkins manages to get full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mano wants to control from the top but Watkins keeps moving.
Mano distracts Watkins with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mano wants to pass the guard but Watkins is keeping the position.
Witte Mano overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Watkins has his foot on Mano's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mano works his way back into a safe position though.
Mano content to stall in guard here.
Watkins controls Mano momentarily but Mano frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Mano stands up from Watkins's guard - Mano perhaps looking for a knockout.

Mano dives in and scores a takedown into Watkins's guard.

Mano stands up from Watkins's guard - Mano perhaps looking for a knockout.

Watkins gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mano has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watkins controls Mano momentarily but Mano frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Witte Mano 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.

Mano swinging wildly here.

Mano looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Mano controlling the action here.
Watkins trying to control here.
Watkins takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mano blocks the strikes from Watkins.

Mano decides to return to a standing position.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Watkins.
Watkins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mano misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Watkins fails with an attempt to clinch.
Watkins scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Watkins shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Mano wants to improve his position but Watkins is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mano looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Watkins is looking to advance position but Mano won't allow it.
Mano is looking for a sweep. Watkins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Watkins is keen to just control but Mano is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watkins throwing shots but Mano is blocking nicely.

Mano actively working from the bottom here.
Watkins should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The fighters are battling for position here. Mano manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Mano is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mano looking for a sweep. Not yet Mano, not yet.
Watkins throwing strikes from guard but Mano blocks nicely.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Watkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Mano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mano not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Watkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Mano is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mano is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Watkins defends well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matthew Watkins comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mano 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 Nard Betker scores the fight for Witte Mano!
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight for Witte Mano!
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight for Witte Mano!

Witte Mano wins by unanimous decision!