PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Abel Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pinto Dathief (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Abel Watson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Watson
vs
Dathief

215 cm
18
151 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

160 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Likes musicals

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 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Abel Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Pinto Dathief!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Phil Schofield and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson throws a half hearted mid kick.

Dathief throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Watson was covering up waiting for the punch and Dathief finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Watson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Dathief decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Watson, up you get!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Dathief enables Watson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Dathief manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Dathief is trying to keep Watson in close.

Dathief is looking for a triangle but Watson pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dathief is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Watson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Watson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dathief is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Watson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Dathief utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Dathief is looking for a triangle but Watson pushes his legs off easily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Watson fails with the takedown.

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.

Dathief shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Watson is trying to defend but Dathief finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Dathief is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Watson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Dathief.

Watson actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dathief wants to lay and pray for a moment but Watson keeps working.
Dathief thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Watson's head.
Dathief controlling the pace.
Watson wants to get back to full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dathief content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Dathief is looking to score with low kicks.
Dathief swinging wildly here.
Watson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Dathief fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Watson to the ground. Dathief is now in Watson's guard.
Dathief stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dathief looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pinto Dathief dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dathief shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Dathief showed some decent athleticism there.
Dathief throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dathief is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Watson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Dathief missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dathief is keen to just control but Watson is a slippery customer.
Dathief wants to advance to full mount but Watson doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Dathief trying to control the position from guard on top but Watson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Dathief stands up and waves to Watson to follow him.

Dathief darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dathief wants to pass to mount but Watson is defending the position.
Watson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Watson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dathief.
Dathief wants to pass to mount but Watson is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dathief seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Watson is defending against the submission attempts here by Dathief.
Dathief wants to lay and pray for a moment but Watson keeps working.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Dathief looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Dathief seems to be looking for submissions.
Dathief throwing shots but Watson is blocking nicely.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dathief throws a strike but Watson avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Watson looking to control but Dathief passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pinto Dathief showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Dathief shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Watson manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Dathief stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Watson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dathief defends well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Dathief stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Pinto Dathief is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dathief closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Watson quickly recovers to half guard.

Dathief postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Watson to stand up.
Dathief misses with a double jab.

Dathief drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Dathief is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Watson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Watson is looking to regain half guard here but Dathief keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dathief is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Watson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Dathief slows the pace down.
Dathief trying to control the position but Watson is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dathief misses with the ground and pound.
Dathief tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Dathief just content to control the position.
Watson tries to bench press Dathief off him but Dathief keeps the position.
Dathief is trying to ground and pound but Watson uses the momentary lack of control by Dathief to regain half guard.
Dathief is trying to control the action in half guard but Watson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

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 keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dathief is trying to control. Watson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Dathief closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Watson's guard.
Dathief has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dathief throws an elbow that misses. Watson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dathief's guard. Nice move by Watson!

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Watson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Abel Watson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pinto Dathief is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Watson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Dathief dives on top into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pinto Dathief comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Dathief has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pinto Dathief!