PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bubba Watson (ranked 5812 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rocky Balboa (ranked 7422 p4p, 486 weight class). Bubba Watson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Watson
vs
Balboa

197 cm
25
260 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
25
223 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bubba Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rocky Balboa!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balboa leaves Watson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Balboa with a lazy takedown attempt

and Watson counters by clinching up.

Watson jumps into guard, dragging Balboa to the mat.

Watson has his feet on Balboa's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Balboa blocks a head kick by Watson.
Balboa misses with a double jab.
Watson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Balboa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Balboa unleashes a big counter combination but Watson bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Balboa throws a good cross that connects.
Balboa misses with a wild combination.
Balboa with a poor takedown
and Watson counters with a head kick. That will keep Balboa thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balboa closes the distance and clinches up with Watson, looking for a takedown. Balboa pushes Watson against the cage but Watson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Bubba Watson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Balboa.
Donk. Watson catches Balboa right on the button with a cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Balboa counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Balboa lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Watson at a distance.

Watson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Watson misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Watson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Watson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Balboa is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Watson has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Watson decides to stand back up.
Balboa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watson as he jumps to the side.
Watson drops down looking for a counter takedown but Balboa sprawls and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Balboa has closed the distance and engaged Watson in a clinch.
Watson can't find room to land a body shot as Balboa controls the action.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watson utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Watson jumps guard.
Balboa trying to control but Watson is working from the bottom.
Balboa wants to stand but Watson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Watson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balboa trying to control but Watson is working from the bottom.
Watson managing to control the position.
Watson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Balboa throws a big elbow that misses.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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.

Balboa moves into the clinch.

Watson gets control of Balboa's arms and successfully pulls guard. Watson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Watson pulls Balboa in close to prevent any damage.
Watson trying to keep a closed guard but Balboa is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Watson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Watson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Balboa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bubba Watson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Watson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Balboa throws a counter combo.
Watson swinging wildly here.
Balboa is looking to clinch but Watson is avoiding it.
Balboa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Watson pinned against the cage. Watson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Watson shoots in looking for a takedown but Balboa manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Watson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
No luck for Watson with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Watson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bubba Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Balboa fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balboa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Balboa wants it to stay on the feet.
Watson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Balboa keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Watson takes a swing at Balboa's ribcage but misses.
Watson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Watson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Balboa tries to clinch there but Watson circles away.
Watson appears to be looking for a big counter.
Balboa tries to clinch there but Watson circles away.
Watson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balboa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck for Watson with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Balboa is defended easily by Watson.
Balboa throws a leg kick that misses.
Balboa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Balboa fails to land the takedown.
Balboa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Watson keeps the fight on the outside.
Watson attempts a counter takedown but Balboa avoids it well and moves away.
Balboa tried to score with a low kick but Watson checks it.
Watson shoots in for a takedown but Balboa shows good takedown defense.
Balboa shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Watson defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balboa defends it nicely.
Balboa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Balboa circles away quickly and effectively.
Watson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Watson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Balboa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson slaps away a takedown attempt from Balboa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Balboa with a hook.

It looks like Bubba Watson has been cut.
Watson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Balboa defends well and Watson ends up having to push Balboa into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Watson tries to close the distance and clinch but Balboa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Watson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Balboa is fending him off so far but Watson persists. Nope, Balboa circles away and we're back to standing.
Good work by Watson as he checks the leg kick.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Balboa shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Watson as he jumps to the side.

Balboa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rocky Balboa will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Bubba Watson's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Balboa shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A nice combination there by Watson.
Balboa misses with a body shot.
Watson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Balboa can do to turn this around?
Watson slips under a jab from Balboa.
Watson scores with a head kick.
Balboa with a poor takedown
and Watson counters with a nice body shot.
Watson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Balboa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Balboa drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Watson defends it well.
Balboa shoots in and drives through. Watson sprawls well.
Bubba Watson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rocky Balboa.
Watson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balboa defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balboa shoots in but no luck this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson goes for a double leg but Balboa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Balboa continues to drive forward.
Balboa fails in his attempt to clinch.
Balboa is looking to land body kicks.
Watson looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Watson misses with a takedown attempt - Balboa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Watson tries a low kick but Balboa avoids it.
Balboa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Balboa counters with a series of strikes. Watson will be more careful next time no doubt.
Balboa connects with a nice looking jab.

Balboa drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Balboa trying to control the position from guard on top but Watson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson keeping full guard, as Balboa tries to pass.
Watson keeping moving, preventing Balboa from controlling successfully.
Watson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Balboa decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Balboa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Balboa defends it nicely.
Balboa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Watson avoids it really well and circles away.
Balboa shoots for a double leg takedown but Watson sprawls well. He's pushed Balboa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Horrible takedown attempt by Balboa or perhaps it was just good defense by Watson, which made it look bad.
Balboa shoots in for a double leg but Watson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Balboa stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watson lands a glancing blow to the side of Balboa's head.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Balboa.
Balboa shoots and misses

and Watson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Watson.
Watson stopping the sweep attempt from Balboa.
Balboa can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Watson controls the pace.
Balboa trying to control the position.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bubba Watson.
Well Watson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28

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