PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Better Dead (ranked 5351 p4p, 483 weight class) and Scott Watt (ranked 1414 p4p, 182 weight class). Dead comes to the cage accompanied by Death March - Motionless in White. Watt has chosen Edmund Fitzgerald as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Dead
vs
Watt

183 cm
39
168 lbs
31 - 41 - 0

185 cm
42
165 lbs
25 - 38 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Big right hand

Good wrestler
World class MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 31 - 41 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Better Dead!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 38 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Scott Watt!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dead misses with a body kick.
Watt avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Dead is looking to clinch but Watt is avoiding it.
Dead tries to clinch there but Watt circles away.
Watt looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Dead doesn't manage to clinch there - Watt circles away.
Dead tries to work over Watt's front leg with a kick but Watt checks it.
Dead missing with a left hand there. Watt was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dead misses with a body kick.
Watt lands a head kick. Dead smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Dead tries to clinch but Watt moves out of range.
Dead looks to score with a jab to the body but Watt is just out of range.
Nice cross by Watt.

Dead gets caught flat footed, as Watt shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Dead wants to sweep here but Watt controlling him for the moment.

Dead has his feet on Watt's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dead throws a sloppy body shot
and Watt counters with a three punch combo that has Dead backing up. Dead nods at Watt to acknowledge the strikes.
Dead takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Watt lands with a cross.
Dead tries to work over Watt's front leg with a kick but Watt checks it.
Dead paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Dead takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Watt finds it's target.
Dead tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Watt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Watt swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Dead finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nice shot by Dead.
Dead is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Watt pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Watt scores with a decent looking hook.
Dead stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Dead dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
We've been informed that Watt has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
A big left from Dead misses.
Better Dead seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dead fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dead swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Watt misses with a wild combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watt keeps the fight on the outside.
Dead misses with a low kick.
Watt connects with the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watt stalks Dead and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Dead's face. Dead staggers backwards, shaken.
Dead throws a front kick aimed at Watt's knee but Watt avoids it well.
Better Dead is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dead scores with the left hand. Watt knows he should have avoided that one.

Watt is rocked!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Watt connects with the punch.
Dead swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dead looks to land a left hand but Watt moved out of range nicely.
Watt cracks Dead with a right hand to the side of the head.
Dead wants to clinch.
Dead misses the shot to the body.
Dead tries to move into range but Watt moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Dead throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Dead throws a sloppy body shot
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Good standup being displayed there by Watt as he connects with a hook.
Dead tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Watt counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Watt lands a high kick!
Dead misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watt on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dead. Dead obviously looking to wear him down.

Dead gets a clinch.
Dead throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Watt manages to break the clinch.
Watt circles away from the clinch attempt
and Watt counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A combination from Watt does no damage.
Watt scores with a punch to the head.
Dead moves in looking to clinch but Watt pushes him off.
Watt keeps the fight on the outside.
Dead misses with a head kick.
Watt scores with a decent looking hook.
Dead throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Watt lands with a good body shot.
Dead on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watt lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Watt is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Dead had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Watt throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A leg kick checked by Watt.
Dead wants to clinch
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watt connects with an inside leg kick.
Nice shot by Dead.
Watt moves out of range of the body kick from Dead.
Watt with a hook.
Dead gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Watt counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Dead works his way to full guard. Good work.
Dead seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Watt is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Watt landing with the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Watt's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dead is pulling down on Watt's head to control his posture.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dead avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Watt dominated that 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.

Watt avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A low kick from Dead misses
and Watt counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Watt looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dead looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Watt is looking for the big counter here.
Dead takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Watt displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Dead throws out the jab.
Dead looks to land a left hand but Watt moved out of range nicely.
Scott Watt seems to be getting the better of the standup.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A nice right hand lands inside from Dead.
Dead fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Dead is trying to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Watt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Watt might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Watt swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Watt keeps the fight on the outside.
Dead tries to clinch but Watt is having none of it.
Watt connects with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dead tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Watt counters with a left and a right that stings Dead.
Better Dead is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Watt fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Dead sprawls well initially but Watt persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Dead is looking to control Watt's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dead avoid being mounted?
Dead is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Watt scores with a couple of nice shots.
Watt is trying to control the action in half guard but Dead is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dead wants to control but Watt is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dead is trying to get back to full guard.
Dead keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Watt looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dead with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Watt is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dead really wants to buck Watt off and get back to his feet.
Watt lands a couple of good shots and Dead has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dead wants to get back to his feet.
Dead is trying to remain composed but Watt is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Watt's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
You can see the frustration on Dead's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Watt throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Watt connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Dead to escape the position.
Dead is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Dead is trying to stand back up.
Watt lands punches and elbows.
Dead covering up well under a barage of strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Watt patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Watt is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Dead trying to get back to his feet but Watt is in full control for now.
Dead wants to escape the position.
Watt scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Dead is looking for a way out.
Watt is landing with strikes from the back.

Watt is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Dead trying to control the hands but Watt breaks the grip.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dead covering up well under a series of strikes from Watt.
Dead trying to control the hands but Watt breaks the grip.
Watt doesn't have the hooks in and Dead manages to turn into his guard.
Watt trying to keep a closed guard but Dead is proving a slippery customer.
Dead trying to control the position from guard on top but Watt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dead decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Watt, up you get!
Watt has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Watt takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Watt scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Watt throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Dead stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Watt's jab looks to have found its range, popping Dead under the eye.
Dead takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Watt ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Watt lands a nice shot to the body.
Dead takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Watt lands with a nice combination. Dead backs away looking to recover.
Dead walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Watt checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Dead takes one to the side of the head.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Dead crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Watt - the referee stops the clock and Dead gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Watt. Dead manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Watt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Dead swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Watt swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Dead cracks Watt with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Watt lands a nice looking kick to the body. Dead takes a step back to recover.
Watt scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Watt moves away from the strike by Dead.
Watt scores with a three punch combo!
Watt throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dead tries to clinch up
and Dead takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Dead throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Dead lands with a hook. Watt tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Watt with a hook.
Dead lands a nice hook to Watt's body. Watt takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Watt needs to keep his hands up - Dead had a free shot at his head there.
The fighters circle momentarily. Dead darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Watt is still on wobbly legs! Can Dead finish him?
Dead looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Dead tries to close the distance and clinch up but Watt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A head kick by Dead misses
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watt bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Watt seems to have recovered his senses.
It looks like Dead has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Dead throws a right hand that misses

and Watt counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Watt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Watt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dead takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Dead has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Watt finds it's way round the side to connect with Dead's head.
Watt paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Dead tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Dead misses with a few strikes there.
Watt cracks Dead with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Dead looks to land a right hand but Watt moved out of range.
Watt moves away from the strike by Dead.
Dead wants to clinch.
Watt lands a nice shot to the body.
Dead has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Dead tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Watt manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watt fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dead is looking to clinch.
Dead throws a half hearted mid kick.
Dead throws a series of punches but Watt avoids them all with ease.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dead looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Better Dead has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Watt scores with a nice head shot.
Dead misses with a leg kick
and Watt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Dead walks into a left hand.
Watt throws a head kick that Dead semi-blocks.
Dead ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Watt moves away.
Dead wants to clinch but Watt slips to the side
and Watt counters with a three punch combo that has Dead backing up. Dead nods at Watt to acknowledge the strikes.
Watt lands a jab-cross combination.
Dead misses with a head kick.
Watt doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Watt lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Dead takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A head kick by Dead misses
and Watt counters with a good low kick that Dead was not able to check.
Watt moves out of range of the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watt avoids a kick to the body.
Dead gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Watt.
Dead throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Dead takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Dead walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Dead throws a low kick, looking for Watt's leg but Watt calmly moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Dead misses the target.
Watt lunges at Dead with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Dead's hand.
Watt ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Watt throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Dead tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Watt paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Watt uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Dead has time to react.
Dead on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Watt scores with a leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watt lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Watt misses with a head kick.

Watt throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Dead tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Watt is in Dead's guard.

Dead has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Watt is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Scott Watt is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Watt blocking some punches.
Dead has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Watt after a bit of a struggle.
A nice right hand lands inside from Dead.
Watt wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Dead has him pressed against the cage.
Dead throws an elbow but it misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Watt.

Watt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dead falls off balance throwing a combination
and Watt counters with a stiff right hand.
Watt moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Watt scores with a decent looking hook.
Dead tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dead takes one to the chin there.
Dead pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Watt feints a jab promting Dead to slip. Watt then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Dead slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Watt throws a quick inside leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scott Watt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Watt 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Watt!
A relieved looking Scott Watt thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Better Dead spoke after the fight, saying 'I was a little off today...o.k. I'm always a little off.'.