PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mariano Watts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Atif Muhammad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Atif Muhammad will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Watts
vs
Muhammad

154 cm
24
279 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

189 cm
21
245 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Mariano Watts!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Atif Muhammad!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Phil Schofield and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Muhammad has Watts up against the cage in a clinch.

Watts gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Muhammad makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Watts darts in and clinches Muhammad up against the cage.
Muhammad dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Muhammad's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Muhammad tries to break the clinch but Watts is controlling the position.
Muhammad throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Watts drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Muhammad gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Watts lands a takedown into guard.
Muhammad is wriggling around but Watts manages to pass to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Muhammad looks like he's trying to stand up.
Muhammad really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Watts. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Muhammad manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Watts stuffs the takedown.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Watts really is a fat lump.

Muhammad escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Muhammad fails with a takedown attempt.
Muhammad fails with the takedown.
Watts is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Muhammad.
Mariano Watts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Atif Muhammad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Watts clinches up with Muhammad and pushes him back against the cage.
Watts using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Watts is looking for a takedown.

Watts pulls Muhammad into guard.
Muhammad looking to pass the guard.
Watts controlling the position.
Watts is trying to control the position but Muhammad postures up.
Watts wants to stand up but Muhammad is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muhammad trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Muhammad working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Watts's head.
Muhammad throws a strike but Watts rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Muhammad wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Watts 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.

Watts gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
The fight stays on the outside here - Watts looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muhammad thows a leg kick but Watts checks it

and Watts counters with a single leg into guard. Muhammad didn't expect that.
Watts wants to control from the top but Muhammad keeps moving.
Watts with a flurry of punches that miss.
Watts works over Muhammad with some ground and pound from guard.

Muhammad is looking for a triangle but Watts pushes his legs off easily.
Watts is looking to work some ground and pound but Muhammad has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watts accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mariano Watts will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Muhammad fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Muhammad shoots in looking for a takedown. Watts tries to sprawl out of it but Muhammad keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Watts manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
It looked like Watts was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Muhammad throws a solid leg kick but Watts takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Muhammad.
Muhammad has a takedown stuffed.
Mariano Watts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Atif Muhammad.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muhammad pulls out of a head kick attempt.
No luck for Muhammad with that takedown attempt.
Atif Muhammad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muhammad tries for a takedown but Watts circles away easily

and Watts counters by clinching up.

Watts pulls Muhammad into guard.

Watts is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Muhammad trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Muhammad avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Muhammad cracks Watts with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Muhammad postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Watts is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Muhammad, into his guard.

Watts controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Watts throws an elbow that misses. Muhammad uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Watts's guard. Nice move by Muhammad!

Muhammad is in close to Watts's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Muhammad trying to control the position from guard on top but Watts is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Muhammad accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muhammad landing with the ground and pound.
Watts pulls Muhammad in close to prevent any damage.
Watts keeping moving, preventing Muhammad from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Muhammad is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Muhammad must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Muhammad throws an elbow that misses. Watts uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Muhammad's guard. Nice move by Watts!

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Watts accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Watts keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Muhammad's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Watts avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Watts works over Muhammad with some ground and pound from guard.
Watts is in close to Muhammad's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Watts content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Watts with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Watts distracts Muhammad with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Watts might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Watts is working Muhammad over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Muhammad keeping moving, preventing Watts from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mariano Watts dominated that second round.
That's time! Watts's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Muhammad tries for a takedown but Watts circles away easily

and Watts holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Muhammad drops down looking for an ankle pick but Watts pulls his leg out and moves away.
Muhammad dives in and grabs Watts's left leg, looking for a takedown. Watts pushes down on Muhammad's head and hops out.
Watts wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Mariano Watts has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Atif Muhammad.
Watts shoots in for a double leg but Muhammad sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Muhammad scores with a shot to the body.

Watts gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Watts changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Muhammad fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Muhammad is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Watts's half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watts is controlling Muhammad's trapped leg to prevent Muhammad from advancing to side control.
Muhammad is nestled in close to Watts, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Watts looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Watts has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Muhammad seems to be working for a kimura but Watts defends the submission attempt.
Muhammad is keen to just control but Watts is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Watts has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Muhammad is working away from the top position though.

Watts is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Muhammad pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Watts has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Muhammad is working away from the top position though.
Muhammad is trying to control the action in half guard but Watts is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Muhammad slips a nice elbow through Watts's hands, connecting with Watts's forehead.
Watts works his way to full guard. Good work.
Watts keeping full guard, as Muhammad tries to pass.
Muhammad postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muhammad trying to move into half guard but instead Watts has managed to sweep!

Muhammad is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Watts defends well.
Muhammad keeping moving, preventing Watts from controlling successfully.
Watts postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Muhammad striking off his back but it's not causing Watts any problems.

Watts gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Muhammad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Muhammad misses with a takedown
and Watts counters with a three punch combo that has Muhammad backing up. Muhammad nods at Watts to acknowledge the strikes.
A swing and a miss from Muhammad.

Watts closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Muhammad manages to escape and get back to his feet!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Watts leaves Muhammad with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Atif Muhammad.
Well Watts 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mariano Watts!