PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gerald Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edgar Allen Poe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Poe is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Dance Hall Days. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Watson
vs
Allen Poe

174 cm
24
205 lbs
6 - 0 - 1

210 cm
24
216 lbs
4 - 0 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Gerald Watson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edgar Allen Poe!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Watson thows a body shot but no joy.
Poe stuffs the takedown attempt from Watson. Watson gets slowly back to his feet.
Poe throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Watson thows a body shot but no joy.
A chopping leg kick lands by Poe.
Poe thuds his shin into the meat of Watson's side.
Watson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Watson checks a leg kick.

Poe moves into the clinch successfully.
Watson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Watson trying to land knees to the body.
Poe landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Watson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poe is pushing Watson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Poe throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Watson tries a knee to the head but Poe blocks it.
Watson wants to get back to striking at distance but Poe won't allow it.
Watson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Poe.
Watson avoids a wild elbow strike from Poe.
Poe crunches a lovely knee into Watson's ribcage.
Watson is breathing heavily.
Watson jumps guard but Poe stands there with Watson around his waist. Watson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Watson is trying to drag Poe to the mat but Poe just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gerald Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Poe tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Watson avoiding damage as Poe throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Poe gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Poe leaning his opponent against the cage.
Poe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Watson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Poe lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Watson tries to pull guard but Poe won't allow it.
Poe gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Watson tries to pull guard but Poe holds him up against the cage and eventually Watson drops back down to his feet.
Poe lands a knee to the head.
Poe avoiding damage as Watson throws knees to the body.
Watson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Poe avoids it.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Poe pushes off an throws an elbow but Watson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Poe avoiding damage as Watson throws knees to the body.
Watson tries to land knees in the clinch but Poe avoids the damage to the body.
Watson fails to pull guard.
Poe creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Poe tries to land knees in the clinch but Watson avoids the damage to the body.
Poe gets underhooks to prevent Watson's takedown attempt.
Poe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Watson avoids it.
Poe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Watson avoids it.
Poe gets through Watson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Poe.
Poe slowing the pace effectively.
Poe stalling in the clinch but Watson improves position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poe using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Watson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Watson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Poe keeps control of Watson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Watson avoids the elbow strike from Poe, against the cage.
Watson looking for a takedown.
Watson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Poe just stands there and leans against the cage.
Poe makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Poe lands a damaging elbow.
Poe putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Watson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Watson avoids the elbow strike from Poe, against the cage.
Watson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Watson tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Poe missing with knees to the body.
Poe avoiding damage as Watson throws knees to the body.
Watson takes an elbow to the temple.
Poe using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Watson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Poe avoids it.
Poe lands an elbow inside that Watson shrugs off.
Poe misses with a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Poe.
Poe pushes off an throws an elbow but Watson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Poe gets through Watson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Poe gets through Watson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Poe pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Watson decides to pull guard.
Poe trying to control the position from guard on top but Watson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Watson pulls Poe in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poe must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Poe wants to control from the top but Watson keeps moving.
Poe looking to pass the guard.
Poe is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Watson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Poe looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poe being controlled here momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poe wants to control from the top but Watson keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Allen Poe 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.

Watson throws a body punch but Poe moves out of range.
Watson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Watson throws the kick towards the body but Poe avoids it.
Poe is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Poe scores with a leg kick.
Poe stuffs the takedown attempt from Watson. Watson gets slowly back to his feet.
Poe walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Watson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Watson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Poe circles away.
Poe takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Watson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Poe's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Poe prevents Watson from improving position.
Watson landing a few strikes.
Watson tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Poe is trying to control Watson's posture but Watson avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe is looking for a sweep.
Watson throws a strike aimed at the side of Poe's head but Poe avoids it well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Poe throws out a leg kick but Watson moves out of range and Poe only half commits.
Poe tries to clinch there but Watson circles away.
Watson thows a body shot but no joy.
Poe keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Edgar Allen Poe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Poe throws out a leg kick but Watson moves out of range and Poe only half commits.
Watson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Poe but Poe pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gerald Watson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Watson gets the takedown into side control.
Watson is looking to take a break and control but Poe is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Poe really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Watson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Watson tries to move to mount but Poe blocks the move with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poe is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Watson misses with the ground and pound.
Poe wants to control but Watson postures up.
Poe is looking to reverse the position.
Watson cracks Poe with a big elbow.
Check out the look on Watson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Watson working the ground and pound but Poe is defending the strikes.
Watson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The strikes coming from Watson are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Poe is trying to control Watson's posture but Watson avoids it.
Watson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Watson working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Poe is trying to improve his position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Poe misses with a wild body shot.

Poe closes the distance and clinches.
Poe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Watson fails to pull guard.
Poe creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Watson avoids a wild elbow strike from Poe.
Watson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Poe is defending well for now.
Watson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Poe avoids it.
Poe blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Poe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Watson is trying to drag Poe to the mat but Poe just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Watson dodges an elbow strike from Poe.
Nice elbow from Poe.
Watson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Poe avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Poe throws an elbow that misses.

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.
Poe looking to slow down the pace here.
Poe gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Watson.
Watson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Poe has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Watson avoids a wild elbow strike from Poe.
Poe throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Watson blocks an elbow strike from Poe.
Poe managing to block the knees to the body from Watson.
Poe lands a nice elbow.
Watson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Poe walks away with a smile on his face. Watson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Poe is looking to clinch.
Poe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Watson.
Watson fails with the takedown.
Watson swats away the attempt to clinch by Poe.
Watson pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Poe tries to clinch up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Poe looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Poe is looking to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gerald Watson dominated that second round.
That's time! Watson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Watson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Poe pinned against the cage. Poe gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Poe keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Watson takes a swing at Poe's ribcage but misses.
Watson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Poe throws and low kick but Watson moves out of range easily.

Watson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Poe to the mat! Poe manages to get full guard.
Poe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Watson tries to free his leg and advance position but Poe is retaining full guard.
Watson stopping the sweep attempt from Poe.
Poe utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Poe controls Watson momentarily but Watson frees himself.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Poe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Watson wants to control from the top but Poe keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Watson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

Watson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Poe is looking to reverse the position.
Watson tries to advance to mount but Poe denies him.
Poe can't do much from the bottom here.
Poe regains half guard.
Watson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Watson is thwarting Poe's attempts to control the position.
Watson looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Watson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Poe's head.
Watson wants to take a breather but Poe is having none of it.
Watson is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Poe wants to get back to full guard.
Watson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Watson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Poe keeping hold of Watson's head, controlling as best he can.
Poe wants to improve his position but Watson is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poe makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Poe.
Poe keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.
Poe keeping full guard, as Watson tries to pass.
Poe trying to keep a closed guard but Watson is proving a slippery customer.
Poe manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watson manages to get himself to full guard.
Poe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Watson keeping moving, preventing Poe from controlling successfully.

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.
Poe is fighting to break Watson's control of his arms but Watson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Poe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Poeis looking to pass into half guard but Watson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Watson is in guard.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Poe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Poe is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Gerald Watson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Watson 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28

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