Tom Watson v Alex Reid Bamma 4
Though Alex Reid had to contend with the pressure of the media circus surrounding him, he stepped up and showed that he is indeed a fighter, first and foremost. For me, Reid has never been that good technically - many will never know how he blew his UFC Ultimate Fighter chance by being cocky and showing off.
Whilst I thought Tom Watson would hammer Reid, the fight became an absolute war of attrition from the opening bell to the last, a testament to the heart and conditioning of both athletes. Probably shocking no one more than Watson, Reid employed an aggressive, forward motion from the start, catching the defending champion early and making his intentions clear.
Watson found himself having to counter as well as defend the shoot as Reid walked him down, easily taking the first round.
Setting the tone for the fight, Reid and Watson engaged in a gruelling battle, played out on the feet and in the clinch. Trading kicks, knees and elbows as well as landing big combinations, both athletes were soon marked up and bleeding and though Reid looked like he was gassing in the third, he continued to stalk the champion and throw big shots.
Watson tried to shoot but Reid stuffed the takedown showing that records mean nothing and that ring rust was having no effect. Going into the final and fifth round, both men traded vicious combinations and submission attempts until the bell.
The judges gave the nod to Watson (49-46, 49-46, 49-47) but the fight proved to be more than a title defence. Reid displayed the toughness that he was always known for on the domestic scene whilst both earned the respect of the other.
Getting a title shot after so many MMA defeats was a bit of a joke but it was a really good fight.
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