PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dan Vespa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jally Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Vespa
vs
Joseph

169 cm
22
140 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

159 cm
19
141 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

STEEL PENN NUTRITION - STEEL RESERVE 158+ ONLY$89
STEEL PENN NUTRITION - STEEL RESERVE 158+ ONLY$89

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Dan Vespa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jally Joseph!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Joseph moves into the clinch.
Vespa looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Vespa trying to stall but Joseph improves his position.
Vespa goes for a takedown in the clinch but Joseph prevents it.

Vespa gets control of Joseph's arms and successfully pulls guard. Vespa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Joseph throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vespa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Joseph trying to control but Vespa is working from the bottom.
Joseph thows a big elbow that misses.
Joseph postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Joseph throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vespa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joseph loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Joseph scores with a one two! Vespa had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Vespa shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vespa showed some decent athleticism there.
Joseph wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph controlling the position well.
Joseph pushes Vespa off looking to stand but Vespa dives back in and keeps control.
Joseph is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Joseph really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Vespa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Joseph pushes Vespa off and gets back to his feet.
Joseph scores with a push kick.

Joseph scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vespa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Joseph.
Joseph throwing shots but Vespa is blocking nicely.
Joseph thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vespa's head.
Vespa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Joseph throwing shots but Vespa is blocking nicely.
Joseph lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Joseph thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vespa's head.
Joseph missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Joseph closes the distance and pushes Vespa back into the cage.

Joseph has clasped his hands together around Vespa's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph misses with the ground and pound.
Joseph lands some shots froms side control.
Joseph misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
An elbow from Joseph crashes against the mat.
Joseph throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Vespa is not content to let Joseph control the position.
Vespa is trying to control Joseph's posture but Joseph avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Joseph lands a few punches from side control.
Joseph trying to control the position but Vespa is working away.
Joseph fails to land a wild elbow strike.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Joseph scores with a kick to the midsection.
Joseph swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Nice cross by Joseph.
The fight stays on the outside here - Joseph looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joseph scores with a nice head shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jally Joseph dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Joseph scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Joseph scores with the left hand. Vespa knows he should have avoided that one.
Joseph fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vespa avoids the head kick by Joseph.
Joseph is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Joseph shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Joseph missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joseph throwing strikes from guard but Vespa blocks nicely.
Joseph with a flurry of punches that miss.
Joseph missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joseph throwing strikes but missing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Joseph is in close to Vespa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Joseph misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Joseph instigates a clinch.
Vespa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A short body shot lands from Joseph as the two fighters clinch.
Vespa is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Joseph pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Joseph is working for takedown but Vespa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Vespa is looking to control Joseph's arms but Joseph gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vespa has his back to the cage.
Joseph fails to pull guard.
Joseph tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vespa avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vespa gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Joseph.
Dan Vespa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jally Joseph.

Joseph's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vespa takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Joseph pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Joseph swinging wildly here.
Joseph throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Joseph bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Vespa's head.
Joseph is looking to clinch but Vespa is avoiding it.
Joseph tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vespa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Vespa misses with a takedown attempt - Joseph sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Joseph scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph throws a sloppy head kick and Vespa moves out of range easily.
Joseph works over Vespa's head and body with a nice combination.
Joseph works Vespa's body with a nice hook.
Joseph throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Joseph throws a low kick, looking for Vespa's leg but Vespa calmly moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Joseph.
Vespa shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Vespa keeps the fight on the outside.

Joseph scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Vespa is trying to control Joseph's posture but Joseph avoids it.
Joseph scoring with punches from side control.
Joseph in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph scoring with punches from side control.
Joseph in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
You can see the frustration on Vespa's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Joseph throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Joseph sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Vespa is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The strikes coming from Joseph are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Joseph working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Joseph landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jally Joseph showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Joseph feints and as Vespa raises his hands in defense, Joseph changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Joseph loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Joseph working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joseph working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Vespa's head.
Joseph with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Joseph is working Vespa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Joseph thows a big elbow that misses.
Vespa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joseph scoring with punches to the head and body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joseph connects with a couple of short punches.
Vespa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Joseph content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Vespa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Vespa is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Joseph loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Joseph postures up and lands a big shot to Vespa's brow.
Joseph postures up in Vespa's guard and throws a big left but Vespa blocks it.
Joseph missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joseph throwing strikes from guard but Vespa blocks nicely.
Joseph trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice sprawl there from Joseph as Vespa shoots in.
Vespa shoots and misses

and Joseph counters with a nice double leg into side control. Vespa won't be happy with that.
Joseph working away.
Vespa avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Joseph.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Joseph throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Vespa works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Joseph is nestled in close to Vespa, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Joseph connects with a nice short shot to Vespa's temple.
Joseph missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dan Vespa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

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.
Joseph thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Joseph thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Vespa's head.
Joseph not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vespa has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joseph is working away from the top position though.
Joseph not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Joseph gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Jally Joseph is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Vespa stops a takedown attempt from Joseph.
Joseph blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Joseph tries to pull guard but Vespa won't allow it.
Knees to the body from Vespa.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jally Joseph comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Joseph has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jally Joseph!