PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Taylor Hamasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tino Joze (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joze is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Linkin Park - In The End . Taylor Hamasaki had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Hamasaki
vs
Joze

184 cm
23
216 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

184 cm
19
204 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taylor Hamasaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tino Joze!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hamasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Joze looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hamasaki. Joze does a little dance to reset his feet.
Joze shoots for a takedown but Hamasaki saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hamasaki connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Joze's hands.

It looks like Tino Joze has been cut.
Hamasaki scores with a jab. Joze acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Joze wants to clinch up but Hamasaki keeps it at a distance.
Joze tries to clinch there but Hamasaki circles away.
Hamasaki blocks a head kick by Joze.
Joze fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hamasaki looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hamasaki trying to control from half guard but Joze is working away.
Nice strikes from Hamasaki there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hamasaki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Joze with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Joze tries to get to full guard but Hamasaki has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Joze manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hamasaki lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Joze trying to keep a closed guard but Hamasaki is proving a slippery customer.
Hamasaki with a flurry of punches that miss.

Joze is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hamasaki is aware though and is defending well.
Joze is trying to keep Hamasaki in close.
Hamasaki wants to control from the top but Joze keeps moving.
Hamasaki lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Joze utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamasaki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hamasaki working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Joze looks gassed!
Hamasaki throws a big right hand that misses.
Hamasaki thows a big elbow that misses.
Hamasaki trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Joze is trying to keep Hamasaki in close.
Hamasaki wants to control from the top but Joze keeps moving.
Hamasaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Joze is keeping the position for now.
Hamasaki in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Joze throws a head kick that misses.

Hamasaki looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hamasaki working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hamasaki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Joze's head.
Hamasaki throws a strike but Joze rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hamasaki keeping moving, preventing Joze from controlling successfully.
Joze stopping the sweep attempt from Hamasaki.
Hamasaki is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joze thows a big elbow that misses.
Hamasaki avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hamasaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hamasaki wants to stand but Joze is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Joze tries to clinch up but Hamasaki circles away and keeps his distance.
Hamasaki scores with a nice head shot.
Joze takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Hamasaki wants to clinch.

Hamasaki rushes Joze and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Joze jumps guard and drags Hamasaki to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hamasaki in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taylor Hamasaki dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tino Joze's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hamasaki closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Hamasaki.
Joze lands with a right to the head.
A frustrated look appears on Hamasaki's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Joze working aggressively here.
Joze fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Joze tries to pull guard but Hamasaki won't allow it.
Joze throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Joze is trying to break the clinch but Hamasaki is controlling him.
Joze wants to break the clinch but can't.
Joze is looking to control Hamasaki's arms but Hamasaki gets an underhook and turns him. Now Joze has his back to the cage.

Hamasaki manages to break the clinch.
Hamasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Joze looks to land a combination but Hamasaki avoids it well.
Joze is looking to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joze throws the left hand but Hamasaki avoids the punch easily.

Hamasaki gets a clinch.
Hamasaki creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Joze swings wildly with an uppercut but Hamasaki uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hamasaki wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hamasaki working hard to break the clinch.
Joze is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hamasaki wants to get back to striking at distance but Joze won't allow it.
Hamasaki working hard to break the clinch.
Joze wants to get back to striking at distance but Hamasaki won't allow it.
Joze misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hamasaki stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hamasaki tries to break the clinch but Joze is controlling the position.

Hamasaki has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Joze is trying to keep an underhook but Hamasaki manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hamasaki lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Joze is looking to escape.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hamasaki lands a nice short elbow.
Joze is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hamasaki scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hamasaki is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hamasaki winds up and cracks Joze with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hamasaki thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Joze's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamasaki scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Joze is trying to stand up here but Hamasaki is controlling him well.
Hamasaki thows a huge punch but Joze dodges it nicely.
Hamasaki thows a huge punch but Joze dodges it nicely.
Joze tries to kick Hamasaki off but Hamasaki keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hamasaki lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hamasaki is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ground and pound from Hamasaki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hamasaki working the head and body with strikes.
Hamasaki looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hamasaki working the head and body with strikes.
Hamasaki seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Hamasaki is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hamasaki missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hamasaki takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hamasaki is thwarting Joze's attempts to control the position.
Taylor Hamasaki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Joze has hold of Hamasaki's hands but Hamasaki slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Hamasaki.
Hamasaki slips a nice elbow through Joze's hands, connecting with Joze's forehead.
Hamasaki slows the pace down in half guard.
Joze trying to control from the bottom.
Hamasaki looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hamasaki drops an elbow to the side of Joze's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hamasaki winds up and cracks Joze with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hamasaki lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taylor Hamasaki dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tino Joze's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Hamasaki closes the distance and clinches.
Joze can't break the clinch.
Hamasaki has Joze pressed against the cage, preventing Joze from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Joze pulls guard successfully.
Hamasaki trying to control but Joze is working from the bottom.
Joze working a defensive guard here.
Hamasaki is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joze is trying to control the position but Hamasaki postures up.
Hamasaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Joze is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joze is trying to control the position but Hamasaki postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hamasaki's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hamasaki lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hamasaki postures up and lands a big shot to Joze's brow.
Hamasaki stopping the sweep attempt from Joze.
Hamasaki chips away with some ground and pound.
Hamasaki cracks Joze with a solid left hand.
Hamasaki is pushing down on Joze's leg trying to pass to half guard. Joze is fighting to maintain full guard but Hamasaki has managed to sneak the leg through.
Joze trying to hold on to Hamasaki's head to control him but Hamasaki postures up.
Hamasaki drops an elbow to the side of Joze's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hamasaki is controlling the pace.
Hamasaki working Joze over with strikes.
Hamasaki is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hamasaki not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hamasaki lands with a punch from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joze taking some punishment here, with Hamasaki in his half guard.
Joze avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hamasaki.
Hamasaki working over Joze with some ground and pound. Joze looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hamasaki looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Joze with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Joze wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor Hamasaki is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hamasaki slows the pace down in half guard.
Joze is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hamasaki not doing much here.
Hamasaki's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Taylor Hamasaki.
Joze clinches but Hamasaki breaks the clinch

and Hamasaki moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taylor Hamasaki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hamasaki 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:26
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taylor Hamasaki!