PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Radek Vagner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Ball (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Vagner
vs
Ball

173 cm
19
166 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

165 cm
19
160 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Radek Vagner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joe Ball!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Paul Aken and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ball has a takedown stuffed.
Ball throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Vagner's waist but Vagner gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ball off to one side.
Vagner throws a jab but it's blocked by Ball.
A big right from Ball misses.
Vagner is looking to clinch but Ball is avoiding it.
Ball avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ball shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Vagner defends it nicely.
Radek Vagner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Ball.

Vagner closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vagner lands a damaging elbow.
Vagner misses with a punch on the inside.
Vagner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Vagner tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ball tries to pull guard but Vagner forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ball fails to pull guard.
Ball is trying to pull guard but Vagner turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ball on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Vagner stalling in the clinch but Ball improves position.
Vagner misses with a punch to the body.
Vagner struggles to land a body shot inside as Ball controls his hands.
Ball blocks a body shot from Vagner.
Ball takes an elbow to the forehead.
Vagner misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ball tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vagner smiles and moves away.
Vagner tries to clinch but Ball is having none of it.
Ball moves out of range of the body kick from Vagner.
Ball shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Vagner defends it nicely.
Vagner punishes Ball's body with a nice straight punch.
Vagner wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vagner closes the distance and clinches.
Vagner lands a body shot in the clinch.
Vagner struggles to land a body shot inside as Ball controls his hands.
Vagner lands a shoulder strike.

Vagner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ball circles away from the clinch attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Vagner can't find room to land a body shot as Ball controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ball fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Ball prevents a body shot from Vagner.
Vagner goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ball tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Vagner just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ball letting Vagner take a breather here.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vagner throws an elbow but misses.
Vagner creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Vagner tries to land knees in the clinch but Ball avoids the damage to the body.
Vagner lands a nice elbow.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vagner misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Vagner pushes Ball back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Vagner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Radek Vagner dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ball uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vagner.
Vagner wants to clinch up but Ball keeps it at a distance.
Vagner fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ball should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Ball looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Vagner misses with a telegraphed body shot

so Ball counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Vagner seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Ball 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.
Ball trying to control but Vagner is working from the bottom.
Ball's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Ball passes Vagner's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Ball seems to be working for a kimura but Vagner defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ball stops Vagner from getting back to his feet.
Vagner wants to get back to full guard but Ball has passed into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Vagner tries to buck Ball off but Ball is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ball tries for a kimura but Vagner is defending well.
Vagner trying to remain calm as Ball controls from the top position.

Ball is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Vagner is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ball looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Vagner is pushing Ball's head away, looking to escape. Ball manages to hold on to the position though.

Vagner throws Ball to one side and escapes!
Vagner tries to clinch up.
Ball pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Vagner clinches.
Vagner is stalling here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vagner gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Vagner.
Vagner throws a punch but it's blocked by Ball.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Vagner.
Ball blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A right hook to the body lands for Vagner.
Vagner lands a damaging elbow.
Vagner struggles to land a body shot inside as Ball controls his hands.
Ball tries to pull guard but Vagner holds him up against the cage and eventually Ball drops back down to his feet.
Vagner misses with an elbow over the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vagner digs a right hand into Ball's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ball's gas tank.
Ball takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Joe Ball has been cut.
Ball tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Radek Vagner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Ball.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ball is trying to pull guard but Vagner turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ball jumps guard but Vagner stands there with Ball around his waist. Ball gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Vagner lands a nice elbow.
Vagner lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ball backwards.
Vagner tries to work over Ball's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A nice right hand lands inside from Vagner.
Vagner throws an elbow but it's blocked.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Vagner tries a body shot but Ball blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Radek Vagner dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Joe Ball's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Vagner moves in looking to clinch but Ball pushes him off.
Vagner tries to clinch up but Ball circles away and keeps his distance.
Vagner thows a body shot but no joy.
Ball avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vagner drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Vagner just misses with a punch to the body.
Vagner jabs Ball to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Vagner misses with a wild body shot.
Ball takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vagner tries to clinch up.
Vagner is looking to wear down Ball with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Vagner tries to close the distance and clinch but Ball swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vagner throws a chopping leg kick but Ball manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ball rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Vagner counters by moving into the clinch.
Vagner can't find room to land a body shot as Ball controls the action.
Vagner tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ball's elbow.
Vagner pushes off an throws an elbow but Ball leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Vagner doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Vagner looking to slow down the pace here.
Vagner struggles to land a body shot inside as Ball controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vagner breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Radek Vagner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab lands there for Vagner.
Vagner tries to clinch there but Ball circles away.

Ball shoots in and bounces Vagner off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Ball is pushing down on Vagner's leg trying to pass to half guard. Vagner is fighting to maintain full guard but Ball has managed to sneak the leg through.
Vagner is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ball is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vagner tries to get to full guard but Ball has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ball is thwarting Vagner's attempts to control the position.
Ball prevents Vagner from standing back up.
Joe Ball has got the better of the ground game so far.
Well, if Ball is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Vagner fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vagner throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vagner fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ball manages to avoid it.

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

Ball stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Radek Vagner is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ball fails to land the takedown.
Ball catches Vagner with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Joe Ball has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Radek Vagner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vagner tries to close the distance and clinch but Ball swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Radek Vagner.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Vagner, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Radek Vagner!