PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Orange Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Prince (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Joe
vs
Prince

179 cm
23
165 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

173 cm
21
155 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good elbows
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Orange Joe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thomas Prince!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Prince cracks a nice hook into Joe's ribs.
Prince tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Joe goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Joe throws a wild body kick that Prince sees coming a mile off.
Prince tries to counter by closing the distance.
Joe jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Joe looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Prince gets a clinch.
Prince on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Joe swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Joe blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Prince wants to stall.
Joe wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Prince has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Prince dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Joe takes an elbow to the forehead.
Prince pushes Joe back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Prince goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Prince fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Prince's elbow.
A nice right hand lands inside from Prince.
A nice right hand lands inside from Prince.
Prince blocking some punches.
Joe digs a right hand into Prince's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Prince's gas tank.
A nice right hand lands inside from Prince.
Joe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Prince is looking to control Joe's arms but Joe gets an underhook and turns him. Now Prince has his back to the cage.
Joe misses with a hook to the ribs.
A right hand to the body from Joe.
Prince lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Joe or not.
Prince throws a head punch that misses.
Joe is trying to break the clinch but Prince is controlling him.
Joe managing to block the knees to the body from Prince.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Prince fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Joe wants to stall.
Joe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Joe.
Prince told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Joe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Joe lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Prince.
Prince can't find room to land a body shot as Joe controls the action.
Joe lands a hook that snaps the head of Prince backwards.
Prince tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Joe misses with a hook to the ribs.
Joe lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Prince backwards.
Joe tries to pull guard but Prince forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Prince working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Joe tries to throw a body punch but Prince avoids it by throwing Joe back against the cage.
Joe lands a nice uppercut.
Prince stalling in the clinch but Joe improves position.
Prince misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Joe.
Joe fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Joe misses with a punch on the inside.
Prince working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Joe's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Joe throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Prince tries to close the distance and clinch but Joe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prince tries to close the distance and clinch but Joe swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Joe misses with a low kick as Prince jumps back.
Prince wants to counter with a clinch but Joe pushes him away.
Prince tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Joe was well out of range. Poor timing from Prince.

Prince moves into the clinch.
Joe tries to work over Prince's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Prince lands an uppercut.
Joe throws a head punch that misses.
Prince scores with a shot to the side of Joe's head.
Prince is working Joe over against the cage.
Joe tries to work over Prince's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Joe misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Prince doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Prince misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Joe.
Joe prevents a body shot from Prince.
Joe lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Joe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Prince.
Prince goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Prince.
A short left from Prince.
Joe doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Joe avoiding damage as Prince throws knees to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Joe tries a body shot but Prince blocks it.
Joe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Joe tries to throw a body punch but Prince avoids it by throwing Joe back against the cage.
Joe misses with a punch to the body.
Joe misses with a punch to the body.
Prince can't find room to land a body shot as Joe controls the action.
Joe tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Prince smiles and moves away.
Joe lands with a nice body kick.
Prince is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Thomas Prince will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Joe pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Prince steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Joe.
Joe is looking to slow Prince down with leg kicks.
Prince keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Prince scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Joe throws a head kick that misses.
Prince tries to counter with a clinch but Joe shakes him off and moves away.
Prince swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Joe attempts a counter takedown but Prince avoids it well and moves away.
Prince's jab looks to have found its range, popping Joe under the eye.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joe throws a head kick but Prince moves out of range.
Prince tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Joe paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Joe misses the shot to the body.
Prince is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Joe.
Prince is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Prince throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Joe sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe throws a quick inside leg kick.

Prince has taken the fight to the clinch.
Joe working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Joe.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Prince lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Prince tries to throw a body punch but Joe avoids it by throwing Prince back against the cage.
Prince misses with a hook to the ribs.
Prince misses with a short punch on the inside.
A left hand lands to the body for Prince.
Joe lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Prince backwards.
Prince is pressed up against the cage. Joe has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Prince down to the mat. Prince avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Prince is looking to clinch but Joe is avoiding it.
Joe tries to counter with a takedown but Prince is quick to defend against it.
An inside leg kick from Joe misses.
Joe sets himself, and Prince steps forward looking for the clinch! Joe avoids it this time.
Prince moves out of range of the body kick.
Joe throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Prince takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe wants to break the clinch but can't.
Joe lands with a short shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Prince.
Prince can't find room to land a body shot as Joe controls the action.
Joe swings wildly with an uppercut but Prince uses good head movement to avoid it.
Joe tries to throw a body punch but Prince avoids it by throwing Joe back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Prince can't find room to land a body shot as Joe controls the action.
Joe digs a right hand underneath Prince's ribcage. Prince let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Prince prevents a body shot from Joe.
Prince misses with the head strike.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Joe.
Joe goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Joe scores with a shot to the side of Prince's head.
Prince lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Prince is keeping busy.
Prince is leaning against Joe and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Joe wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Joe as Prince tries to tie him up.
Prince is looking to control Joe's arms but Joe gets an underhook and turns him. Now Prince has his back to the cage.
Still in the clinch, Joe scores with a nice short uppercut.
Prince wants to stall.
Joe tries a body shot but Prince blocks it.
Prince softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Prince scores with a hook to the body.
Prince trying to control the position but instead, Joe has worked for underhooks and has pushed Prince into the cage.
Joe misses with the head strike.
Joe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Joe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Joe is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Prince is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Orange Joe. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Prince lands with a light punch inside.
Joe has a couple of punches blocked by Prince.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Joe goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Prince misses with a hook to the ribs.
Joe lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Joe misses with some punches.
Prince stalls.
Prince misses with a short punch on the inside.
Joe cracks Prince with a nice body shot.
Joe tries to work over Prince's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Joe tries to break the clinch but Prince is controlling the position.
Prince lands with a short shot to the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Prince stalls.
Prince misses with a body punch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Orange Joe will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Prince moves away from the strike by Joe.
Joe circles away from the clinch attempt
and Prince takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Prince closes the distance and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Joe scores with a shot to the side of Prince's head.
Thomas Prince seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Joe trying to control the position but instead, Prince has worked for underhooks and has pushed Joe into the cage.
Joe misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joe blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Prince blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Joe tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Prince's elbow.
Joe misses with a body punch.
Prince misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Joe as Prince tries to tie him up.
Prince blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Joe tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Joe scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Joe lands with a left to the head.
Prince keeps control of Joe as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
I was talking to Joe's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Prince just leaning against Joe, taking a breather.
A short left from Joe.
Joe lands a hook that snaps the head of Prince backwards.

Prince is rocked!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Joe.
Prince is still on wobbly legs! Can Joe finish him?
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Joe.
Joe misses with some punches.
Joe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Joe throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Joe fails to land.
Joe misses with some punches.
Joe on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Joe fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Joe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Joe throws a punch but it's blocked by Prince.
Joe misses with a punch on the inside.
Prince blocks a punch to the side of the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Joe misses with a hook from the clinch.
Prince throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Joe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Joe throws a punch but it's blocked by Prince.
Prince trying to stall but Joe improves his position.
Prince seems to have recovered his senses.
Prince working Joe over with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prince prevents a body shot from Joe.
Prince lands a hook to the side of the head.
Joe is working for takedown but Prince is calmly controlling the position for now.
Prince lands an uppercut.
Prince taking a breather.
Joe doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Prince makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Prince blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Joe blocks a body shot from Prince.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Prince misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Joe.
Prince throws a punch but it's blocked by Joe.
Prince pushes Joe back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Joe lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Joe has a couple of punches blocked by Prince.
Joe missing with knees to the body.
Good body shot from Joe.

Joe successfully pulls guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joe working for a triangle but Prince defends it easily.
Prince 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.
Joe wants to sweep here but Prince controlling him for the moment.
Joe lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Joe wants to control from the top but Prince keeps moving.
Joe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Prince works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Joe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Joe throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Joe is looking to work some ground and pound but Prince has wrist control.
Joe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Prince's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joe with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Orange Joe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Joe 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Orange Joe!
An out of breath Orange Joe thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.