PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ichirai Hoshi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vince Cruise (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Vince Cruise was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Hoshi
vs
Cruise

190 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ichirai Hoshi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Vince Cruise!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hoshi bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hoshi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice defenses there by Hoshi.
Hoshi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cruise.
Cruise throws a hook but Hoshi avoids it easily.
Hoshi doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Cruise swats away the attempt to clinch by Hoshi.
Hoshi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cruise connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Hoshi's hands.

It looks like Ichirai Hoshi has been cut.
Hoshi ducks under a wild hook from Cruise.
Cruise throws an overhand right that lands on Hoshi's shoulder, as Hoshi tries to avoid the shot.
Cruise throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Hoshi clinches.
Hoshi wants a takedown but no success here.
Hoshi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Still in the clinch, Cruise scores with a nice short uppercut.
Cruise tries to break the clinch but Hoshi is controlling the position.
Hoshi keeps control of Cruise as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cruise has had enough of the clinch but Hoshi keeps him there for the moment.
Hoshi tries to pull guard but Cruise holds him up against the ropes and eventually Hoshi drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ichirai Hoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Cruise escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cruise has closed the distance and engaged Hoshi in a clinch.
Hoshi avoids a wild elbow strike from Cruise.
Cruise wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hoshi changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cruise fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cruise swats away the attempt to clinch by Hoshi.
Hoshi ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Cruise waves his right hand out infront of him, looking to distract Hoshi. Oh, he's unloaded a beast of a left hand - it worked! He's dropped Hoshi to the canvas! Can he finish him!?
Cruise won't allow Hoshi to sweep him here.
Cruise has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hoshi is proving hard to escape from.
Hoshi looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi wants to stand and escape but Cruise is having none of it.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Hoshi had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Cruise is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Hoshi Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Cruise's back instead.
Hoshi really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cruise trying to get back to his feet but Hoshi is in full control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi keeps control of the position easily here as Cruise tries to buck him off.

Hoshi has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Cruise has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Cruise really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hoshi. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cruise tries to roll but Hoshi sticks to his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hoshi throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Hoshi wants to control but Cruise is keeping busy.
Hoshi thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Hoshi patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Hoshi trying to control.
Hoshi scores with punches to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vince Cruise dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ichirai Hoshi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hoshi fails with a takedown attempt.
Hoshi throws a leg kick but Cruise moved away.
Cruise throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hoshi.
Ichirai Hoshi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cruise misses the jab.
Cruise misses with a wild combination.
Cruise ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hoshi moves away.
Hoshi tries to clinch up but Cruise circles away and keeps his distance.
Hoshi misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruise has his takedown stuffed

and Hoshi counters by clinching up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hoshi decides to pull guard.
Cruise must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hoshi is on top in guard.
Cruise looking for a sweep. Not yet Cruise, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoshi wants to get up but he can't break Cruise's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hoshi working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hoshi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruise swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cruise is looking to stand back up but Hoshi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Cruise.
Hoshi thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Cruise to regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hoshi trying to control but Cruise is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi prevents Cruise from getting back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cruise motions for Hoshi to come forward. Cruise throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cruise throws an overhand right that lands on Hoshi's shoulder, as Hoshi tries to avoid the shot.
Cruise might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Cruise finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Hoshi shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Cruise as he avoids it easily.
Cruise tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hoshi was well out of range. Poor timing from Cruise.
Hoshi blocks a low kick nicely.
Cruise is breathing heavily.
Cruise fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hoshi manages to avoid it.
Hoshi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cruise as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ichirai Hoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hoshi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Cruise is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Cruise shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cruise swats away the attempt to clinch by Hoshi.
Hoshi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Cruise moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruise throws a nice outside leg kick.

Cruise closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hoshi wants to control but Cruise is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hoshi gets back to full guard.
Hoshi lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cruise!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hoshi landing strikes from the mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Vince Cruise will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ichirai Hoshi's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

No luck for Hoshi with that takedown attempt.
Cruise will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cruise is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hoshi closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cruise circles away.
Cruise looks to land a right hand but Hoshi moved out of range.
Cruise fails with the takedown.
Hoshi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cruise swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cruise avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Cruise tries to keep at a distance but Hoshi has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hoshi struggles to land a body shot inside as Cruise controls his hands.
A short right from Cruise on the inside.
Hoshi tries a body shot but Cruise blocks it.
Cruise wants to get back to striking at distance but Hoshi won't allow it.

Cruise breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hoshi looks for a takedown but Cruise sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ichirai Hoshi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hoshi gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Cruise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hoshi closes the distance and clinches up with Cruise, looking for a takedown. Hoshi pushes Cruise against the ropes but Cruise circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cruise scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Hoshi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cruise misses with a series of wild punches.
Cruise misses with a low kick.
Hoshi staying out of range there.

Cruise scores with a takedown into Hoshi's guard.
Cruise wanted to stand there but Hoshi had control of the position.

Hoshi is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruise forces his way into half guard.
Hoshi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hoshi doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hoshi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Cruise is squirming around, avoiding Hoshi's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hoshi misses with some ground and pound and Cruise recovers position to half guard.
Hoshi wants to take a breather but Cruise is having none of it.
Ichirai Hoshi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vince Cruise is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hoshi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cruise's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vince Cruise comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Cruise winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vince Cruise!