PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Joesph (ranked 4467 p4p, 4455 weight class) and Ryan Seacrest (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Joesph
vs
Seacrest

180 cm
18
150
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
150
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesus Joesph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ryan Seacrest!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Tiny Johnson and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Seacrest fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Joesph, pushing him back against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Joesph.
Seacrest displaying some good clinch control by pressing Joesph up against the cage.
Joesph wants to take the fight to the mat but Seacrest manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A right hook to the body lands for Seacrest.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Joesph stops a takedown attempt from Seacrest.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Seacrest tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Seacrest pulls guard successfully.
Joesph with a flurry of punches that miss.
Joesph has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Seacrest is proving hard to escape from.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joesph stopping the sweep attempt from Seacrest.
Seacrest looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Seacrest wants to get back to his feet but Joesph is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Joesph throwing strikes but missing.
Seacrest wants to sweep here but Joesph controlling him for the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Joesph stands up from Seacrest's guard - Joesph perhaps looking for a knockout.

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.
A left lands for Joesph.
Seacrest is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Seacrest shoots in looking for a takedown. Joesph tries to sprawl out of it but Seacrest keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Joesph manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jesus Joesph has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Seacrest.

Seacrest shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Seacrest wants to control from the top but Joesph keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joesph has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Seacrest has passed into side control.
Joesph is looking for a sweep.
Joesph sneaks back into half guard.
Seacrest wants to lay and pray for a moment but Joesph keeps working.
Seacrest not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Seacrest controlling the action here.

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.
Joesph has a hand on Seacrest's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Seacrest takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Seacrest takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Seacrest throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Joesph because Seacrest loaded up on that one.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Seacrest thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Seacrest 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.

A slapping leg kick lands for Seacrest.
Joesph fails with the takedown.
It seemed like Seacrest was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Seacrest throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Joesph fails with the takedown
and Seacrest connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Joesph has his takedown stuffed
and Seacrest connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesus Joesph. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Seacrest gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Joesph is fighting off a takedown attempt but Seacrest is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Joesph to the mat. Joesph regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Seacrest stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Joesph darts in trying to clinch
and Seacrest counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters circling a little - Joesph finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Seacrest is trying hard to land a takedown here. Joesph sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
No luck for Seacrest with that takedown attempt.

Seacrest gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Seacrest creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Seacrest pulls guard effortlessly.
Seacrest preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Seacrest keeping moving, preventing Joesph from controlling successfully.
Seacrest throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Seacrest is trying to control the position but Joesph postures up.
Joesph trying to control but Seacrest is working from the bottom.
Joesph stopping the sweep attempt from Seacrest.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joesph pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Seacrest is keeping the position for now.
Seacrest not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Seacrest has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Joesph is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Seacrest lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joesph breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Seacrest will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Seacrest tries to close the distance and clinch but Joesph swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Seacrest tries to score a power double leg takedown but Joesph sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Seacrest somewhat.
Joesph was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Seacrest throws a body shot but no joy.
Seacrest shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Joesph sprawls well. Joesph wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Seacrest gets slowly back to his feet.
Joesph throwing a counter right hand but Seacrest manages to avoid it.
Seacrest is breathing heavily.
Seacrest shoots in looking for a takedown. Joesph tries to sprawl out of it but Seacrest keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Joesph manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jesus Joesph is winning the standup battle so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Seacrest instigates a clinch.
Joesph is trying to drag Seacrest to the mat but Seacrest just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Seacrest fails to pull the fight into his guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Seacrest is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Joesph slows down the pace here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Seacrest 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!

The fight stays on the outside here - Seacrest looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Seacrest lands with a kick to the temple. Joesph shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
No luck for Seacrest with that takedown attempt.
An attempted straight right counter from Joesph misses the target.
Joesph throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Seacrest cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Joesph connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Seacrest with a poor takedown
and Joesph connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joesph shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Seacrest pinned against the cage. Seacrest gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Seacrest avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Seacrest dives in for a single leg takedown but Joesph sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Jesus Joesph has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Seacrest.
Joesph pivots, looking for a leg kick but Seacrest is out of range and Joesph settles back down.
Seacrest takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Seacrest fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Joesph avoids it really well and circles away.
Seacrest takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Seacrest fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Seacrest misses with a takedown
and Joesph counters with a nice uppercut.
Seacrest shoots in looking for a takedown but Joesph manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Seacrest's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A little feinted left hand from Joesph on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Seacrest looks for a takedown but Joesph sprawls well.
Joesph has a takedown stuffed.
Joesph throws the kick towards the body but Seacrest avoids it.

Joesph tries to keep at a distance but Seacrest has taken the fight into the clinch.

Joesph manages to pull guard.
Seacrest won't allow Joesph to sweep him here.

Seacrest drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Joesph dives on top into guard.

Joesph throws an elbow that misses. Seacrest uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Joesph's guard. Nice move by Seacrest!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joesph had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Seacrest defends it easily.
Joesph looking to hit a scissor sweep but Seacrest is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Seacrest sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Joesph's guard.
Seacrest trying to pass the guard but Joesph defending well.
Joesph holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Seacrest with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Seacrest thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jesus Joesph has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ryan Seacrest is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Seacrest not doing much here.

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 Jesus Joesph.
I think Seacrest has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Seacrest!