PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tom Vasel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Ho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vasel's entrance music is Battle of the Mounds-Basil Poledouris. A fine choice. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vasel
vs
Ho

182 cm
22
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
186 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Balco Boys - Hilo
Balco Boys - Hilo

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 Tokyo, Tom Vasel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricky Ho!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ho misses with a jab, cross combination.
Vasel has a takedown stuffed.
Vasel tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ho sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vasel somewhat.
Vasel is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Vasel lands a glancing blow to the side of Ho's head.
Ho scores with a one two! Vasel had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Tom Vasel has been cut.
A punch combination from Ho misses.
Ho throws a big shot that misses.
Vasel is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Ho keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ho misses with a looping right.
Vasel shoots in and drives through. Ho sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Vasel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vasel swats away the attempt to clinch by Ho.
Vasel looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ho is fending him off so far but Vasel persists. Nope, Ho circles away and we're back to standing.
Ho wants to clinch up but Vasel keeps it at a distance.
Vasel looks for a takedown but Ho sprawls well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Vasel is defended easily by Ho.
Ho throws a nice looking combination but Vasel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasel fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Ho clinches up against the ropes.
Vasel wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ho has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Vasel can't get the takedown.
Vasel has had enough of the clinch but Ho keeps him there for the moment.

Ho breaks from the clinch.
Vasel fails with a takedown attempt.
Vasel takes a swing at Ho's ribcage but misses.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ho lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Vasel has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Vasel and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Ho throws a series of punches but Vasel avoids them all with ease.
Ho tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Vasel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ho misses with a two punch combination.
Vasel looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ho is fending him off so far but Vasel persists. Nope, Ho circles away and we're back to standing.
Ho scores with a hook.
Vasel closes the distance and clinches up with Ho, looking for a takedown. Vasel pushes Ho against the ropes but Ho circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Vasel is breathing heavily.
Vasel slips a jab and a cross from Ho.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ho connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Ho fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Vasel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ho defends it nicely.
Ho throws a right and a left that both miss.
Vasel avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ho misses with a few strikes there.
Vasel shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ho as he avoids it easily.
Vasel will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ho misses with a double jab.
Ho works over Vasel's head and body with a nice combination.
Nice jab there from Ho.
Vasel slips a jab and a cross from Ho.
Vasel checks a leg kick nicely.
Ho lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vasel circles away quickly and effectively.
Ho scores with a one two! Vasel had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ho swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vasel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ho sprawls well. Ho wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Vasel gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Ho, as that shot connected.
Ho lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vasel circles away quickly and effectively.
Ho lands a two punch combo.
Ho misses with a double jab.
Ho misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ho scores with a one two! Vasel had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Ho swinging wildly here.
Horrible takedown by Vasel or perhaps it was just good defense by Ho which made him look bad.
Ho slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Vasel fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Vasel has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Vasel slips a jab and a cross from Ho.
Ho connects with a crisp jab.
Ho misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ho throws a combination. Vasel tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vasel dodges the punch combination from Ho.
Ho is working the combinations to good effect here.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Ho lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Vasel has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Vasel and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Ricky Ho seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from Vasel misses.
Ho connects with a looping right hand.
Ho's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ho duly obliges.
Ho is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Vasel had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
A punch combination from Ho misses.
Vasel looks for a takedown but Ho sprawls well.
Ho is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ho throws a one two combo.
Vasel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ho misses with the combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ho misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice straight punches there by Ho. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ho.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Vasel. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Ho pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Ho dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tom Vasel's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Ho misses with a double jab.
Ho stuffs the takedown attempt from Vasel. Vasel gets slowly back to his feet.
Vasel shoots in and drives through. Ho sprawls well.
Ho lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vasel circles away quickly and effectively.
A combination from Ho does no damage.
Ho scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Vasel doesn't seem bothered though.
Ho misses with a wild combination.
Ho attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Good exchange - Ho coming out on top.
Ho lands a jab-cross combination.
Ho lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vasel circles away quickly and effectively.
Ho doesn't manage to clinch there - Vasel circles away.
Ho looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ho misses with a double jab.
Vasel misses with a combination
and Ho counters with a three punch combo that has Vasel backing up. Vasel nods at Ho to acknowledge the strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ho tries to clinch but Vasel moves out of range.
Ho misses with a series of wild punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasel shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Vasel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ho defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Vasel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ho keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Vasel looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Ho misses with a two punch combination.
Ho keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ho throws a right and a left that Vasel avoids nicely.
Ho listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Vasel walks into a stiff left hand from Ho.
Ho throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vasel counters with a left to the body.
Ho lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ho falls off balance throwing a combination

and Vasel counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Ho wants to stand but Vasel is controlling the position.
Ho wants to sweep here but Vasel controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ho wants to stand but Vasel is controlling the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Vasel trying to control the position from guard on top but Ho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ho looking for a sweep. Not yet Ho, not yet.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Vasel is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Ho wants to stand up but Vasel is controlling him.
Vasel has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ho keeping moving, preventing Vasel from controlling successfully.

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

Ho uses the ropes to get back to his feet.
Ho moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ho slaps away a takedown attempt from Vasel, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ricky Ho seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ho throws a combination. Vasel tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Ho throws a series of punches but Vasel moves out of range.
Ricky Ho is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Vasel drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Vasel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Vasel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Vasel wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Ho, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasel wants to control for a moment but Ho uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Vasel stops Ho from getting back to his feet.

Ho kicks off Vasel and gets to his feet.
Vasel shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ho but Ho pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ho misses with a jab, cross combination.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vasel throws a shot from downtown. Ho moves away and avoids it.
Vasel takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ho swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ho throws a right hand that Vasel ducks under and follows up with a left that Vasel also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Ho showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Tom Vasel's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ho misses with a combination

and Vasel counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Vasel.
Vasel wants to control from the top but Ho keeps moving.
Ho is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Vasel is controlling him.

Vasel drops back, looking for a kneebar! Ho looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Ho looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Ho!
Vasel tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vasel is not content to let Ho control the position.

Ho stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ho works Vasel's body with a nice hook.
A decent looking cross lands there for Ho.

Vasel scores with a takedown into Ho's guard.
Vasel stops Ho from standing up.
Vasel looking to pass the guard.

Vasel drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ho manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Vasel has Ho in his guard.
Ho is looking to stand up but Vasel won't let him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ho wants to control from the top but Vasel keeps moving.

Vasel looking for subs off his back but Ho has passed one foot through into half guard.
Ho passes to side control.
Vasel looking for a sweep but Ho has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ho sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Ho trying to control but Vasel 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.
Vasel is working to get back to half guard.
Ricky Ho is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ho controlling his opponent.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Vasel is working to get back to half guard.
Ho avoids the attempt from Vasel to control.
Ho content just to control the position here.
Vasel is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ho tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Tom Vasel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ricky Ho.
I've got Ho 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 26:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Ho!