PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Samoa Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and All Ive (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ive has chosen DMX - Party Up as his entrance music. All Ive told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Joe
vs
Ive

160 cm
18
148 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
150 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Samoa Joe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, All Ive!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ive throws a right and a left that Joe avoids nicely.
Ive throws a right and a left that Joe avoids nicely.
Ive looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ive pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Joe drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ive is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Joe is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ive's head.
Joe stays in close to Ive's body and controls the position.
Joe is looking to work some ground and pound but Ive has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe won't allow Ive to get back to his feet.
Ive keeping full guard, as Joe tries to pass.
Joe working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Ive's head.
Joe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joe stops Ive from standing up.
Joe stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ive swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Joe trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ive looking to control.
Joe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Joe slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Joe shoots in and bounces Ive off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Joe content to stall in guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ive has momentary wrist control but Joe slips an elbow through the middle.
Joe might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Joe looking to pass the guard.
Joe showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Joe postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Joe not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Joe trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ive can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Joe controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samoa Joe dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Joe scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Joe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Joe trying to control the pace.
Joe has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Ive wants to get back to his feet.
Joe frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Ive wants to try and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe controlling the pace for now.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Samoa Joe just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Ive checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Joe misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ive pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ive misses with the combination.
Ive loads up on a big right hand but Joe slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Joe scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Joe takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Joe lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Joe is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Ive!
Joe with shots to the head and body - Ive looks very uncomfortable down there.
Joe controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe won't let Ive get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Joe controlling from mount.
Ive is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Samoa Joe dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Joe scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ive struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ive wants to get back to his feet.
Ive tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Joe lands a nice shot to the head.
Joe controlling from mount.
Joe lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe content just to control the position here.
Ive in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Ive tries to lock up and control but Joe gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Joe looking to control and managing it successfully.
Joe with the ground and pound from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ive is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Ive takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Joe has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Ive's face.
Ive taking shots to the head.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Joe cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Joe controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe scoring with strikes but Ive is staying in there.
A nice elbow there by Joe.
Joe unloading with bombs!
Joe looking to control and managing it successfully.
Joe lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Joe putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
All Ive has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ive is in a horrible position here. Joe smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Joe controlling the pace for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Samoa 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:26
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:26
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Samoa Joe!