PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Asa Cherry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Boyka Joo (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 Boyka Joo was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Cherry
vs
Joo

165 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

176 cm
22
137 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Asa Cherry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Boyka Joo!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Chris Dean and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Joo is defended easily by Cherry.
Joo is looking to clinch.
Joo with a poor takedown

and Cherry counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Joo wants to improve his position but Cherry is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Joo actively working from the bottom here.
Joo makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Joo.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cherry has gone for a leg lock! Joo slips out almost immediately though and dives into Cherry's guard.
Cherry looking for a sweep. Not yet Cherry, not yet.
Joo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Cherry is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Cherry is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cherry looking to hit a scissor sweep but Joo is one step ahead there.
Cherry is working hard here to advance position.
Cherry is pulling down on Joo's head to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Asa Cherry wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Joo swinging wildly here.
Cherry is looking to clinch but Joo is avoiding it.
Joo tries for a takedown but Cherry sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Asa Cherry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Boyka Joo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joo connects with a solid leg kick.
Joo shoots in for a takedown but Cherry shows good takedown defense.
Joo misses with a takedown attempt - Cherry sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Joo has a takedown stuffed.
Nice sprawl there from Cherry as Joo shoots in.
Joo looks winded!
Cherry stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joo fails with the takedown.
Cherry defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Joo.

Cherry clinches up with Joo and pushes him back against the cage.
Joo wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Joo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Cherry has him pressed against the cage.
Cherry stalls.
Joo has had enough of the clinch but Cherry keeps him there for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asa Cherry dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cherry misses with a takedown attempt - Joo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Joo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Cherry looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Joo is fending him off so far but Cherry persists. Nope, Joo circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Joo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Joo tries to clinch up.
Nice takedown defense from Cherry. No joy for Joo on that attempt.
Joo tries for a takedown but Cherry circles away easily

and Cherry counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Asa Cherry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Boyka Joo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joo tries to pull guard but Cherry won't allow it.

Joo breaks from the clinch.

Cherry scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Joo is breathing heavily.

Cherry thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Joo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Joo misses with a strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cherry lands some shots froms side control.

Cherry goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Joo has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Cherry but great work by Joo.
Cherry tries to buck Joo off but Joo is having none of it.
Cherry struggling a bit here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Joo is trying to get an arm triangle but Cherry is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cherry is looking to reverse the position.

Joo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Joo is trying to get an arm triangle but Cherry is defending well.
Cherry defending against the ground and pound.
Cherry tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Cherry is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Joo working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Cherry slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Cherry has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joo is working away from the top position though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Joo in particular looking to stall.
Cherry is pressing down on Joo's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cherry not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cherry is really struggling to control Joo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Asa Cherry 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!

Joo shoots for a takedown but Cherry saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Joo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Cherry.
Cherry looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Joo is fending him off so far but Cherry persists. Nope, Joo circles away and we're back to standing.
Joo lands a nice hook to Cherry's body. Cherry takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Boyka Joo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Joo tries to clinch but Cherry moves out of range.
Joo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cherry's waist but Cherry gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Joo off to one side.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Joo.
Asa Cherry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Boyka Joo.
Joo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cherry tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Joo counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cherry closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Joo quickly recovers to half guard.

Cherry is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Joo is just riding it out for now. Cherry eventually gives up the hold.
Cherry tries to stand and escape but Joo is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joo gets back to full guard.
Cherry preventing the sweep.
Joo pulls Cherry in close to his closed guard and prevents Cherry from doing any damage or advancing position.
Cherry might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Joo wants to control the position but Cherry says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cherry is working for a submission of some sort.
Joo wants to get back to his feet.

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

Cherry is looking for a kimura here.

Cherry is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Joo has managed to free his arm - good work.
Joo is trying to control but Cherry manages to pass to mount!

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 Asa Cherry.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cherry, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Asa Cherry!