PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leon Pasquale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dave Wojo (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.

Pasquale
vs
Wojo

185 cm
22
192 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Kangaroo Muscle

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Leon Pasquale!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dave Wojo!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pasquale fails with the takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pasquale.

Pasquale changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Wojo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wojo is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Pasquale has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Pasquale scoring with punches and elbows.

It looks like Dave Wojo has been cut.
Wojo wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Pasquale working the ground and pound.
Wojo prevents Pasquale from improving position.
Pasquale throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Wojo works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Wojo is refusing to be controlled, as Pasquale sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wojo is defending against the submission attempts here by Pasquale.
Pasquale 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.
Wojo wants to get back to his feet.
Pasquale trying to mount his opponent but Wojo defends it.
Pasquale is breathing heavily.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Wojo tries to clinch but Pasquale is having none of it.
Pasquale swats away the attempt to clinch by Wojo.
Pasquale avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Wojo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leon Pasquale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pasquale swats away the attempt to clinch by Wojo.

Pasquale shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wojo is trying to stand up here but Pasquale is controlling him well.
Pasquale looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Pasquale working Wojo over with strikes.
Pasquale throws a strike but Wojo avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Pasquale throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Wojo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pasquale throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Wojo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pasqualeis looking to pass into half guard but Wojo pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Wojo is in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pasquale looking for a guillotine here but Wojo defends easily.

Pasquale is looking for a triangle but Wojo pushes his legs off easily.
Pasquale will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Wojo wants to stand and escape but instead Pasquale has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Pasquale postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Wojo pushes Pasquale off and gets back to his feet.
Dave Wojo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pasquale swats away the attempt to clinch by Wojo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wojo is looking to clinch.
Wojo is looking to clinch but Pasquale is avoiding it.
Wojo tries to clinch there but Pasquale circles away.
Pasquale misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Wojo tries to clinch but Pasquale is having none of it.
Horrible takedown by Pasquale or perhaps it was just good defense by Wojo which made him look bad.

Wojo closes the distance and clinches.
Pasquale fails to pull guard.
Pasquale avoiding damage as Wojo throws knees to the body.
Pasquale fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Wojo tries to land knees in the clinch but Pasquale avoids the damage to the body.
Pasquale blocks the elbow strike.
A shot in the inside from Wojo.

Wojo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wojo wants to clinch.
Pasquale keeps the fight on the outside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Pasquale dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Wojo's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Wojo moves into range and clinches up with Pasquale.
Knees in the clinch landing for Wojo.
Pasquale fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Pasquale.
Pasquale tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Wojo smiles and moves away.
Pasquale slow jab from Wojo misses its intended target.
Pasquale keeps the fight on the outside.
Pasquale shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Wojo as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leon Pasquale. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wojo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pasquale shoots in and drives through. Wojo sprawls well.
Wojo tries to clinch there but Pasquale circles away.
Leon Pasquale is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wojo is looking to clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Wojo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pasquale swats away the attempt to clinch by Wojo.
Wojo moves in looking to clinch but Pasquale pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pasquale shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pasquale.
Wojo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wojo tries to clinch up.
Wojo wants to clinch.
Wojo tries to clinch there but Pasquale circles away.

Pasquale decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Pasquale is looking for a kimura but Wojo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pasquale to get the leverage.
Wojo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pasquale.
Pasquale wants to lay and pray for a moment but Wojo keeps working.
Pasquale missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Wojo can do anything to dispel that myth.
Wojo is trying to stand back up but Pasquale is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pasquale is working for a submission of some sort.

Pasquale is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Wojo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Pasquale.
Pasquale perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Pasquale is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Wojo doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Pasquale.
Pasquale is just content to waste time from the top position. Wojo takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pasquale stops Wojo from standing up.
Pasquale postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Wojo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pasquale is controlling him.
Pasquale working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Wojo is looking to stand up but Pasquale isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pasquale fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

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

Wojo has closed the distance and engaged Pasquale in a clinch.
Pasquale tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Wojo just stands there and leans against the cage.
Wojo trying to land knees to the body.
Pasquale dodges an elbow strike from Wojo.

Pasquale jumps guard.

Pasquale looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Pasquale looking for a guillotine here but Wojo defends easily.
Pasquale controls Wojo momentarily but Wojo frees himself.
Pasquale looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Leon Pasquale overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Wojo wanted to stand there but Pasquale had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Pasquale dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dave Wojo's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Wojo tries to clinch but Pasquale moves out of range.
Pasquale looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Wojo is fending him off so far but Pasquale persists. Nope, Wojo circles away and we're back to standing.
Pasquale shoots in but Wojo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Wojo is looking to clinch but Pasquale is avoiding it.
Pasquale looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leon Pasquale. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Wojo gets a clinch.
Wojo lands an elbow inside.
Pasquale jumps guard but Wojo stands there with Pasquale around his waist. Pasquale gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Wojo working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Wojo lands an elbow inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wojo lands an elbow inside that Pasquale shrugs off.
Wojo lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Wojo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wojo is looking to clinch.
Wojo tries to clinch there but Pasquale circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Wojo closes the distance and clinches.
Pasquale is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Wojo pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wojo lands a knee to the body.
Wojo with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Pasquale blocking some punches.
Pasquale blocks the elbow strike.
Wojo throws an elbow that misses.
Wojo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Pasquale.
Wojo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Pasquale tries to pull guard but Wojo won't allow it.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Wojo.
Pasquale tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Wojo just stands there and leans against the cage.
Wojo wants a takedown but no success here.

Pasquale drags the fight down to the ground.
Wojo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pasquale. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pasquale lands a good elbow from the bottom.

Wojo stands and steps away. Pasquale gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Dave Wojo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wojo tries to clinch but Pasquale moves out of range.
Wojo is looking to clinch but Pasquale is avoiding it.

Wojo instigates a clinch.
Pasquale fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pasquale avoiding damage as Wojo throws knees to the body.
Wojo lands an elbow inside that Pasquale shrugs off.
Pasquale fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Wojo manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wojo clinches up against the cage.
Pasquale is pressed up against the cage. Wojo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pasquale down to the mat. Pasquale avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Wojo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pasquale fails with a takedown attempt.
Pasquale shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pasquale swats away the attempt to clinch by Wojo.
Pasquale circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pasquale shoots in but Wojo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Wojo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Wojo tries to clinch there but Pasquale circles away.
Wojo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wojo wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wojo tries to clinch but Pasquale is having none of it.

Wojo darts in and clinches Pasquale up against the cage.
Wojo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Pasquale can't break the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Wojo throws an elbow but misses.
Pasquale has Wojo pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Wojo manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Pasquale has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Wojo avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Dave Wojo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wojo letting Pasquale take a breather here.
Pasquale drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Wojo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Wojo is pressed up against the cage. Pasquale has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Wojo down to the mat. Wojo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Pasquale waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Wojo.
Wojo tries to clinch but Pasquale is having none of it.
Pasquale fails with a takedown attempt.
Wojo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wojo tries to clinch up but Pasquale circles away and keeps his distance.

Wojo forces Pasquale back against the cage and clinches.
Wojo lands an elbow inside that Pasquale shrugs off.
Wojo misses with a knee to the head.
Pasquale takes an elbow to the temple.
Pasquale tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Wojo smiles and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pasquale.
Wojo wants to clinch up but Pasquale keeps it at a distance.
Nice takedown defense from Wojo. No joy for Pasquale on that attempt.
Pasquale looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Wojo is fending him off so far but Pasquale persists. Nope, Wojo circles away and we're back to standing.
Wojo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pasquale avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pasquale shoots in but no luck this time.
Wojo misses with a hook. Pasquale ducked under it nicely.

Pasquale drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wojo throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dave Wojo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pasquale has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leon Pasquale!