PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Henrik VanDamme (ranked 4672 p4p, 4651 weight class) and Ja Pe (ranked 0 p4p, 507 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.

VanDamme
vs
Pe

180 cm
21
175
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
24
170
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Henrik VanDamme!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ja Pe!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
VanDamme shoots in for a takedown but Pe shows good takedown defense.
Pe tries to counter by closing the distance.
VanDamme fails with a takedown attempt.
Pe let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
VanDamme checks a low kick from Pe.
VanDamme keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Pe drives through and clinches with VanDamme against the cage.

VanDamme escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

Pe decides to stand back up.

VanDamme tries to keep at a distance but Pe has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
VanDamme lands a shot to the body.
Pe prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henrik VanDamme. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pe tried to land a shot to the body but connects with VanDamme's elbow.
VanDamme blocks the elbow strike.

VanDamme's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pe throws the kick towards the body but VanDamme avoids it.
VanDamme stuffs the takedown.
VanDamme wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
VanDamme slaps away a takedown attempt from Pe, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - VanDamme looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
VanDamme tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Pe defends well and VanDamme ends up having to push Pe into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pe is trying to pull guard but VanDamme has him pressed against the cage.
Pe fails to pull guard.

VanDamme escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Pe.
VanDamme is trying to get back to his feet.
Pe working away.
VanDamme tries to strike but it doesn't land.

VanDamme explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pe shoots in but VanDamme avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pe looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
VanDamme shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A nice side step and Pe releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
VanDamme doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pe counters by clinching up.

VanDamme breaks from the clinch.
Pe darts in trying to clinch
and VanDamme counters with a three punch combo that has Pe backing up. Pe nods at VanDamme to acknowledge the strikes.
Pe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from VanDamme.
Pe tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Pe shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. VanDamme is trying to defend but Pe finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Pe looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
VanDamme blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pe.
VanDamme wants to get back to his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ja Pe will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pe shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pe showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
VanDamme tries to roll over but Pe keeps him under control.
VanDamme is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pe's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pe's back!
VanDamme is trying to stick to Pe's back but Pe is turning into VanDamme. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in VanDamme's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Pe.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
VanDamme can't keep his opponent in guard - Pe advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
VanDamme is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pe perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
VanDamme wants to control but Pe is keeping busy.
VanDamme wants to get back to full guard.
Pe is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

VanDamme actively working from the bottom here.
Pe looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pe is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
VanDamme is staying active underneath Pe, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
VanDamme is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pe's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pe's back!
Pe is in bad spot here.

VanDamme looking for the RNC.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
VanDamme slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Pe tries to break free.
VanDamme throws strikes from the back but Pe rolls nicely and manages to end up in full guard. Nice work by Pe.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pe utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

VanDamme gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
VanDamme leaves Pe with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

VanDamme clinches with his opponent.
Pe lands a shot to the body.

Pe manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
VanDamme throws a combination. Pe tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Pe fails with the takedown.
Pe leaves VanDamme with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Pe shoots in for a takedown but VanDamme shows good takedown defense.
Henrik VanDamme has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ja Pe.
No luck with that takedown attempt from VanDamme.
Pe avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
VanDamme shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pe sprawls well. Pe wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. VanDamme gets slowly back to his feet.
Pe wants to counter the offense by VanDamme and move into the clinch position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Henrik VanDamme will probably get the nod.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

VanDamme scores with a push kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by VanDamme!
VanDamme shoots in for a takedown but Pe shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Pe clinches with his opponent.
Pe lands a hook to the side of the head.
Pe struggles to land a body shot inside as VanDamme controls his hands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pe misses with some punches.
VanDamme utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
VanDamme is looking to take this one to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pe throws an elbow that misses.
VanDamme is defending well against a takedown attempt.
VanDamme blocks an uppercut.
Pe tries for a takedown but VanDamme manages to get underhooks.
VanDamme fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henrik VanDamme. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pe tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pe tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pe is looking to take this one to the mat.
Pe takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pe tries to land knees in the clinch but VanDamme avoids the damage to the body.
VanDamme displaying some good clinch control by pressing Pe up against the cage.
Pe is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables VanDamme to keep the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
VanDamme is pushing Pe up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
VanDamme fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Pe turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

VanDamme bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
VanDamme fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

VanDamme gets caught flat footed, as Pe shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pe wants to control from the top but VanDamme keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now VanDamme is on top in guard.

Pe wants to sweep here but VanDamme controlling him for the moment.
VanDamme is stalling in the full guard.
Henrik VanDamme overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

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.
Pe wants to sweep but no luck.

VanDamme thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pe avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as VanDamme accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

VanDamme decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henrik VanDamme showed his dominance in that final round.
I think VanDamme 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!