PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Apollo Balboa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Pryor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balboa kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is I was made for lovin you. Apollo Balboa has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Balboa
vs
Pryor

210 cm
20
290 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

195 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Apollo Balboa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Eddie Pryor!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Paul Gruel and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pryor looks to clinch
and Balboa finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Pryor looks to clinch

and Balboa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Come on Balboa - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Balboa gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Pryor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Balboa breaks from the clinch.
Eddie Pryor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pryor throws a series of strikes that have Balboa backpedaling.
Balboa throws a head kick that misses.
Balboa circles away from the clinch attempt

and Balboa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Balboa.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Balboa breaks from the clinch.

Balboa has closed the distance and engaged Pryor in a clinch.
Balboa throws an elbow that misses.

Balboa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Balboa keeps the fight on the outside.
Balboa swats away the attempt to clinch by Pryor.
Pryor lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pryor closes the distance looking to clinch
and Balboa counters with a head kick. That will keep Pryor thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Balboa misses with an uppercut.
Balboa tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Balboa is breathing heavily.

Balboa gets the takedown into side control.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pryor tries to escape but Balboa is in control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Balboa cracks Pryor with a big right hand but Pryor just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Pryor is trying to get back to his feet.

Balboa stands up.
Pryor lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pryor closes the distance but Balboa moves to the side

and Balboa moves into the clinch.
Pryor should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Pryor tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Balboa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Eddie Pryor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pryor looks to clinch
and Balboa counters with a big head kick but Pryor shrugs it off.
Pryor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pryor lands a leg kick that knocks Balboa off balance momentarily.
Balboa tries a head kick but it misses.
Pryor doesn't manage to clinch there - Balboa circles away.
Pryor throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Pryor tries to clinch up but Balboa circles away and keeps his distance.
Pryor tries to clinch

and Balboa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pryor tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pryor tries to land a knee to the head but Balboa blocks with his arms.
Pryor throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Balboa blocks it with crossed arms.
Pryor missing with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Balboa jumps guard and drags Pryor to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Balboa wants to stand but Pryor is controlling the position.
Pryor advances to half guard.
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.
Pryor thows a huge punch but Balboa dodges it nicely.
Balboa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Balboa wants to get back to his feet.
Balboa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Balboa looks like he's trying to stand up.
Balboa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pryor not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pryor not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pryor throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pryor passes to full mount!
Balboa is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pryor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Balboa hang on?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pryor thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Balboa is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Balboa wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pryor.
Balboa avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pryor.
Balboa is looking to improve his position but Pryor isn't that keen on the idea.
Pryor fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Pryor throwing strikes here but Balboa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Pryor sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Pryor throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Pryor with a couple of short strikes.
Balboa regains half guard.
Pryor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Balboa defending well though.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Balboa wants to get back to full guard.
Pryor has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pryor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Balboa tries to kick Pryor off but Pryor keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pryor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pryor is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Balboa throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Balboa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Pryor with the ground and pound from mount.
Pryor thowing shots but they're missing.
Pryor sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Pryor misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Balboa is trying to escape the mount.
Balboa knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Pryor on the ground.
Balboa blocking the ground and pound.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pryor throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Pryor prevents Balboa from getting the reversal.
Pryor thowing shots but they're missing.
Balboa is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Pryor cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Balboa tries to hold on but Pryor pushes him away.
Pryor with good strikes from the mount here!
Balboa blocking the ground and pound.
Balboa tries to reverse the position but Pryor maintains control.
Balboa holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Pryor tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Balboa tries to reverse the position but Pryor maintains control.
Balboa is trying to get to the ropes to help him get back to his feet.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Balboa avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pryor.
Pryor thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Pryor has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Balboa's face.
Pryor throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Balboa avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pryor.
Balboa is trying desperately to improve position.
Pryor landing strikes from the mount and Balboa is in trouble!
BOOM! Pryor connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Balboa avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pryor.
Pryor prevents Balboa from getting the reversal.
Pryor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Balboa hang on?
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Balboa can't escape the position.
Pryor lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Pryor misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Pryor breaks from Balboa's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Balboa is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Pryor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Balboa holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Pryor tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Balboa can't escape the position.
Pryor thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Pryor unloading with bombs!
Pryor in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Pryor thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Balboa sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Balboa is trying to control but can't.
Pryor working the head and body with strikes.
Balboa tries to roll over but Pryor keeps him under control.
Balboa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pryor.
Balboa is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Pryor passes to full mount!
Balboa keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Pryor lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Balboa hang on?
Pryor with good strikes from the mount here!
Balboa is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Pryor cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Pryor connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Pryor throwing strikes here but Balboa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Balboa is looking to get to half guard.
Pryor throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Balboa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Balboa is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Pryor dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pryor tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in to close the distance. Balboa manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pryor closes the distance looking to clinch
and Balboa counters with a body kick that stops Pryor in his tracks momentarily.
Pryor tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Balboa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pryor tries to land a knee to the head but Balboa blocks with his arms.

Balboa manages to break the clinch.
Pryor closes the distance but Balboa moves to the side

and Balboa moves into the clinch.
Pryor with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pryor misses with a knee strike.

Balboa breaks from the clinch.
Pryor tries to clinch but Balboa moves away

and Balboa counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Balboa breaks the clinch.
Balboa throws a predictable looking body shot
and Pryor counters with a nice leg kick.
Pryor fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Balboa has Pryor up against the ropes in a clinch.

Balboa pulls guard successfully.
Balboa trying to keep a closed guard but Pryor is proving a slippery customer.
Pryor is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Pryor in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pryor won't allow Balboa to sweep him here.
Balboa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pryor.
Pryor is looking to work some ground and pound but Balboa has wrist control.
Balboa working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Pryor.
Pryor throws a big elbow that misses.
Balboa wants to stand and escape but Pryor is having none of it.
Balboa looking for a sweep. Not yet Balboa, not yet.
Pryor throwing strikes but missing.
Pryor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pryor trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Balboa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balboa doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Pryor trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pryor throwing strikes from guard but Balboa blocks nicely.
Pryor forces his way into half guard.
Pryor thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Balboa is looking for a sweep. Pryor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Balboa tries to kick Pryor off but Pryor keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pryor not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Pryor frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Balboa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Pryor throwing strikes here but Balboa is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pryor scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Pryor misses with a head shot.
Balboa tries to lock up and control but Pryor gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pryor prevents Balboa from getting the reversal.
Pryor looking to ground and pound but Balboa is blocking nicely.
Balboa avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pryor.
Pryor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Balboa is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Balboa is desperately trying to improve his position but Pryor has a good base and remains in mount.
Balboa avoids a series of strikes thrown by Pryor.
Balboa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Balboa is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Pryor throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pryor throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Balboa is trying to escape the mount.
Pryor working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Pryor thowing shots but they're missing.
Balboa wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pryor.
Pryor punching from mount but Balboa doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Pryor punching from mount but Balboa doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Balboa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Pryor raining down shots from the mount!
Pryor prevents Balboa from getting the reversal.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Pryor scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Pryor prevents Balboa from getting the reversal.
Pryor landing strikes from the mount.
Balboa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Pryor won't let Balboa get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Pryor lands a big elbow.
Balboa takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Pryor landing strikes, looking to finish!
Balboa's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Poor strikes thrown by Pryor there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Poor strikes thrown by Pryor there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pryor unloads with some shots from mount but Balboa bucks and avoids them well.
Balboa working to try and regain half guard.
Balboa wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pryor.
Balboa is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Balboa wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Pryor.
Pryor sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Balboa is desperately trying to improve his position but Pryor has a good base and remains in mount.
Pryor throws some wild stikes that Balboa manages to avoid easily.
Balboa manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Balboa tries to get to full guard but Pryor has control of the leg.
Balboa trying to control but Pryor postures up.
Pryor moves nicely into side control.
Balboa parries the strikes from Pryor easily there. Pryor is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Balboa to escape.
Balboa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Pryor asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Pryor tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Balboa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Pryor misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Pryor postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Pryor fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Balboa gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Balboa is looking to improve his position.
Pryor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Balboa is looking for a sweep. Pryor is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pryor throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Balboa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pryor not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Pryor throwing shots but Balboa is blocking nicely.
Pryor lands with a punch from half guard.
Balboa is trying to get back to full guard.
Balboa is trying to stand back up but Pryor is controlling him
Pryor thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Balboa's head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pryor passes to side control.
Pryor in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Balboa is trying to improve his position.
Eddie Pryor has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pryor throws an elbow but Balboa slips to the side and avoids it well.
Balboa tries to improve position but can't.
Balboa is trying to get back to his feet.
Balboa managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Pryor.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Balboa parries the strikes from Pryor easily there. Pryor is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Balboa to escape.
Pryor throws an elbow but Balboa slips to the side and avoids it well.
Balboa is trying to get back to half guard.
Balboa is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Balboa is looking for a sweep.
Pryor working the ground and pound but Balboa is defending the strikes.
Pryor in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Pryor cracks Balboa with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Pryor misses with the ground and pound.
Eddie Pryor is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Balboa wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Balboa tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Balboa avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pryor.
Balboa is trying to get back to his feet.
Apollo Balboa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
An elbow from Pryor crashes against the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eddie Pryor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pryor has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight for Eddie Pryor!
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight for Eddie Pryor!
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight for Eddie Pryor!

Eddie Pryor wins by unanimous decision!
Eddie Pryor decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.