Finish getting up, when he comes at you, focus on his knife/arm first, then go for a weak point- throat, eyes, groin, then use a powerful finisher to further disorient him and end the fight asap. Grappling is good for controlling the fight, I assume we're a large dude.
Alternate possibilities:
Wants to say something, so don't want to bumrush him.
He's an assassin and this was a ploy to get at you- doubtful, too early for conspiracy, no reason.
You draw your club at the prisoner, each of you wielding your one-handed weapon intimidatingly. You begin strafing each other, both waiting to find just the right time to surprise the other with a preemptive strike. As you see the prisoner go into a weak stance, you drive forward with a vertical strike. He's more agile than you thought, as he dodges your club, which barely connects with his shirt. Before you can recover, he drives the point of the knife into your right arm. Blood seeps out of your wound and you are forced to drop your weapon. Just as you buckle, you know that this miscalculation has cost you your life, as he thrusts the knife into you, this time through your neck....
-----
You pull your knife out of the guard's neck. He was a tough man, having taken down many of your fellow inmates, although he did not match your quick feet, and thus met his end. As soon as you remove your knife, your consciousness if filled with a question.
'Where is William?' The revelation is startling, as you have no idea what stimulated you to make this thought, nor who William is. You begin to rack your memory, but stop yourself. You have to get out of here, you're positive more guards are on their way in. You could head to the courtyard, but the battle could be going either way there right now, and if the guards are winning you'll be subdued. On the other hand, you could sneak through the cafeteria and out the kitchen, but you'd have to do so with great stealth.
Name: Kallias Launce
Gender: Male
Age: 21
Occupation: Thug
Physique: Slender, quick.
Clothes: Prisoner Garb
Inventory: Kitchen Knife, 3 Matches
Social Status: Criminal, has connections in the city.
Health: Normal.