PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bummy Smesh (ranked 6606 p4p, 6788 weight class) and Raval Bard (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Raval Bard has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Smesh
vs
Bard

176 cm
25
153
0 - 1 - 0

174 cm
18
156
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Bummy Smesh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Raval Bard!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smesh gets caught napping as Bard dives in and scores a takedown. Smesh manages to retain guard.

Smesh manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Smesh escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smesh closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bard circles away.
Smesh shoots in but no luck this time.
Smesh checks a leg kick.
Bard tries a head kick but it misses.
Bard needs to keep his hands up - Smesh had a free shot at his head there.
Smesh looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Bard is fending him off so far but Smesh persists. Nope, Bard circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bummy Smesh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
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!
Smesh uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bard.

Bard fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Smesh to the ground. Bard is now in Smesh's guard.
Bard stays in close to Smesh's body and controls the position.
Bard working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bard postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Bard is stalling in the full guard.
Let's hope that Bard has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Bard throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smesh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smesh keeping moving, preventing Bard from controlling successfully.
Smesh 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.
Smesh working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bard's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Smesh being controlled here, momentarily.
Bard is in close to Smesh's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Smesh keeping moving, preventing Bard from controlling successfully.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Bard working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Bard's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Bard trying to control but Smesh is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bard dives in and grabs Smesh's left leg, looking for a takedown. Smesh pushes down on Bard's head and hops out.
Bard blocks a head kick by Smesh.
Nice sprawl there from Bard as Smesh shoots in.
Smesh moves out of range of the leg kick from Bard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smesh lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bard circles away quickly and effectively.
Bard throws a head kick but Smesh moves out of range.
Bard throws a head kick but Smesh moves out of range.
Bard fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Smesh is out of range.
Smesh slaps away a takedown attempt from Bard, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Smesh dives in for a single leg takedown but Bard sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Smesh closes the distance and clinches up with Bard, looking for a takedown. Smesh pushes Bard against the cage but Bard circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Smesh tries to close the distance and clinch but Bard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Smesh scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bard is not content to let Smesh control the position.
Bard is looking to reverse the position.
Smesh controls the position from side control.
Smesh is looking to take a break and control but Bard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smesh with the ground and pound but Bard regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raval Bard dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Horrible takedown attempt by Smesh or perhaps it was just good defense by Bard, which made it look bad.
Bard misses with a head kick.
Smesh shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bard as he avoids it easily.
Bard will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smesh tries to close the distance and clinch but Bard swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smesh has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bummy Smesh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bard throws a low kick but it's checked well by Smesh.
Smesh fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smesh tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bard with the counter takedown but Smesh avoids it easily.
Smesh has a takedown stuffed.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Smesh.
Bard tries to score with a low kick but Smesh moves his leg out of the way.
Smesh thuds his shin into the meat of Bard's side.
Bard misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Smesh shoots in but Bard avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smesh shoots in but no luck this time.
A head kick misses from Bard.
A quick step to the side and Smesh tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bard throws a nice head kick!
Smesh will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bard with the counter takedown but Smesh avoids it easily.
Bard shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
No luck for Smesh with that takedown attempt.
Smesh tries to clinch but Bard moves out of range.
Bard leaves Smesh with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bard now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bard avoids the head kick by Smesh.
Bard is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Bummy Smesh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smesh shoots for a takedown but Bard saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bummy Smesh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bard defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Smesh.
Bard lands a high kick!
Bard throws a leg kick but Smesh moved away.
Smesh shoots in for a double leg but Bard sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Bard swats away the attempt to clinch by Smesh.
Nice sprawl there from Bard as Smesh shoots in.
Smesh shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bard as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bard shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Nice strikes from Bard there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bard sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Bard moves nicely into side control.
Bard has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bard is looking to take a break and control but Smesh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bard lands a nice forearm strike.
Smesh wants to control but Bard postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raval Bard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Smesh lands with a nice body kick.
Smesh lands with a slapping head kick.
Bard leaves Smesh with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bard feints the counter takedown.
Smesh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bard swats him away and circles back towards the center.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smesh.
Bard darts in looking for a takedown but Smesh gets double underhooks and turns Bard into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bard misses with a wild body shot.
Smesh avoids the body shot from Bard.
Smesh is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Bard.
Smesh tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bard defends well and Smesh ends up having to push Bard into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bummy Smesh. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bard throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bard swats away the attempt to clinch by Smesh.
Smesh closes the distance but Bard moves to the side

and Bard counters with a single leg into guard. Smesh didn't expect that.
Smesh is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Bard dives into side control.

Bard scoring with punches and elbows.
Bard working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Smesh tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bard wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Smesh gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bard is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bard slows the pace down in half guard.
Smesh is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Bard scores with a couple of nice shots.

Smesh is rocked!
Bard looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Bard is nestled in close to Smesh, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Oh Smesh is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Bard controlling the pace.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bard passes to full mount!
Bard working the ground and pound effectively.
Raval Bard is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bard takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Smesh seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smesh working to try and regain half guard.
Smesh wants to try and get back to his feet.
Bard takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

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.
Smesh is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Bard raining down hammerfists from mount.
Raval Bard has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bard controlling his opponent.
Bard connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bard content just to control the position here.
Bummy Smesh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smesh flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raval Bard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bard has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raval Bard!
A very excited looking Raval Bard rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.
Bummy Smesh spoke after the fight, saying 'That was a fluke and everyone knows it, immediate rematch please'.