PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Raul Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greig Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Duality kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Greig Smith told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Sanchez
vs
Smith

182 cm
23
173 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

195 cm
19
175 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Asphyxiation Ltd. Clothing

LHK Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Raul Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Greig Smith!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez moves away from the strike by Smith.
Sanchez ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Sanchez misses with a two punch combination.
Smith on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Sanchez drops Smith with a left and a right! Oh, Smith is hurt - Sanchez dives into side control looking to finish!

Smith is rocked!
Sanchez lands an elbow.
Smith is still in real trouble! Can Sanchez finish him?
Smith is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sanchez scores with punches from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith tries to improve position but can't.
Smith gets back to half guard.
Smith is pressing down on Sanchez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smith 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.
Smith seems to have recovered his senses.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Smith throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez stopping the sweep attempt from Smith.
Sanchez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sanchez working some strikes from top position.

Smith looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sanchez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
Smith wants to sweep here but Sanchez controlling him for the moment.

Smith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sanchez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Smith looks gassed!
Sanchez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sanchez works over Smith with some ground and pound from guard.
Sanchez working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Sanchez lands a couple of elbows.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sanchez thows a big elbow that misses.
Smith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sanchez is looking to stand up but Smith won't let him.
Sanchez chips away with some ground and pound.

Smith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sanchez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Sanchez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanchez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sanchez's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Smith stacks Sanchez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Smith!
Sanchez manages to get back to half guard.

Smith is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sanchez defends it well.

Smith trying to work for an americana but Sanchez has managed to regain full guard.
Sanchez striking off his back.
Sanchez throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Sanchez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Smith trying to move into half guard but instead Sanchez has managed to sweep!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sanchez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Sanchez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
Sanchez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Sanchez is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Smith is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Smith has escaped and now he's on top!
Smith is fighting to break Sanchez's control of his arms but Sanchez is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sanchez keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sanchez tries to strike from the bottom.

Sanchez has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Smith off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Sanchez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Nice defenses there by Smith.
Smith tries to clinch up but Sanchez circles away and keeps his distance.
Sanchez slaps away a takedown attempt from Smith, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A punch combination from Smith misses.
A jab-cross combination lands for Sanchez and sends Smith crashing to the mat! Sanchez follows him down to the mat - Smith regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!
Sanchez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Smith with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sanchez is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Sanchez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Smith with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Smith wants to improve his position but Sanchez is controlling well.
Sanchez winds up and cracks Smith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sanchez is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Smith has managed to free his arm - good work.
Smith taking some punishment here, with Sanchez in his half guard.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Ground and pound from Sanchez.
Smith wants to get back to full guard.

Smith looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sanchez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Smith with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sanchez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Sanchez lands strikes from half guard.
Sanchez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sanchez lands strikes from half guard.
Nice strikes from Sanchez there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Sanchez winds up and cracks Smith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Smith is looking for a sweep. Sanchez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Sanchez working Smith over with strikes.
Sanchez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sanchez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Sanchez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Sanchez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Sanchez throws a strike but Smith avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Smith throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sanchez postures up and lands a big shot to Smith's brow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sanchez defends well.
Sanchez lands a couple of digs.
Sanchez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Sanchez from controlling successfully.
Sanchez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Sanchez wants to get up but he can't break Smith's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sanchez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sanchez works over Smith with some ground and pound from guard.
Smith looking to control.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Sanchez is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Smith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Sanchez's back instead.
Raul Sanchez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sanchez trying to control the hands but Smith won't let him.

That's four 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.
Smith keeps control of the position as Sanchez tries to break free.
Sanchez tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Sanchez sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Sanchez missing with punches from the bottom.
Sanchez tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raul Sanchez dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Smith shoots in and drives through. Sanchez sprawls well.
Sanchez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sanchez misses with a wild body shot.
Sanchez throws an overhand right that lands on Smith's shoulder, as Smith tries to avoid the shot.
Greig Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Sanchez shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Raul Sanchez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Greig Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sanchez's waist but Sanchez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Smith off to one side.
Sanchez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sanchez misses the shot to the body.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sanchez lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sanchez fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Smith has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Smith there as he acknowledges the shot.
Smith moves away from the strike by Sanchez.
No joy there for Sanchez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A left and a right from Sanchez both land. Nice combination.
Raul Sanchez is winning the standup battle so far.
Sanchez waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Smith.
Sanchez lands a slapping body shot.
Sanchez scores with a crisp jab that stopped Smith in his tracks.
Smith steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sanchez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez lands a jab to Smith's midsection.
Sanchez thuds his right hand into Smith's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Smith blocks a head kick by Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a series of wild punches.
Sanchez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The fighters circling - Sanchez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sanchez circles away.
Smith walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sanchez works over Smith's head and body with a nice combination.
Sanchez scores with a body shot.
Sanchez moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Sanchez changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sanchez looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Smith moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Sanchez connects with a crisp jab.
Smith ducks under a wild hook from Sanchez.
Sanchez keeps the fight on the outside.
Sanchez lands a nice shot that snaps Smith's head back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sanchez is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Sanchez stuffs the takedown attempt from Smith. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Sanchez bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Smith's head.
Sanchez connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Sanchez drops Smith with a naaaaasty hook - Smith is in real trouble here! Sanchez dives in to side control and pounds out his opponent for a TKO victory! The crowd goes nuts!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Raul Sanchez!