PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rickhard Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stan Engrle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Smith
vs
Engrle

185 cm
22
223 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

190 cm
22
215 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Syndicate Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Rickhard Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Stan Engrle!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Daniel Franklin and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Engrle checks a low kick from Smith.

Smith bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Engrle wants to control but Smith postures up.
Smith is putting a hurting on Engrle here, landing some big shots from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Smith fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Engrle defending against the ground and pound.
Smith grinds an elbow into Engrle's temple.
You can see the frustration on Engrle's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ground and pound from Smith seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Smith throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Engrle works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Engrle is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith lands with a punch from half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Engrle can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Engrle's head.
Engrle is trying to stand.
Smith missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Smith thows a huge punch but Engrle dodges it nicely.
Smith is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Smith throwing shots but Engrle is blocking nicely.
Engrle blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.
Engrle avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Smith.
Smith not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Engrle is trying is best to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Engrle trying to control but Smith postures up.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Smith connects with a nice short shot to Engrle's temple.
Smith lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Smith prevents Engrle from improving his position.
Smith trying to mount his opponent but Engrle defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Engrle to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Engrle blocks nicely.
Engrle is pulling down on Smith's head. It's preventing any offense from Smith, at least for the moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Engrle lands the left hand.
Engrle throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Engrle on the wrong end of a nice jab.

It looks like Stan Engrle has been cut.
Stan Engrle is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Engrle is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Smith jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Smith tried to score with a low kick but Engrle checks it.
Smith tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Engrle swivels and escapes.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Engrle connects with the punch.

It looks like Rickhard Smith has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Engrle misses with a head kick.
Engrle misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Smith looks to throw the jab but Engrle is out of range.
Smith misses with a straight right.
A shot to de liver by Engrle. Beautiful body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Engrle lands a two punch combo.

Engrle moves into the clinch.
Engrle tries to land a knee to the head but Smith blocks with his arms.
Engrle using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Smith has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Smith will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Engrle up against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Engrle lands an elbow inside that Smith shrugs off.
Engrle pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Engrle throws a knee to the head but misses.
Engrle lands an elbow that stopped Smith in his tracks for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rickhard Smith will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

Smith tries to clinch up but Engrle circles away and keeps his distance.
Engrle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Engrle misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Engrle looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Engrle misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith misses with a looping left.
A right-left combo lands from Smith.
Stan Engrle seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Smith throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Engrle was covering up waiting for the punch and Smith finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
Engrle striking off his back but it's not causing Smith any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith postures up in Engrle's guard and throws a big left but Engrle blocks it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Engrle works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smith preventing the sweep.
Engrle is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Smith preventing the sweep.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith falls off balance throwing a combination
and Engrle cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Engrle slaps away a takedown attempt from Smith, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Smith avoids the head kick by Engrle.
Engrle throws a hook but Smith blocks it.
Rickhard Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Engrle lands a high kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Both fighters circling a little - Engrle finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
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!
Engrle thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Smith if he has to take too many more of those.
Smith wants to clinch up but Engrle keeps it at a distance.
Engrle avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Engrle. Smith shrugs it off though.
Engrle is looking to clinch.
Engrle ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Engrle lands a front kick.
A head kick misses from Engrle.
Smith has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Engrle finds it's way round the side to connect with Smith's head.

Rickhard Smith's cut is getting worse.
Engrle throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Engrle with a jab.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Engrle pushes him off.
Engrle tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Engrle throws a head kick that misses.
Smith takes a kick to the side of the head.
Engrle throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Engrle throws a nice head kick!
Engrle looks for the body kick but Smith saw that one coming.
Smith avoids the head kick by Engrle.
Engrle dodges the punch combination from Smith.

Engrle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Smith, pushing him back against the cage.
Smith tries to work over Engrle's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Engrle looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Engrle throws a knee to the head but misses.
Smith lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Engrle pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt - Engrle sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Engrle bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Rickhard Smith's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Engrle tries to clinch up.
Smith takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A head kick misses from Engrle.
Smith misses the jab.
Engrle throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
Engrle misses with a jab, cross combination.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Smith!
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Engrle misses with a head kick.
Engrle leaves Smith with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickhard Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Engrle keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Engrle misses with a wild body shot.
Engrle tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stan Engrle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith tries to clinch up.
Engrle swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Engrle lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Engrle lands a head kick!
A combination from Engrle does no damage.
Engrle throws out a powerful jab.
A head kick misses from Engrle.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Engrle pushes him off.
Smith throws and low kick but Engrle moves out of range easily.
Smith swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Engrle counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Engrle pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Engrle tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Engrle ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Engrle.
Smith takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Jeez, Rickhard Smith's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Engrle lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Rickhard Smith's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Stan Engrle!