PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Frank Poncherello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Poncherello
vs
Smith

169 cm
20
185 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
183 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Knock Out Artistry
Knock Out Artistry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Frank Poncherello!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Smith!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Robert Twigg and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith scores with a crisp jab that stopped Poncherello in his tracks.
Poncherello stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Poncherello wants it to stay on the feet.
A slow jab from Smith misses its intended target.
Poncherello misses with a straight right.
Smith fails with the takedown.

Poncherello shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Smith's guard.
Poncherello wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.
Poncherello is looking to work some ground and pound but Smith has wrist control.
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.
Poncherello throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Poncherello is having none of it.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Poncherello trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Poncherello is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Poncherello pushes down on Smith's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Poncherello wants to free his trapped foot but Smith is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Poncherello not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Poncherello stops Smith from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Smith trying to control here.
Poncherello seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Smith is trying to maintain the position but Poncherello is very close to passing his half guard.
Poncherello sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Smith defending well though.
Poncherello passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Smith!
Smith is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Poncherello is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poncherello misses with a head shot.
Poncherello punching from mount but Smith doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Smith regains half guard.

Smith makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Smith has his takedown stuffed

so Poncherello counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Frank Poncherello has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcus Smith.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith wants to get back to his feet but Poncherello is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Poncherello postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to control but Poncherello passes into half guard.
Smith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Smith taking some punishment here, with Poncherello in his half guard.
Smith is trying is best to control the position here.
Poncherello frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Poncherello 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Poncherello tests Smith's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Smith throws out a loose jab but Poncherello uses good head movement to avoid it.
Poncherello moves away from the strike by Smith.
Poncherello slips a jab from Smith.
Poncherello slips under a jab.
Smith with a poor takedown

and Poncherello counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Poncherello throwing strikes from guard but Smith blocks nicely.
Poncherello stands and throws Smith's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Smith manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poncherello throws a strike but Smith avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Poncherello.
Smith can't keep his opponent in guard - Poncherello advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Poncherello works his foot free and advances to mount.
Smith wants to hold on but Poncherello pushes him away.
Poncherello dominating with strikes here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poncherello looking to ground and pound but Smith is blocking nicely.
Smith tries to hold on but Poncherello postures up.
Poncherello lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Smith hang on?
Smith is desperately trying to improve his position but Poncherello has a good base and remains in mount.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Smith blocking the ground and pound.
Smith is looking to get to half guard.
Poncherello lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

Poncherello working for a guillotine from mount but Smith is in no mood to give up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poncherello scoring with strikes but Smith is staying in there.
Smith keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Smith is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Poncherello unloads with some shots from mount but Smith bucks and avoids them well.
Poncherello is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Smith can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Smith is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Smith is looking to get to half guard.
Poncherello throwing strikes here but Smith is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Poncherello 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.
Smith is in all sorts of trouble here.
Poncherello 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.
Smith tries to hold on but Poncherello pushes him away.
Poncherello misses with a head shot.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Poncherello cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Poncherello dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Smith throws out a loose jab but Poncherello uses good head movement to avoid it.
Poncherello looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Smith misses with a looping right.
Poncherello connects with a single shot there.
A swing and a miss from Smith.

Poncherello pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Poncherello pulls Smith into guard.
Smith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Smith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith prevents Poncherello from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith wants to control from the top but Poncherello keeps moving.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Poncherello is keeping the position.
Poncherello avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Poncherello has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poncherello 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
A jab from Smith misses.
Smith takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Smith jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Poncherello lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Smith at a distance.
Smith misses the jab.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt

and Poncherello counters with a shoot takedown. Smith fights it but they end up in guard.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Poncherello is controlling him.
Smith trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poncherello passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Smith pushes Poncherello away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Poncherello gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Smith bucks up and tries to throw Poncherello off but instead Poncherello has got his back!
Poncherello throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Smith covers up after that shot from Poncherello.
Poncherello connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Smith to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poncherello gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Poncherello has Smith flattened out and is raining down punches.
Smith is in bad spot here.

Poncherello is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Smith has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Poncherello misses with an elbow to the head.
Smith wants to control his opponent's hands but Poncherello gets his hands free.
Marcus Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Frank Poncherello is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith is in bad spot here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Poncherello showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Poncherello has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank Poncherello!