PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Crag Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JP Elento (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). JP Elento has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Smith
vs
Elento

165 cm
21
148 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

177 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Hell's Kitchen Lab Corp

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Crag Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, JP Elento!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith shoots in but Elento avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Elento tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Elento throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smith.
Elento misses with a double jab.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Elento works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Elento is looking to stand back up but Smith counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Elento.
Smith prevents Elento from standing back up.
Elento won't allow Smith to pass to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elento is trying to stand up here but Smith is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith throwing shots but Elento is blocking nicely.
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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smith tries to score a power double leg takedown but Elento sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Smith somewhat.
Some wild striking there from Elento.

Smith looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Smith is working for a submission of some sort.

Smith is working for a submission of some sort.
Smith is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elento is refusing to be controlled, as Smith sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elento blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.
Elento is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him
Smith is pressing down on Elento's thigh, looking to free his foot. Elento is holding on for now.
Elento pushes Smith off but Smith dives into side control.
Elento wants to get back to his feet but Smith drags him back down.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Crag Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Elento rushes Smith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

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 the fight in the clinch, despite Elento's efforts to push away.
Elento wants to break free but Smith has control.
Smith jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Elento walks away with a smile on his face. Smith gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Elento throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.

Elento gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Elento wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Elento can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smith trying to control but Elento is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Elento is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Crag Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Elento is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Smith dives in and grabs Elento's left leg, looking for a takedown. Elento pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.
Elento moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Elento throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Smith throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Elento was covering up waiting for the punch and Smith finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Elento keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith prevents Elento from getting back to his feet.
Elento wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Smith manages to pass to side control.
Smith missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Elento looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Smith looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Smith working Elento over with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elento wants to get back to his feet.

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 thows a huge punch but Elento dodges it nicely.
Elento is looking to escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith is trying hard to land a takedown here. Elento sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Elento is looking to clinch.
Elento scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Elento but Elento pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Crag Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Elento tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Crag Smith dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith shoots in for a double leg but Elento sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Elento is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Elento gets a clinch.
Elento wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Elento is trying to break free.
Elento is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.
Elento wants to break free but Smith has control.
Smith tries for a takedown but Elento manages to get underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Elento tries to circle away but Smith has him pinned against the cage.
Smith holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Elento avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Crag Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Elento looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Elento wants to break free but Smith has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elento is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.

Smith pulls guard.
Elento throwing strikes from guard but Smith blocks nicely.
Elento postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Elento throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Elento is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Elento accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Elento throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Elento throwing strikes from guard but Smith blocks nicely.
Elento throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Elento scores with a one two! Smith had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Elento was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.

That's two 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.
Elento scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Smith looks for a takedown but Elento sprawls well.
Elento fails in his attempt to clinch.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Elento connects with the punch.
Elento tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Elento tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Elento but Elento pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Elento lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Elento.
Smith shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Elento pinned against the cage. Elento gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Crag Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith closes the distance and clinches up with Elento, looking for a takedown. Smith pushes Elento against the cage but Elento circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elento fails with an attempt to clinch.
Elento slaps away a takedown attempt from Smith, before circling back to the center of the mat.
A right-left combo lands from Elento.
Smith takes one to the side of the head.

Smith darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Smith performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Smith throwing shots but Elento is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to advance position but Elento won't allow it.

Smith is looking for a kimura but Elento is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Smith to get the leverage.
JP Elento has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Crag Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Elento kicks Smith off and gets back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to JP Elento.
I think Smith has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Crag Smith!