PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Russell Brand (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Smiff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Brand might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Russell Brand and Katie Perry. Smiff has chosen New born as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Brand
vs
Smiff

187 cm
23
156 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

180 cm
26
149 lbs
10 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Russell Brand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Tony Smiff!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Andrew Berry and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smiff is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Brand.
Smiff throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Brand fails with an attempt to clinch.
Smiff misses with a low kick.
Smiff connects with a single shot there.
Smiff swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Smiff drops Brand with a beautiful combination! Brand stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Smiff is looking for the KO!

Brand is rocked!
Brand fails with a takedown attempt.
Oh Brand is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Smiff throws a big shot that misses.
Brand really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Smiff fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Brand seems to have got his legs back now.
Smiff scores with a crisp jab that stopped Brand in his tracks.
Smiff misses with a double jab.
A swing and a miss from Smiff.

Brand darts in and clinches Smiff up against the cage.
Smiff landing knees to the head.

Smiff manages to break the clinch.
Smiff throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Smiff throws a half hearted mid kick.

Smiff tries to keep at a distance but Brand has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smiff breaks from the clinch.
Brand avoids the body shot from Smiff.
Smiff throws a hook to the side of Brand's head but Brand sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Smiff lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Brand circles away quickly and effectively.
Brand tries to clinch there but Smiff circles away.
Brand closes the distance and clinches up with Smiff, looking for a takedown. Brand pushes Smiff against the cage but Smiff circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Smiff throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Brand on the side of the head.
Brand ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Smiff looks gassed!
Smiff misses with a body shot.
Smiff will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Brand misses with a takedown attempt - Smiff sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Brand. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smiff misses with a hook.
No joy there for Smiff, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smiff throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tony Smiff seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Brand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Brand decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Brand tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A left and a right from Brand both land. Nice combination.
Brand thuds his right hand into Smiff's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Brand feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Brand wants to control from the top but Smiff keeps moving.

Brand stands up and waves to Smiff to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brand tries to clinch there but Smiff circles away.
Brand doesn't manage to clinch there - Smiff circles away.
Smiff blocks the body kick.
A punch combination from Smiff misses.

Brand closes the distance and clinches.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Smiff as Brand tries to tie him up.
Brand misses with an elbow over the top.
Smiff prevents the takedown attempt.
Brand lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Brand breaks the clinch.
Brand fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Brand blocks a head kick by Smiff.
Smiff misses with a body punch

and Brand counters with a nice double leg into side control. Smiff won't be happy with that.
Smiff wants to control but Brand postures up.
Smiff seems a little lost for a moment, as Brand dominates the positioning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smiff prevents Brand from improving position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smiff is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Brand dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Brand is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Brand checks a leg kick nicely.
Brand scores with a body shot.
Smiff swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Brand holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Smiff can't find room to land a body shot as Brand controls the action.
Smiff blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A right hand to the body from Brand.
Smiff avoiding damage as Brand throws knees to the body.
Smiff misses with a knee to the head.
Brand tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Smiff just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brand looking for a takedown.
Smiff keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Brand's efforts to push away.
Brand tries to pull guard but Smiff holds him up against the cage and eventually Brand drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Brand. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Smiff breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Brand closes the distance and pushes Smiff back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smiff manages to break the clinch.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Brand.
The strikes coming from Brand are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Smiff is not content to let Brand control the position.
Smiff tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Brand has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Brand looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Smiff wants to control but Brand is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smiff blocking the ground and pound attempt from Brand.
Brand stalling.
Brand trying to control the action but Smiff is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Brand looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Brand escapes and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Brand dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Brand fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Brand scores with a decent looking hook.
Brand closes this distance looking for a takedown but Smiff circles away.
Smiff lands a jab-cross combination.
A solid leg kick lands there for Smiff.
Smiff misses with a kick to the body.
Smiff throws the left hand but Brand avoids the punch easily.
Brand fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Brand. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smiff misses with the combination.
Smiff misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smiff throws an overhand right that lands on Brand's shoulder, as Brand tries to avoid the shot.

Brand closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Brand lands in his opponent's guard.

Brand drops back, looking for a kneebar! Smiff looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Smiff looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Smiff!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brand wants to control but Smiff postures up.
Brand tries to improve position but can't.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Brand regains half guard.
Smiff is keen to just control but Brand is a slippery customer.
Smiff prevents Brand from improving his position.
Smiff looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smiff lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smiff tries to stand but can't do so whilst Brand controls his leg.
Brand preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Smiff is thwarting Brand's attempts to control the position.

Brand looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smiff circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smiff leaves Brand with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Smiff throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Brand counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Smiff lands a knee to the body.

Brand jumps into guard, dragging Smiff to the mat.
Smiff trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Brand keeping moving, preventing Smiff from controlling successfully.
Smiff stopping the sweep attempt from Brand.
Smiff wants to control from the top but Brand keeps moving.
Tony Smiff has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smiff looking to sit in guard and control but Brand gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Russell Brand.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Brand, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russell Brand!