PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jong Tobias (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tobias
vs
Smith

170 cm
23
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jong Tobias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mike Smith!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Sosuke Kotani and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tobias shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
No luck for Tobias with that takedown attempt.
Tobias fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jong Tobias. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Tobias wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tobias keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Smith landing with the ground and pound.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Tobias keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Tobias 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 showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Tobias is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.
Tobias wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.

That's two 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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tobias with a poor takedown

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Tobias didn't expect that.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Tobias gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Smith wants to stand up but Tobias is controlling him.
Smith is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
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 is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tobias.
Tobias has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tobias lands a two punch combo.
Tobias throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.
Tobias throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.
Tobias keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Tobias fails with the takedown

and Smith counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tobias keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Tobias looking to control.
Tobias on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tobias tries to get out of the position.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Tobias is retaining full guard.
Smith trying to control but Tobias is working from the bottom.
Tobias trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith prevents Tobias from getting back to his feet.
Smith wants to control from the top but Tobias keeps moving.
Tobias not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tobias shoots and misses

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.
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!
Tobias working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Smith trying to control but Tobias is working from the bottom.
Smith postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Smith dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tobias tries for a takedown but Smith circles away easily

and Smith counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tobias's guard now.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tobias is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.
Smith postures up and lands a big shot to Tobias's brow.
Smith trying to control but Tobias is working from the bottom.
Smith cracks Tobias with a solid left hand.
Smith looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith prevents Tobias from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Tobias gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Smith to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Smith is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Smith throws a strike but Tobias rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Smith pulls Tobias in close to his closed guard and prevents Tobias from doing any damage or advancing position.
Tobias missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Tobias wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Tobias looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Smith!
Tobias throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Smith tries to hold on but Tobias postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is wriggling around trying to escape.
Tobias can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Smith is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Smith is trying to escape the mount.
Smith is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Smith wants to hold on but Tobias pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smith's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Smith working to try and regain half guard.
Smith is squirming around, avoiding Tobias's attempts to control the action.
Tobias landing punches.
Smith is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Tobias tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Tobias can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Smith is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Tobias sprawls well. Tobias wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.

Tobias 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.

Tobias has gone for a leg lock! Smith slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tobias's guard.
Mike Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tobias keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Tobias is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tobias has momentary wrist control but Smith slips an elbow through the middle.
Tobias keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Smith postures up in Tobias's guard and throws a big left but Tobias blocks it.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Tobias 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.
Smith can't keep his opponent in guard - Tobias advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Smith keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Tobias is controlling him well.
Smith won't allow Tobias to pass to mount.
Smith is not content to let Tobias control the position.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.
Smith pushes Tobias off looking to stand but Tobias dives back in and keeps control.

Tobias is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tobias misses with a takedown

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Smith stalling.
Tobias regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tobias trying to control the position here.
Mike Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tobias swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.
Tobias keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Tobias is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Tobias trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Jong Tobias has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith stays in close to Tobias's body and controls the position.

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 Jong Tobias.
I think Smith has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:30

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