PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Phil Aylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paavo Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aylor comes to the cage accompanied by Anberlin - Feel Good Drag. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Aylor
vs
Smith

185 cm
25
180 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

180 cm
24
180 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Phil Aylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Paavo Smith!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Richard Clark and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Aylor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Smith.
Aylor misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Aylor pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Aylor scores with a jab to the jaw.

It looks like Paavo Smith has been cut.
Some wild striking there from Aylor.
The fight stays on the outside here - Aylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Aylor.
Aylor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Smith.
Aylor uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Smith.
Aylor uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Smith.
Smith slips a jab and a cross from Aylor.
Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Aylor.
Smith uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Aylor.
The crowd cheers as Aylor lands an impressive looking overhand right. Smith doesn't seem phased though.
Aylor misses with the combination.

Aylor tries to sprawl but Smith drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith tries to pass to full mount but Aylor defends it.
Smith wants to advance to full mount but Aylor doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Smith prevents Aylor from getting back to his feet.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith is in close to Aylor's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Smith trying to control but Aylor is working from the bottom.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Aylor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Aylor keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two 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.
Aylor wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.

Smith drops back looking for a leg! Aylor is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Aylor manages to kick Smith off! Smith jumps back into Aylor's guard.
Smith wants to control from the top but Aylor keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Smith working the strikes but Aylor uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aylor keeps working.
Aylor tries to kick Smith off but Smith keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Aylor keeps working.

Smith is working for a submission of some sort.
Smith looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's four 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.
Aylor is in trouble now - Smith has advanced to mount!
Smith throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Smith tries to control but Aylor wriggling away.
Aylor is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paavo Smith's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Smith looks to throw the jab but Aylor is out of range.
Smith throws a leg kick but Aylor sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Aylor is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Smith can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Aylor is looking to escape.
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Smith jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Aylor is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Aylor and Smith has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
The ground and pound from Smith seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Aylor managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Smith.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Smith tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Check out the look on Smith's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Smith trying to control the position but Aylor is working away.
Aylor wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Smith has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Smith swings around for an armbar but Aylor sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Smith's guard.
Aylor trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Aylor controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Smith is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Smith works his foot free and advances to mount.
Aylor is squirming around, avoiding Smith's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Aylor has given up his back, trying to stand up. Not clever.
Aylor trying to get back to his feet but Smith is in full control for now.

Aylor defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Smith's arms.
Smith trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Well, with Smith on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Aylor is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

That's four 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.
Aylor is trying to get back to his feet but Smith has full control of the position and if anything, Aylor has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Smith is persistently looking for the submission but Aylor is defending it well.

Aylor preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Smith.
Aylor wants to get back to his feet.
Paavo Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.

Smith looking for the RNC.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paavo Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Paavo Smith's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Aylor misses the jab.
Aylor scores with a nice head shot.
Aylor looks to throw the jab but Smith is out of range.
Phil Aylor is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Aylor slaps away a takedown attempt from Smith, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Aylor throws a left that rocks Smith and follows with a right that sends him tumbling to the canvas! Aylor dives into side control, looking to finish! Can Smith regain composure!

Smith is rocked!

Aylor decides to stand back up. Aylor steps back and let's Smith get back to his feet.
Smith is still on wobbly legs! Can Aylor finish him?
Aylor tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Smith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Aylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Aylor ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Aylor wants to clinch.
Smith seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Aylor finds it's way round the side to connect with Smith's head.
Phil Aylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Aylor looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.

Aylor gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Aylor wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.
Aylor can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smith controls the pace.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Aylor keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Smith drops back looking for a leg! Aylor is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Aylor manages to kick Smith off! Smith jumps back into Aylor's guard.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Aylor is retaining full guard.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Paavo Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Aylor keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Aylor kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Smith is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Phil Aylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Paavo Smith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Some wild striking there from Aylor.
Aylor misses with a straight right.
Smith uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Aylor.
Aylor tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Smith with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Aylor to score with a decent uppercut.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Aylor enables Smith to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Aylor manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Aylor throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Smith looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phil Aylor showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:29

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