PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Francis Cardon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rudy Szmidt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Cardon
vs
Szmidt

185 cm
19
207 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
203 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Francis Cardon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rudy Szmidt!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Gwen Towbar and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Szmidt doesn't manage to clinch there - Cardon circles away.
Szmidt tries to clinch up but Cardon circles away and keeps his distance.
Cardon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cardon fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Szmidt avoids it really well and circles away.

Cardon scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Cardon postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cardon tries to move to full mount but Szmidt actually manages to regain half guard.
Szmidt avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cardon.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Cardon stands up out of the half guard.
Cardon avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Szmidt is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cardon gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cardon works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Szmidt keeping moving, preventing Cardon from controlling successfully.
Cardon is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Szmidt is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Cardon preventing the sweep.
Cardon tries to free his leg and advance position but Szmidt is retaining full guard.
Cardon trying to control the position from guard on top but Szmidt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cardon cracks Szmidt with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardon pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Szmidt is keeping the position for now.
Cardon connects with a couple of short punches.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Szmidt keeping moving, preventing Cardon from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cardon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Szmidt looking to hit a scissor sweep but Cardon is one step ahead there.
Cardon sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardon throwing strikes from guard but Szmidt blocks nicely.
Cardon with a flurry of punches that miss.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cardon in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo 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.
Szmidt wants to clinch

and Cardon counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cardon is looking to stall here but Szmidt recovers full guard.
Szmidt pulls Cardon in close to his closed guard and prevents Cardon from doing any damage or advancing position.
Szmidt wants to sweep here but Cardon controlling him for the moment.
Szmidt keeping full guard, as Cardon tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francis Cardon dominated that 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.

Szmidt clinches but Cardon breaks the clinch
and Cardon counters with a left and a right that stings Szmidt.
Szmidt wants to clinch but Cardon slips to the side

and Cardon counters with a nice double leg into side control. Szmidt won't be happy with that.

Cardon is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Szmidt is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Cardon is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Szmidt has escaped the position, nice work there.
The strikes coming from Cardon are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Cardon 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.
Cardon working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szmidt is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Szmidt regains half guard there - taking advantage of Cardon's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Cardon keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Cardon lands strikes from half guard.
Cardon wants to pass the guard but Szmidt is defending well.

That's two 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.
Cardon wants to get back to his feet.
Cardon thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Szmidt's head.
Cardon is pressing down on Szmidt's thigh, looking to free his foot. Szmidt is holding on for now.
Cardon not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cardon thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Szmidt to regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardon trying to control the position from guard on top but Szmidt is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Szmidt tries to clinch but Cardon moves away

and Cardon decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Szmidt's guard.
Szmidt is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Szmidt is breathing heavily.
Cardon wants to control from the top but Szmidt keeps moving.
Szmidt keeping full guard, as Cardon tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cardon drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Szmidt manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Cardon has Szmidt in his guard.
Cardon controls Szmidt momentarily but Szmidt frees himself.
Szmidt thows a big elbow that misses.
Szmidt is looking to work some ground and pound but Cardon has wrist control.
Cardon wants to stand but Szmidt is controlling the position.
Francis Cardon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Szmidt stopping the sweep attempt from Cardon.
Szmidt loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francis Cardon dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cardon throws a nice looking combination but Szmidt bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Szmidt tries to clinch

and Cardon counters with a nice double leg into side control. Szmidt won't be happy with that.
Cardon wants to control but Szmidt is keeping him busy.
Cardon cracks Szmidt with a big elbow.
Cardon tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Cardon sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Szmidt is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Cardon wants to control but Szmidt is keeping him busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardon scoring with punches from side control.

Cardon is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Szmidt has escaped the position, nice work there.
Szmidt wants to control but Cardon postures up.
Szmidt managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Cardon.

Cardon wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Szmidt, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Szmidt is trying to escape the position but Cardon is controlling the position.
Cardon working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Szmidt tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Cardon easily slips into full mount!
Cardon throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Szmidt because Cardon loaded up on that one.
Cardon in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardon looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Cardon tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Cardon tries to control but Szmidt wriggling away.
Szmidt tries to reverse the position but Cardon maintains control.
The referee warns Szmidt that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Szmidt tries to lock up and control but Cardon gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cardon trying to control but Szmidt is having none of it.
Francis Cardon is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cardon lands a heavy elbow.
Cardon sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Rudy Szmidt has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Cardon has hold of Szmidt's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Szmidt manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Cardon looking to finish Szmidt with some ground and pound. This is bad for Szmidt!

And that's the end of the fight!
Francis Cardon showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cardon 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Francis Cardon!