PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steve Areeno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vincent Smyth (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smyth is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by RZA - Fatal. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Areeno
vs
Smyth

175 cm
23
155 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

170 cm
24
156 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Steve Areeno!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Vincent Smyth!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Elvis Blanc and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Smyth crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Areeno - the referee stops the clock and Smyth gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Areeno. Smyth manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Areeno lands with a right hand.
Areeno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Areeno misses with a hook.
Smyth digs a good body shot into Areeno's ribs.
Smyth thows a leg kick but Areeno checks it
and Areeno counters with a leg kick.
Areeno throws a quick inside leg kick.
Smyth tries to clinch up but Areeno circles away and keeps his distance.
Smyth moves away from the strike by Areeno.
Areeno lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A head kick misses from Areeno.
Areeno throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Areeno looks to land a body kick but Smyth moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smyth lands with a nice body punch.
Areeno throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Areeno checks a leg kick.
Areeno swings for the body but Smyth moves out of range.
Smyth misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Areeno.
Areeno is looking to clinch.
Areeno misses with an uppercut.
Smyth takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Smyth throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Areeno is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Steve Areeno is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Areeno throws a hook but Smyth avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Areeno fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smyth manages to avoid it.
Smyth throws an overhand right that lands on Areeno's shoulder, as Areeno tries to avoid the shot.
Steve Areeno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Areeno misses with a looping right.
Smyth misses with a body kick.
Areeno throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Smyth.
Areeno connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Areeno throws a leg kick that is checked
and Smyth connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Areeno throws a nice head kick!
Areeno does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Smyth takes a swing at Areeno's ribcage but misses.
Areeno misses with a left hand
and Smyth counters with a nice body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areeno tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smyth misses with a combination
and Areeno counters with a head kick. That will keep Smyth thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Areeno moves into range and connects with a jab.
Areeno takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Smyth moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Smyth fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Smyth gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Areeno counters with a head kick.
Areeno misses the shot to the body.
Smyth tries to clinch but Areeno moves out of range.
Areeno lands with a thumping leg kick.
Areeno throws a body kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Areeno connects with a solid leg kick.
Areeno checks a leg kick nicely.
Smyth with a nice cross.
A big left from Smyth misses.
Smyth throws a leg kick
and Areeno counters with an outside leg kick.
Smyth slips a jab and a cross from Areeno.
Smyth misses with a leg kick
and Areeno counters with an inside leg kick.
Smyth is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Areeno rather than just go for the knockout.
Areeno feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Smyth's calf.
Areeno misses with a jab, cross combination.
Areeno scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Areeno - that will leave a mark!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Areeno dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smyth tries to land a body kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Smyth darts in trying to clinch
and Areeno counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A swing and a miss from Areeno.
Areeno throws a predictable looking body shot
and Smyth counters with a right hand to the body.
Areeno tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smyth swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Steve Areeno is winning the standup battle so far.
Smyth tries to clinch up but Areeno circles away and keeps his distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smyth throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Smyth fails to land with a series of punches.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Areeno - that will leave a mark!
Areeno comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Areeno throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Smyth walks into a stiff left hand from Areeno.
Smyth avoids the body shot from Areeno.
Areeno takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Smyth swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Areeno gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Areeno throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Smyth to counter with a crisp jab.
Smyth will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Smyth misses with a left hand
and Areeno counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Smyth misses with a jab to the body
and Areeno counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Areeno swings for the body but Smyth moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smyth scores with a hook.
Areeno lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Smyth keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

Smyth closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Areeno to the mat! Areeno manages to get full guard.
Smyth throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Areeno is trying to control the position but Smyth postures up.
Areeno keeping moving, preventing Smyth from controlling successfully.
Smyth stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Areeno swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Areeno bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smyth's guard.
Smyth is adopting a defensive guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smyth working a defensive guard here.
Areeno wants to control from the top but Smyth keeps moving.
Smyth looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smyth working a defensive guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Vincent Smyth.
Areeno misses with a double jab

and Smyth counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Smyth.
Smyth throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Areeno works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Areeno keeping moving, preventing Smyth from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Areeno preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Areeno keeping moving, preventing Smyth from controlling successfully.
Smyth throwing strikes but missing.
Areeno trying to keep a closed guard but Smyth is proving a slippery customer.
Areeno 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.
Smyth wants to control from the top but Areeno keeps moving.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Areeno holds on and takes a little breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Vincent Smyth will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Areeno tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Areeno throws a lazy uppercut

so Smyth counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Smyth is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Areeno is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Areeno has escaped and now he's on top!
Smyth controls Areeno momentarily but Areeno frees himself.
Areeno wants to control from the top but Smyth keeps moving.
Areeno trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Areeno connects with a couple of short punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smyth looking to hit a scissor sweep but Areeno is one step ahead there.
Smyth is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Smyth throwing shots but Areeno is blocking nicely.
Smyth lands with a punch from half guard.
Smyth missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Smyth looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Smyth not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Smyth tries to pass to full mount but Areeno defends it.
Areeno is staying active underneath Smyth, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smyth throwing shots but Areeno is blocking nicely.
Areeno trying to control here.
Smyth trying to control from half guard but Areeno is working away.
Areeno is looking to control Smyth's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Areeno avoid being mounted?
Smyth thows a huge punch but Areeno dodges it nicely.

Smyth is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areeno trying to control here.
Smyth not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Smyth is nestled in close to Areeno, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Smyth is looking to advance position but Areeno won't allow it.
Areeno taking some punishment here, with Smyth in his half guard.
Smyth is just content to waste time from the top position. Areeno takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Smyth missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smyth throwing strikes but missing.
Smyth won't allow Areeno to sweep him here.
Smyth has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Smyth trying to control but Areeno is working from the bottom.
Smyth is looking to work some ground and pound but Areeno has wrist control.
Smyth with a flurry of punches that miss.
Areeno utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smyth wants to control from the top but Areeno keeps moving.
Smyth throwing strikes but missing.
Smyth in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vincent Smyth comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Smyth 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vincent Smyth!