PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Maxwell Smart (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Iain Durrant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Smart
vs
Durrant

178 cm
24
143 lbs
12 - 6 - 1

170 cm
30
145 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maxwell Smart!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Iain Durrant!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Durrant shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Smart napping and manages to drive through into side control!

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

Durrant is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Smart knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Smart manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Smart prevents Durrant from improving his position.
Smart throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Smart is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Durrant is just riding it out for now. Smart eventually gives up the hold.
Smart not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
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.

Durrant is defending against the submission attempts here by Smart.
Durrant trying to hold on to Smart's head to control him but Smart postures up.

Smart looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Durrant wants to control but Smart is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Durrant avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Smart.
Durrant trying to hold on to Smart's head to control him but Smart postures up.
Smart sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Durrant defending well though.
Smart is trying to control the action in half guard but Durrant is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smart thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Durrant's head.
Durrant is refusing to be controlled, as Smart sits in half guard.
Durrant won't allow Smart to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smart is just content to waste time from the top position. Durrant takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smart postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Smart tries to free his leg and advance position but Durrant is retaining full guard.
Smart trying to control but Durrant is working from the bottom.
Smart postures up.
Smart is looking to work some ground and pound but Durrant has wrist control.
Durrant controls Smart momentarily but Smart frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Durrant keeping full guard, as Smart tries to pass.
Smart has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Smart drops back, looking for a kneebar! Durrant looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Durrant looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Durrant!

Durrant tries for a kimura but Smart is defending well.
Durrant working away.
Smart tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Durrant gets to mount! Smart was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

Durrant looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iain Durrant dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Danga de danga de dang - Smart scores with a four punch combination!

Durrant has taken the fight to the clinch.

Durrant has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Smart clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Smart looking very determined here, making life difficult for Durrant.

Durrant working for a choke but Smart is defending well.

Durrant has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Smart tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Smart tries to reverse the position but Durrant maintains control.
Durrant connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Durrant goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Smart turns into him and now he's in Durrant's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Durrant can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smart controls the pace.
Smart with a nice head shot there.
Smart trying to control but Durrant is working from the bottom.
Smart stands and throws Durrant's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Durrant tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Smart wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Smart trying to control the action but Durrant is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smart prevents Durrant from escaping the position.
Durrant is not content to let Smart control the position.

Smart stands up and beckons Durrant to his feet.

Smart gets the takedown into side control.

Smart stands up and beckons Durrant to his feet.

Smart gets caught flat footed, as Durrant shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Durrant is breathing heavily.

Durrant is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Smart is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Smart has escaped and now he's on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durrant keeping full guard, as Smart tries to pass.
Smart works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Durrant is trying to control but can't.
Smart working over Durrant with some ground and pound. Durrant looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nice strikes from Smart there.
Smart seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Durrant does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smart sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Durrant defending well though.

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.

Durrant is defending against the submission attempts here by Smart.
Smart missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Smart working over Durrant with some ground and pound. Durrant looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Smart slips a nice elbow through Durrant's hands, connecting with Durrant's forehead.
Smart throws a strike but Durrant avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Durrant trying to control the position here.
Smart throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxwell Smart dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Durrant gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Smart to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Smart loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Durrant looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Smart drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Durrant dives on top into guard.
Smart is striking off his back. Durrant thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Durrant lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Durrant is just content to waste time from the top position. Smart takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smart manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Durrant manages to get himself to full guard.
Smart is looking to advance position but Durrant has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Smart is squirming around, avoiding Durrant's attempts to control the action.

Durrant has control of Smart's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Smart regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Durrant is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Smart can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Durrant takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smart is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smart is working hard here to advance position.
Smart tries to hold on but Durrant postures up.
Smart is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Durrant is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Smart regains half guard.

Durrant is working for a kimura but Smart is defending it quite comfortably.
Durrant is looking to advance position but Smart won't allow it.
Smart slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Durrant has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Smart is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Durrant trying to control the position from guard on top but Smart is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smart looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smart can't keep his opponent in guard - Durrant advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Smart tries to roll over but Durrant keeps him under control.

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

Durrant seems to be looking for submissions.
Smart regains full guard. Nicely done.
Smart not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Durrant drops back, looking for a kneebar! Smart looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Smart looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Smart!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Durrant can't do much from the bottom here.
Durrant tries to bench press Smart off him but Smart keeps the position.
Durrant regains half guard there - taking advantage of Smart's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Smart not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Durrant wants to get back to full guard but Smart has mounted him!

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 Maxwell Smart.
I think Smart has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxwell Smart!