PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mitch Sorrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sorrow comes into the arena with Survivor - Burning Heart blaring out of the sound system. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Sorrow
vs
Smith

190 cm
22
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
25
275 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mitch Sorrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paul Smith!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Bruno Hogan and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Sorrow quickly recovers to half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Sorrow is controlling Smith's trapped leg to prevent Smith from advancing to side control.
Smith throwing shots but Sorrow is blocking nicely.

Sorrow manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Sorrow shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Smith manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Smith is pulling down on Sorrow's head to control his posture.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sorrow defends it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith trying to control the position here.

Smith is working an open guard so Sorrow takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sorrow tries to clinch up.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sorrow paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sorrow could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Sorrow looks for a takedown but Smith sprawls well.

Sorrow shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Sorrow was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Smith wants to control but Sorrow is having none of it.
Sorrow landing strikes from the mount.
Smith can't escape the position.
Sorrow controlling the pace for now.
Smith wants to hold on but Sorrow pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Smith is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sorrow wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Sorrow scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sorrow in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Sorrow tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Smith manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Smith looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sorrow performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Sorrow is keen to just control but Smith is a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mitch Sorrow.
Smith avoids the body shot from Sorrow.

Smith pushes Sorrow up against the cage in a clinch.

Sorrow has picked Smith up - he's going for a ride! Sorrow dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Smith is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Sorrow is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sorrow is thwarting Smith's attempts to control the position.
Smith throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Smith is trying to stand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sorrow throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Sorrow tries to stand but can't do so whilst Smith controls his leg.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitch Sorrow 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.

Sorrow tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sorrow shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smith as he avoids it easily.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.
Sorrow has Smith pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Smith manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Sorrow fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Sorrow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Smith looking to throw knees to the head but Sorrow is blocking nicely.
Sorrow avoids the elbow strike from Smith, against the cage.
Smith missing with knees to the body.
Sorrow stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Smith has Sorrow pushed against the cage.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sorrow shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Sorrow showed some decent athleticism there.
Sorrow looks to land a strike but Smith avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Sorrow pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but Sorrow is proving a slippery customer.
Sorrow trying to stand up but can't free himself from Smith's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Sorrow from controlling successfully.
Sorrow postures up in Smith's guard and throws a big left but Smith blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sorrow wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mitch Sorrow just wasn't active enough.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sorrow.
Smith is looking to clinch.
Sorrow stuffs the takedown attempt from Smith. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Sorrow, right into the meat.
Sorrow looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Smith forces Sorrow back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sorrow goes for a takedown in the clinch but Smith prevents it.

Smith pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smith blocks a head kick by Sorrow.
Smith is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sorrow sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sorrow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.

Smith instigates a clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Smith as Sorrow shoots in.

Smith drives through and clinches with Sorrow against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sorrow shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Smith pulls guard effortlessly.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sorrow wants to stand but Smith is controlling his posture from full guard.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Sorrow from controlling successfully.
Smith is pulling down on Sorrow's head. It's preventing any offense from Sorrow, at least for the moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sorrow wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Smith will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Smith closes the distance and clinches.

Sorrow breaks the clinch.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sorrow.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sorrow lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Paul Smith has been cut.
Sorrow shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smith.
Sorrow letting Smith take a breather here.
Smith is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Sorrow uses from the top position.
Sorrow distracts Smith with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Smith wriggles free and stands up.
Sorrow tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Sorrow. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Smith instigates a clinch.
Sorrow has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Smith avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Smith connects with a nasty looking knee right to Sorrow's face.
Sorrow gets underhooks to prevent Smith's takedown attempt.
Sorrow fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Sorrow prevents the takedown attempt.
Smith looking to throw knees to the head but Sorrow is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sorrow gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sorrow wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Mitch Sorrow overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Smith moves into full guard.

Smith has his feet on Sorrow's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Sorrow tries a head kick but it misses.
Sorrow shoots in but no luck this time.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Sorrow.
Sorrow tries to circle away but Smith has him pinned against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Smith - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Sorrow shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Smith closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Smith lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sorrow backwards.
Sorrow is trying to drag Smith to the mat but Smith just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Smith with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sorrow tries to score a body lock takedown but Smith shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Sorrow lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Sorrow is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.
Smith drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sorrow pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sorrow shoots in for a double leg but Smith sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sorrow fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.
Mitch Sorrow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Smith closes the distance and pushes Sorrow back into the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sorrow throws a head kick that misses.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Sorrow throws a head kick that misses
and Smith counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Paul Smith.
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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29

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