PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryo Ishizaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ishizaki has chosen Captain Tsubasa as his entrance music. Ryo Ishizaki has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Smith
vs
Ishizaki

182 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
165 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Skin-Clothes Designing

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Caleb Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryo Ishizaki!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ishizaki keeps the fight on the outside.

Smith gets a double leg takedown into Ishizaki's guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Ishizaki keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Smith wants to stand but Ishizaki is controlling his posture from full guard.
Ishizaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Ishizaki is keeping the position.
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.
Smith looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Smith stands up from Ishizaki's guard - Smith perhaps looking for a knockout.
Ishizaki keeps the fight on the outside.

Smith clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Smith is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Ishizaki can't fight it off and eventually Smith manages to take the fight to the floor. Ishizaki looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Ishizaki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Ishizaki tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.
Smith stops a takedown attempt from Ishizaki.
Ishizaki has Smith pressed against the cage, preventing Smith from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Ishizaki gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Smith regains guard.
Smith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Ishizaki's guard.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ishizaki keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ishizaki keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Smith has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Ishizaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Ishizaki wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith is looking to stand up but Ishizaki isn't so interested in that idea.
Smith is trying to control the position but Ishizaki postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caleb Smith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ishizaki uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Smith.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Smith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith is looking to stand up but Ishizaki won't let him.
Ishizaki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Ishizaki seems keen to control Smith's posture.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Smith fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ishizaki sprawls well initially but Smith persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Caleb Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ishizaki wants to control but Smith is keeping busy and won't allow it.
It looks like Smith is going to stand back up.
Smith is thwarting Ishizaki's attempts to control the position.
Smith not doing much here.
Ishizaki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Smith is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ryo Ishizaki wasn't active enough on the ground.

Smith is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ishizaki's half guard.
Ishizaki is not content to let Smith control the position.
Smith seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Ishizaki manages to get to full guard.
Ishizaki keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Caleb Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Smith feints and as Ishizaki raises his hands in defense, Smith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ishizaki controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ishizaki is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Caleb Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Smith misses with an uppercut. Ishizaki saw that one coming.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Smith closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ishizaki did well to prevent Smith getting side control.

Smith is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caleb Smith dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Ishizaki moves out of range of the body kick.

Smith fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Ishizaki sprawls well initially but Smith persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Ishizaki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Smith trying to control the pace.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ishizaki manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith won't allow Ishizaki to sweep him here.
Ishizaki being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Ishizaki looking to control but Smith passes into half guard.
Smith wants to take a breather but Ishizaki is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith working over Ishizaki with some ground and pound. Ishizaki looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ishizaki is looking to improve his position.
Smith trying to control the action but Ishizaki is working from the bottom.
Ishizaki keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Smith trying to control from half guard but Ishizaki is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Caleb Smith has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Smith gets a clinch.

Smith is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Ishizaki can't fight it off and eventually Smith manages to take the fight to the floor. Ishizaki looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smith trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Ishizaki manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Ishizaki preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ishizaki wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Smith on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Smith tries to get out of the position.
Ishizaki is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Smith controlling Ishizaki's posture.
Ishizaki trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Ryo Ishizaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith controlling the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Caleb Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Ishizaki fails with an attempt to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith avoids the body shot from Ishizaki.

And that's the end of the fight!
Caleb Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Smith 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27

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