PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Brendan Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Heke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brendan Smith has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Smith
vs
Heke

184 cm
26
215 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Brendan Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jake Heke!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith is looking to clinch but Heke is avoiding it.
Jake Heke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Heke closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Heke pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Heke, pushing him back against the cage.
Smith jumps guard but Heke stands there with Smith around his waist. Smith gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Heke escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Heke misses with a jab, cross combination.
Heke lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Heke tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Heke throws out a loose jab but Smith uses good head movement to avoid it.

Heke gets caught napping as Smith dives in and scores a takedown. Heke manages to retain guard.
Heke looks gassed!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Smith stands and steps away. Heke gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

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

Heke is fighting off a takedown attempt but Smith is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Heke to the mat. Heke regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Smith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Heke works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
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 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.
Heke preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Heke looking for subs off his back but Smith has passed one foot through into half guard.
Smith not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Smith seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Smith is nestled in close to Heke, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Smith is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Smith is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Heke!

Smith is standing up, even though he is in mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Smith shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Heke manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Heke punching from the bottom - just letting Smith know he's still in a fight.
Smith slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Heke will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Heke takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Heke tries to escape but Smith is in control.

Smith is trying to get an arm triangle but Heke is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Heke's face as Smith controls the position.
Smith in side control lands a decent elbow.

Smith is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Heke knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The referee asks Smith politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Smith prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heke prevents Smith from improving position.

Smith wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Heke, who protects the arm well.
Heke being controlled for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith trying to control the action but Heke is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brendan Smith dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Heke gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smith controls from within his opponent's guard.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Heke is keeping the position for now.
Smith wants to control from the top but Heke keeps moving.
Heke being controlled here, momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Brendan Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Heke throws a jab but it's blocked by Smith.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heke misses with a wild combination.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt

and Smith counters with a shoot takedown. Heke fights it but they end up in guard.
Heke is breathing heavily.
Heke keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Smith showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith trying to control but Heke is working from the bottom.
Smith is standing up over Heke. Heke looks to escape but Smith dives into side control.
Heke is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Smith asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Smith decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Heke tries to clinch up.
Smith goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

Smith closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Heke to the mat! Heke manages to get full guard.

Smith gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Smith is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Heke can do to turn this around?
Smith scores with a hook to the body. Heke takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Smith changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Heke looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Smith knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Heke on the ground.

Smith stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Heke lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Heke throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Heke shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Heke defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Smith.
Smith lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Heke closes the distance and clinches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith is trying to pull guard but Heke has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brendan Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heke connects with a knee to the head.
Smith wants to take the fight to the mat but Heke manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brendan Smith dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Smith drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Heke can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smith controls the pace.
Smith postures up.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Heke is keeping the position.
Smith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Smith stops Heke from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Brendan Smith.
Heke swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith controlling the position from side mount.
Heke prevents Smith from moving into mount.
Smith working the ground and pound from side control.
Smith working the ground and pound.

Smith decides to stand back up. Smith steps back and let's Heke get back to his feet.
Smith lands a head kick. Heke smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Smith has taken the fight to the clinch.

Smith gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Heke regains guard.
Heke keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith wants to control from the top but Heke keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith stands and steps away. Heke gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Heke misses with a double jab
and Smith counters with a nice low kick that buckles Heke's knee momentarily.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.
Heke looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Smith tries to clinch but Heke is having none of it.
Brendan Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Heke quickly recovers to half guard.
Heke tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.
Heke is trying to escape back to his feet but Smith uses the scramble to pass into side control.

Smith stands up.
Heke throws a right and a left that both miss.

Smith looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Smith keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith is looking for a kimura but Heke is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Smith to get the leverage.

Smith decides to stand and escape the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Heke jabs Smith right on the nose. Smith blinks but takes it well.
Heke stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Heke wants it to stay on the feet.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Heke swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jake Heke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Heke shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Smith pinned against the cage. Smith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Heke throws a nice looking combination but Smith bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith looks for a takedown but Heke sprawls well.
Brendan Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Smith closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Heke's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brendan 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27

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