PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Newton Knuckles (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Newton Knuckles acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Smith
vs
Knuckles

183 cm
23
192 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

177 cm
21
185 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

White Gorilla Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Newton Knuckles!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Smith misses with a jab, cross combination.

Smith forces Knuckles back against the cage and clinches.
Smith taking a breather.
Smith lands an elbow inside that Knuckles shrugs off.

It looks like Newton Knuckles has been cut.
Knuckles wants to break the clinch but can't.
Knuckles blocks the elbow strike.
Knuckles is working for takedown but Smith is calmly controlling the position for now.
Smith lands an elbow inside.
Knuckles goes for a takedown in the clinch but Smith prevents it.
James Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Newton Knuckles.
Smith lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Knuckles lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A left hand lands to the body for Knuckles.

Smith pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Knuckles!
Smith tries to control but Knuckles wriggling away.
Smith is landing with some decent strikes but Knuckles is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith breaks from Knuckles's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Knuckles squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Knuckles prevents Smith from taking his back.

Smith stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Knuckles is rocked!
Knuckles takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Knuckles throws a big shot that misses.
James Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith is looking to clinch.

Smith clinches with his opponent.
Smith lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Smith scores with a knee to the head.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Knuckles in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Knuckles lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Smith with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Knuckles tries to pull guard but Smith won't allow it.
Knuckles looks gassed!
Smith lands an elbow inside.

Smith pulls Knuckles into guard.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Smith looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Knuckles puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Smith avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Knuckles.
Smith wants to control but Knuckles is keeping busy.
Knuckles throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Smith is looking to improve his position.
Knuckles is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Knuckles fails to land the takedown.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knuckles tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Knuckles lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Knuckles tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Smith smiles and moves away.
Knuckles dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Knuckles on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Knuckles fails with the takedown.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands an elbow just above Knuckles 's eye.
Smith landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Knuckles stalling in the clinch but Smith improves position.
Smith content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Smith lands an elbow inside that Knuckles shrugs off.
Knuckles wants to break free but Smith has control.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Knuckles.
Smith throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Knuckles has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Smith clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Smith turns into Knuckles and is now in his guard.

Knuckles looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Smith passes into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith tries to move to mount but Knuckles blocks the move with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Newton Knuckles's cut.
That's time! Smith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smith tries to clinch there but Knuckles circles away.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt
and Knuckles counters with a nice body kick.
A punch combination from Knuckles misses.
Knuckles avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith throws a combination that misses

and Knuckles counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Knuckles trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Knuckles postures up.
Knuckles lands a couple of digs.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Smith has an active guard here but Knuckles has managed to pass into half guard.
Smith is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith wants to improve his position but Knuckles is controlling well.
Knuckles uses his free foot to push down on Smith's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Smith.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Knuckles goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Smith is on top in guard.
Smith wants to control from the top but Knuckles keeps moving.
Knuckles is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Knuckles keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Knuckles trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Knuckles tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Knuckles circles away from the clinch attempt.
Knuckles avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith wants to clinch up but Knuckles keeps it at a distance.
Knuckles tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
A clash of legs there as Smith blocks the low kick.
James Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Smith clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Smith content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Knuckles is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Smith pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Knuckles is breathing heavily.
Smith landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Smith stalling against the cage.

Knuckles is fighting off a takedown attempt but Smith is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Knuckles to the mat. Knuckles regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Knuckles controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.

Smith postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Knuckles is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Smith, into his guard.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Knuckles from controlling successfully.
Knuckles passes into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles content to control rather than advance.
Knuckles wants to stand up but Smith has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Smith wants to improve his position but Knuckles is controlling well.
Knuckles is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Newton Knuckles has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith is wriggling around trying to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Newton Knuckles showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Newton Knuckles's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Knuckles clinches but Smith breaks the clinch
and Smith counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Knuckles is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Knuckles is still on wobbly legs! Can Smith finish him?
Knuckles scores with a jab to the head.
Smith scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Knuckles doesn't seem bothered though.
Knuckles seems to have recovered his senses.
Smith swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Knuckles counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Smith tries to land a body kick

and Knuckles counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Knuckles is tying to control. Smith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Smith wants to sweep but Knuckles has passed to side control!
Knuckles is chipping away with strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith is trying to control Knuckles's posture but Knuckles avoids it.

Knuckles has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Knuckles counters by moving into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith lands a damaging elbow.
Knuckles tries for a takedown. No joy.

Smith pulls guard.
Knuckles wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

Knuckles stands up and waves to Smith to follow him.
Knuckles doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch.
Knuckles tries to pull guard but Smith holds him up against the cage and eventually Knuckles drops back down to his feet.
James Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Newton Knuckles.

Knuckles escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith throws a right and a left that both miss.

Knuckles has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knuckles tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Knuckles stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Smith is looking to control Knuckles's arms but Knuckles gets an underhook and turns him. Now Smith has his back to the cage.
Smith tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Knuckles fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Knuckles fails to pull guard.
Smith creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Knuckles is trying to maintain a safe position but Smith gets an underhook and turns Knuckles into the cage.
Smith managing to block the knees to the body from Knuckles.
Knuckles wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Knuckles tries to pull guard but Smith won't allow it.
Knuckles avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Knuckles fails to pull guard.
Smith tries to stall but Knuckles uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Knuckles in his tracks for a moment.
Smith keeps control of Knuckles as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Smith gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Smith is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Knuckles defends it well.

Smith gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith cracks the inside of Knuckles's front leg.
Smith tries a head kick but it misses.
Smith throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Knuckles.
Smith fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Smith stuffs the takedown attempt from Knuckles. Knuckles gets slowly back to his feet.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Come on Smith - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Knuckles takes an elbow to the temple.
Smith with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Smith landing knees to the body.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Knuckles in his tracks for a moment.
Smith lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Knuckles is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Smith can't fight it off and eventually Knuckles manages to take the fight to the floor. Smith looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Knuckles puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Knuckles is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Smith is not content to let Knuckles control the position.
Smith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Knuckles thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Smith's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith is looking to escape.

Knuckles postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Smith to stand up.
Knuckles throws a leg kick

and Smith counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Knuckles!

And that's the end of the fight!
James Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Smith 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

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