PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between John Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Don Cerrone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Smith
vs
Cerrone

176 cm
22
162 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

183 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, John Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Don Cerrone!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Sam Margolis and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith misses with a series of wild punches.
Smith fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Smith avoids the head kick by Cerrone.
Cerrone shoots for a takedown but Smith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Smith blocks a head kick by Cerrone.
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cerrone fails with the takedown
and Smith counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Smith throws a right hand that Cerrone ducks under and follows up with a left that Cerrone also avoids with ease.
Cerrone shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smith as he avoids it easily.
John Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Don Cerrone.
Cerrone is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Cerrone closes the distance and clinches.
Cerrone goes for a takedown in the clinch but Smith prevents it.

Cerrone breaks from the clinch.
Cerrone shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Smith counters with a left and a right that stings Cerrone.
John Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a double jab.
Cerrone tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Cerrone throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Smith slaps away a takedown attempt from Cerrone, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Smith scores with a one two! Cerrone had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Cerrone throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.

Smith gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cerrone to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Smith is looking for a triangle but Cerrone pushes his legs off easily.
Smith wants to stand but Cerrone is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cerrone decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Cerrone dodges the punch combination from Smith.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A punch combination from Smith misses.
Cerrone closes this distance looking for a takedown but Smith circles away.
Cerrone throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Cerrone tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
Cerrone shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Smith defends it nicely.
Good leg kick by Smith there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cerrone with a lazy takedown attempt
and Smith counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Cerrone.
Smith lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Cerrone has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Smith, as that shot connected.
Cerrone is looking to clinch.
Smith tries to bum rush Cerrone with a series of wild strikes but Cerrone uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cerrone lands a head kick!

It looks like John Smith has been cut.
Cerrone checks a low kick from Smith.
Smith cracks a nice hook into Cerrone's ribs.
Cerrone misses with the combination.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Smith misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cerrone pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Cerrone lands a knee to the body.
Cerrone tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Smith avoiding damage as Cerrone throws knees to the body.
Smith prevents the takedown attempt.

Cerrone manages to break the clinch.
Smith misses with a two punch combination.
Cerrone with a lazy takedown attempt
and Smith counters with a series of strikes. Cerrone will be more careful next time no doubt.

It looks like Don Cerrone has been cut.
Cerrone tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cerrone is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cerrone shoots for a double leg takedown but Smith sprawls well. He's pushed Cerrone's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
John Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cerrone looks winded!
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smith misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that John Smith will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Cerrone gets the takedown into side control.
Smith wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet here but Cerrone is keeping cool and he's managed to take Smith's back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Smith rolls, trying to escape but Cerrone keeps control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cerrone has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Smith has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
You can see the frustration on Smith's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Smith is trying to get back to his feet but Cerrone has full control of the position and if anything, Smith has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Smith is keeping busy.
Cerrone slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Smith is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Cerrone working for a choke but Smith is defending well.
Cerrone wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cerrone has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Cerrone is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Smith knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Smith for a finish.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Cerrone trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Cerrone is trying to stick to Smith's back but Smith is turning into Cerrone. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Cerrone's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Smith.
Smith has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Cerrone is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Smith is looking to get back to is feet but Cerrone passes into side control.
Smith knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Cerrone on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cerrone controls the position.
Cerrone prevents Smith from escaping the position.
Don Cerrone has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cerrone controls the position.

Cerrone decides to stand back up. Cerrone steps back and let's Smith get back to his feet.
Cerrone fails to land the takedown.
John Smith is winning the standup battle so far.
Cerrone is breathing heavily.
Smith displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cerrone pushes off an throws an elbow but Smith leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cerrone's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a low kick.
Smith connects with a jab.
Smith throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cerrone.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cerrone is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cerrone throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Smith.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Cerrone has managed to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cerrone prevents Smith from breaking the clinch.

Cerrone pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smith throws a series of punches but Cerrone avoids them all with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Cerrone showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. This is the final round!

Cerrone uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Smith.
Smith throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cerrone counters with a low kick, right behind Smith 's knee.
Cerrone tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cerrone is defended easily by Smith.
Smith throws a low kick, looking for Cerrone's leg but Cerrone calmly moves out of range.
Cerrone keeps Smith at a distance using the push kick.
Smith checks the leg kick nicely there.
Smith has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Cerrone.
Cerrone misses with a takedown
and Smith counters with a stiff right hand.
John Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Cerrone fails with a takedown attempt.
John Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Don Cerrone.
Cerrone takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cerrone. Smith does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Some wild striking there from Smith.
Smith lands a jab to the head.
Cerrone is trying hard to land a takedown here. Smith sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cerrone avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cerrone tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cerrone misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cerrone is trying hard to land a takedown here. Smith sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Cerrone shoots in and drives through. Smith sprawls well.
A good leg kick by Smith.
Cerrone with a poor takedown
and Smith counters with a series of strikes. Cerrone will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.
Smith has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Smith keeps control of Cerrone as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cerrone tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smith's elbow.
Cerrone has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Smith after a bit of a struggle.
Cerrone 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 is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cerrone gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Cerrone is defending well.
Cerrone prevents a takedown attempt there.
Smith fails to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith can't get the takedown.

Cerrone jumps guard and drags Smith to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Smith gets to his feet. Cerrone looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Cerrone looks for a takedown but Smith sprawls well.
Nice takedown defense from Smith. No joy for Cerrone on that attempt.
Smith throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Smith misses with a low kick as Cerrone jumps back.
Cerrone throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.

Cerrone moves into the clinch.

Cerrone tightens his grip and picks Smith up, before dumping him to the ground. Smith manages to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cerrone trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Smith is on top in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Smith wants to stand but Cerrone has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Cerrone trying to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

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 John Smith.
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 James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by split decision... John Smith!
Post fight, John Smith took to the microphone: 'DONT STICK DICK IN CRAZY'.