PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Heath Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Callahan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith comes to the cage accompanied by Wild International. Callahan is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Smith
vs
Callahan

177 cm
31
162 lbs
23 - 10 - 0

175 cm
28
169 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 23 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Heath Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thomas Callahan!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Callahan cracks Smith with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Callahan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Callahan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Smith uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Callahan.
Callahan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Smith manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Callahan throws a low kick but Smith avoids it.
Callahan looks to land a right hand but Smith moved out of range.

Smith instigates a clinch.
Smith goes for a takedown attempt but Callahan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Callahan clinches.
Callahan is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.
Smith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Callahan avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Callahan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Smith looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Heath Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Callahan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Callahan looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Callahan throws a low kick but Smith moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.

Callahan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Callahan counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Smith throws a body punch but Callahan moves out of range.
Callahan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Callahan tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith slips under a jab.
Smith motions for Callahan to come forward. Smith throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Smith shoots in looking for a takedown. Callahan tries to sprawl out of it but Smith keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Callahan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Callahan connects with a solid leg kick.
Smith throws a series of punches but Callahan moves out of range.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Smith tries to clinch but Callahan is having none of it.
Smith misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Callahan stalks Smith and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Smith's face. Smith staggers backwards, shaken.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Callahan throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Callahan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Callahan throws a body kick that misses.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Callahan pushes him off.

Callahan moves into the clinch successfully.
Callahan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Callahan displaying some good clinch control by pressing Smith up against the cage.
Callahan wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Callahan is trying to pull guard but Smith turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Callahan stalling in the clinch but Smith improves position.

Smith wants the takedown. Callahan is fighting it off but Smith persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Callahan's guard against the cage.
Smith throws an elbow that misses. Callahan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Callahan!
Callahan stops Smith from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Callahan trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Callahan stops Smith from standing up.
Smith trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Callahan looking to sit in guard and control but Smith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Callahan.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith is pushing down on Callahan's leg trying to pass to half guard. Callahan is fighting to maintain full guard but Smith has managed to sneak the leg through.
Smith has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Callahan is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Callahan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Smith.
Smith is trying to control the action in half guard but Callahan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smith is pressing down on Callahan's thigh, looking to free his foot. Callahan is holding on for now.

Callahan has one foot on Smith's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Callahan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith blocks the body kick.
Smith shoots in looking for a takedown. Callahan tries to sprawl out of it but Smith keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Callahan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Callahan dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Smith tries to clinch there but Callahan circles away.
Smith on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Smith tries to score a power double leg takedown but Callahan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Smith somewhat.
Callahan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Callahan misses with a wild body shot.
Callahan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Smith wants to clinch up but Callahan keeps it at a distance.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Smith tries to clinch there but Callahan circles away.
Smith attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Heath Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Smith looking to score a takedown here. Callahan is defending well but Smith drives through and ends up in Callahan's guard.
Callahan manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smith manages to get himself to full guard.
Callahan trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Callahan trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Callahan is having none of it.
Callahan trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Thomas Callahan.
Callahan wants to land a leg kick but Smith is out of range.

Smith closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Callahan quickly recovers to half guard.
Smith is trying to control the action in half guard but Callahan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smith prevents Callahan from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to control. Callahan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Smith is looking for a kimura but Callahan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Smith to get the leverage.
Smith is trying to control the action in half guard but Callahan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smith looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Callahan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Ground and pound from Smith.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Callahan is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Callahan avoid being mounted?
Callahan is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him
Smith working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Callahan's thigh. Callahan counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Smith trying to control but Callahan is working from the bottom.
Callahan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Callahan is looking for a triangle but Smith pushes his legs off easily.

Callahan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Callahan is looking for a triangle but Smith pushes his legs off easily.
Smith postures up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Callahan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Callahan is looking to stand up but Smith isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Callahan has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Smith is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Callahan.
Smith trying to control the action but Callahan is working from the bottom.
Callahan is looking for a sweep.
Smith grinds an elbow into Callahan's temple.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Callahan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Heath Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith advances nicely into full mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Callahan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Heath Smith dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Callahan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Callahan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith wants to clinch.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Callahan circles away.

Smith bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Smith scores with a couple of short elbows.
Callahan sneaks back into half guard.
Callahan is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Callahan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Smith trying to control from half guard but Callahan is working away.
Smith prevents Callahan from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith passes to full mount!
Smith avoids the attempt from Callahan to control.
Callahan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Smith looking to control but Callahan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Callahan working to try and regain half guard.
Smith landing strikes from the mount.
Smith lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Callahan hang on?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith landing shots from mount.
Smith scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Callahan?
Smith raining down hammerfists from mount.

Callahan is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith wants to control the pace but Callahan is squirming around nicely.
Callahan is still in real trouble! Can Smith finish him?
Smith working Callahan over with strikes here.
Smith with a couple of short strikes.
Smith looking to finish here with some ground and pound. He lands one big shot that has Callahan covering up... and two more big strikes land, forcing the referee to step in and put and end to proceedings! This fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Heath Smith!
A relieved looking Heath Smith thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.