PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Shontavius Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Igor Rumble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Smith
vs
Rumble

180 cm
25
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
24
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Shontavius Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Igor Rumble!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rumble clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.

Rumble's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rumble lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Rumble rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rumble is looking to land body kicks.
Smith takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Rumble closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rumble wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rumble tries to pull guard but Smith holds him up against the cage and eventually Rumble drops back down to his feet.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rumble throws a hook to the side of Smith's head but Smith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rumble tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rumble lands a jab to the head.
Smith avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch combination from Rumble misses.
Rumble scoring well with a low kick there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rumble misses with the combination.
Rumble fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rumble throws a right hand that Smith ducks under and follows up with a left that Smith also avoids with ease.
Smith slips a jab and a cross from Rumble.
Some wild striking there from Rumble.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smith misses with a low kick.
Rumble lands with an overhand left.
Rumble throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Rumble misses with a wild combination.
Rumble is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rumble is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Rumble tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Rumble defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Rumble. Those never looked like landing.
Rumble doesn't manage to clinch there - Smith circles away.
Rumble misses with a two punch combination.
Rumble swinging wildly here.
Rumble looks winded!
Rumble comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Smith motions for Rumble to come forward. Smith throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Rumble misses with a double jab.
Smith walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rumble checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Rumble tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Smith counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
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!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rumble keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith passes Rumble's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rumble has hold of Smith's hands but Smith slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Smith not doing much here.
Smith stalling away here and it's allowed Rumble to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Rumble working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Smith won't allow Rumble to get back to his feet.
Smith forces his way into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rumble does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Igor Rumble dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Smith defending well as Rumble loads up on a big left hand.
Rumble moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Rumble tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Smith keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rumble.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rumble looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rumble is out of range and Smith settles back down.
Rumble misses with a few strikes there.
Smith throws a chopping leg kick but Rumble manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Smith avoids a punch combination nicely.
Smith is looking to score with low kicks.
Smith moves out of range of the body kick.
Smith pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rumble is out of range and Smith settles back down.
Smith throws a low kick, looking for Rumble's leg but Rumble calmly moves out of range.
Rumble looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a low kick.

Smith gets tackled into the cage by Rumble. Rumble maintains the clinch.
Rumble jumps guard but Smith turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rumble tries to pull guard but Smith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Rumble is trying to pull guard but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Shontavius Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Igor Rumble.
Smith wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rumble jumps guard but Smith turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Rumble fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Smith wants to break free but Rumble has control.
Rumble wants a takedown.
Rumble is breathing heavily.
Smith is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Smith prevents Rumble from breaking the clinch.
Rumble tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Smith just stands there and leans against the cage.

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

Smith's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rumble.
Smith tries to land a leg kick but Rumble saw it coming and moves away.
Rumble darts in trying to clinch

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smith.

Smith wants the takedown. Rumble is fighting it off but Smith persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Rumble's guard against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rumble being controlled here, momentarily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith sitting in guard here, content to control.
Rumble working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Smith won't allow Rumble to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt - Rumble sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Smith takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rumble sprawls well. Rumble wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Igor Rumble seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rumble tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Smith shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Rumble moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Rumble throws a lazy right hand but Smith sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Rumble can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smith winds up and cracks Rumble with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Rumble is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shontavius Smith dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith fails with a takedown attempt.

Smith is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rumble's half guard.
Smith is trying to control. Rumble wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shontavius Smith wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Smith dodges the punch combination from Rumble.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Rumble enables Smith to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Rumble manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Smith connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith advances position into side control!
Smith trying to control the action but Rumble is working from the bottom.
Rumble is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Smith asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rumble dodges the ground and pound from Smith.
Smith is working Rumble over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rumble is pushing Smith's head away, looking to escape. Smith manages to hold on to the position though.
Rumble takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smith working the ground and pound from side control.
Smith working the ground and pound.
Smith prevents Rumble from escaping the position.
Smith trying to control the action but Rumble is working from the bottom.
Smith landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Rumble is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Smith is controlling him well.
Smith working the ground and pound from side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith is working Rumble over with some ground and pound from side control.
Smith working the ground and pound.
Smith landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Rumble is rocked!
Rumble seems a little lost for a moment, as Smith dominates the positioning.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shontavius 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shontavius Smith!
During a confident post fight interview, Shontavius Smith thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.