PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ionna Ford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Smith has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Smith
vs
Ford

190 cm
22
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ionna Ford!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Eliza Hachem and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Ford takes the fight into the clinch.
Ford drops down looking for an ankle pick but Smith pulls his leg out and moves away.
Ford tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith shoots in looking for a takedown but Ford manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Smith's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ford tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Ford has managed to clinch.
Ford'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.
Ford looking for a takedown.

Ford breaks the clinch.
Smith lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Smith tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ford has Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ford.
Ford wants a takedown.
John Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ionna Ford.
Smith blocks an uppercut.
Ford tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
Ford tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Smith working aggressively here.

Ford escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ford takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Ford closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Ford.
Ford looking to throw knees to the head but Smith is blocking nicely.

Ford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ford darts in and clinches Smith up against the cage.

Ford breaks the clinch.

Smith tries to sprawl but Ford drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ford tries to stand and escape but Smith is controlling the position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Ford in particular looking to stall.
It looks like Ford might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Ford trying to control from half guard but Smith is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Ionna Ford hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Ford shows good takedown defense.
Ford tries to clinch up.

Ford gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ford takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ford working Smith over with knees to the body.
Smith jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ford walks away with a smile on his face. Smith gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ford fails to land the takedown.
A slapping leg kick lands for Ford.
Ford keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Ford clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ford dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Ford pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ford moves into the clinch successfully.
Ford has Smith pushed against the cage.
Smith avoiding damage as Ford throws knees to the body.
Ford drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Smith gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ford just leaning against Smith, taking a breather.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Ford has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Smith uses from the top position.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Ford gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ionna Ford 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.

Ford is looking to slow Smith down with leg kicks.
Smith wants to clinch but Ford slips to the side

and Ford moves into the clinch.

Ford manages to break the clinch.
John Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Ford darts in and clinches Smith up against the cage.
Smith tries to pull guard but Ford forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ford gets underhooks to prevent Smith's takedown attempt.
Ford has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Smith after a bit of a struggle.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ford - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ford trying to land knees to the body.

Ford's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Smith keeps the fight on the outside.
Ford throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Smith tries to keep at a distance but Ford has taken the fight into the clinch.
Smith can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ford goes for a takedown in the clinch but Smith prevents it.
Ford misses with a knee to the head.

Ford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ford swivels and escapes.
Ford feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Smith's calf.
Ford misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ford tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ford fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ionna Ford seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ford gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Smith prevents the takedown attempt.

Ford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ford fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Smith, pushing him back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith tries to pull guard but Ford won't allow it.

Ford breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ford rushes Smith and presses him up against the cage.
Ford using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Ford manages to break the clinch.
Ford tries to clinch but Smith moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ford shoots in and drives through. Smith sprawls well.
Ford fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ford looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Ford.
Ford is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ford tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Smith takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Ford has taken the fight to the clinch.
Smith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ford pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Ford breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Ford has managed to clinch.

Ford breaks the clinch.

Ford closes the distance and clinches.

Ford pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ford lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Ford is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Smith fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ford.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ford 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.
A combination from Ford does no damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Horrible takedown by Ford or perhaps it was just good defense by Smith which made him look bad.
Smith lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ionna Ford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ford misses with a body kick.
Smith fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Ford avoids it really well and circles away.
Ford tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ford throws a combination. Smith tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Ford moves into the clinch successfully.
Ford stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Ford with a knee to the head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Ford crunches a lovely knee into Smith's ribcage.

Ford breaks from the clinch.
Smith dives in and grabs Ford's left leg, looking for a takedown. Ford pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ford shoots in and gets a takedown into Smith's guard.

Ford stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Ford rushes Smith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ford lands an elbow that stopped Smith in his tracks for a moment.
Smith takes an elbow to the temple.
Ford is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Ford scores a nice knee to the body.
Ford lands a damaging elbow.

Ford's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ford shoots in and gets a takedown into Smith's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ford stays in close to Smith's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ford passes Smith's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Smith is trying to control but can't.
Ford has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ford slows the pace down in half guard.
Smith wants to improve his position but Ford is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ionna Ford was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Ford shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ionna Ford seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Ford closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ford not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ford is taking a breather. Smith says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Ionna Ford has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
No luck for Ford with that takedown attempt.
John Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ionna Ford.
Smith tries to clinch there but Ford circles away.

Ford gets a clinch.
Knees to the body from Ford.
Ford has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Smith avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ford stalling in the clinch.
Ionna Ford is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Smith tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
John Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ionna Ford comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Ford has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

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