PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Caron (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Caron might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to "99 Problems". John Caron has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Caron
vs
Smith

196 cm
27
285 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

203 cm
28
273 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, John Caron!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Smith!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, James Ackerman and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith takes a jab right on the kisser.
Smith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Caron tries a head kick but it misses.
Caron throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Caron avoids the head kick by Smith.
Caron wants to clinch
and Smith makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Caron shoots for a takedown but Smith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
John Caron seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Caron closes the distance but Smith moves to the side
and Smith counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Caron's head.
Caron tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Smith gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Caron trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Smith pulls Caron in close to prevent any damage.
Caron trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Caron 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.
Caron trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Caron throws a big right hand that misses.
Smith controlling the position.
Caron throwing strikes but missing.
Smith pulls Caron in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Matt Smith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Caron.
Caron wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Nice sprawl there from Smith as Caron shoots in.
Caron throws a sloppy head kick
and Smith counters with a leg kick.
Smith throws a low kick but Caron moves out of range easily.
Nice jab there from Smith.
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!
Caron misses with a right hand
and Smith counters with an outside leg kick.
Smith lands a head kick!

It looks like John Caron has been cut.
Caron wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith takes a swing at Caron's ribcage but misses.
Smith avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Matt Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Caron closes this distance looking for a takedown but Smith circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Caron. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Caron is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Smith keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Caron.

Caron rushes Smith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Smith lands a right hand that snaps the head of Caron backwards.
Smith swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Caron lands with a short shot to the head.
Caron tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Caron is trying to stall.
Caron tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Smith just stands there and leans against the cage.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Caron.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Smith.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Smith avoiding damage.
Caron wants a takedown but no success here.
Smith blocks the elbow strike.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Smith blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
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!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Caron.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Caron throws an elbow but it misses.
Smith lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Matt Smith will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Caron's cut.
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.

Smith circles away from the clinch attempt
and Smith counters with a leg kick.
Matt Smith seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Smith lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Caron.
Caron has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Smith.

Smith feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Caron sprawling to the canvas! Caron rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Smith finish him?!
A slapping leg kick lands for Smith.
Smith scores with a kick to the midsection.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith scoring well with a low kick there.
Caron avoids the head kick by Smith.
Caron on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Smith lets loose with a powerful body kick. Caron will feel that in the morning.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caron gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Smith connects with a leg kick. Caron looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Smith lands a jab.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Caron crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Smith - the referee stops the clock and Caron gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Smith. Caron manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Caron takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Smith jabs Caron to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Smith throws a right and a left that Caron avoids nicely.
Caron is looking to clinch.
Caron tries to clinch
and Smith counters with a nice body kick.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Smith.
Caron is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Smith throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Smith fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Caron on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A chopping leg kick lands by Smith.
A chopping leg kick lands by Smith.
Smith connects with an inside leg kick.
Smith chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Smith stuns Caron with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Smith pushes Caron away with a front kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith connects with an inside leg kick.
Caron tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Caron wants to clinch
and Smith counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Caron is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Smith delivers a nice body kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Smith thumps Caron with a low kick.
Caron on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Nice body kick from Smith.
Smith chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Smith looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Smith scores with a jab.
Smith lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith feints and then cracks Caron's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Caron down.
Smith tries a head kick but it misses.
Smith lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Caron circles away quickly and effectively.
Caron tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Smith dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Caron. That did some damage!
A cross from Smith lands.
A chopping leg kick lands by Smith.
Smith connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt
and Smith counters with a big head kick but Caron shrugs it off.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith stuns Caron with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Caron's cut.
That's time! Caron's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Smith throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Caron on the side of the head.
Caron is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Caron closes the distance but Smith moves to the side
and Smith counters with a good low kick that Caron was not able to check.
Caron is looking to clinch.
Caron tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Caron wants to clinch
and Smith counters with an inside leg kick.
Caron sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good leg kick by Smith there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Caron on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Smith. Smith obviously looking to wear him down.
Caron gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Smith fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Caron.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Smith.
Good standup being displayed there by Smith as he connects with a hook.
A solid body kick from Smith.
Smith lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Smith throws a head kick but Caron moves out of range.
Smith has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Smith sizes up Caron with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Smith misses with a wild body shot.
A nice inside leg kick there by Smith. That's going to slow Caron down.
Caron darts in trying to clinch
and Smith counters with a leg kick.
Caron will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Caron on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Smith looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

Smith lands a big head kick that sends Caron tumbling to the mat! Smith takes a step backwards and waves Caron back to his feet - he wants the finish!
An inside leg kick lands from Smith.
Good leg kick by Smith there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Smith lands a leg kick that knocks Caron off balance momentarily.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Smith.
A slapping body kick lands there for Smith.
Smith cracks the inside of Caron's front leg.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Smith.
John Caron has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A cross from Smith lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Caron's calf.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Smith.
Smith scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Smith throws a quick inside leg kick.
Caron moves to clinch but Smith breaks away
and Smith counters with a good low kick that Caron was not able to check.
Caron on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Smith. Smith obviously looking to wear him down.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith lands with a thumping leg kick.
Smith lands a leg kick that knocks Caron off balance momentarily.
Smith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt
and Smith counters with a nice low kick that buckles Caron's knee momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Smith.
Smith lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Smith thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Caron if he has to take too many more of those.
Smith fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Caron has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Smith scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Smith scores with a nice right hand.
Smith scores with a push kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Smith connects with an inside leg kick.
Smith fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smith winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 25:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 25:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 25:30

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