PBP Commentary

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

Richert
vs
Smells

190 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

182 cm
19
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Prefers ground

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
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 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Richert!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mike Smells!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big right from Smells misses.
Smells throws a nice looking combination but Richert bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Smells shoots in for a takedown but Richert shows good takedown defense.
Richert connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Smells throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Richert throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smells.
Smells loads up on a big right hand but Richert slips the punch.
Richert misses with an attempted mid kick.
Smells misses with a combination
and Richert counters with a stiff right hand.
Smells sizes up Richert with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Richert throws a right hand that Smells ducks under and follows up with a left that Smells also avoids with ease.
Smells fails with the takedown

and Richert decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Smells's guard.
Richert is working Smells over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Richert works over Smells with some ground and pound from guard.
Smells can't keep his opponent in guard - Richert advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Richert seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smells does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smells is trying to stand.
Richert is looking to advance position but Smells won't allow it.
Smells wants to get back to full guard but Richert has mounted him!
Richert working the ground and pound effectively.
Richert with good strikes from the mount here!
Richert can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Smells is looking to escape.
Richert landing punches.
Smells working to try and regain half guard.
Richert won't let Smells get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smells tries to reverse the position but Richert maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smells looks gassed!
Richert pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Richert lands a big shot there that rocks Smells but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Richert working Smells over with strikes here.
Richert with the ground and pound from mount.
Richert scoring with strikes but Smells is staying in there.
Smells is looking to improve his position but Richert isn't that keen on the idea.
BOOM! Richert connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Smells can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Richert.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smells can do anything to dispel that myth.
Richert working Smells over with strikes here.
Smells is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Smells is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smells is in a horrible position here. Richert smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Smells is working to get back to half guard.
Smells really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Richert. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Richert lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Richert dominating with strikes here.
Richert lands a big shot there that rocks Smells but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Richert looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Smells throwing hammer fists to the chest of Richert. What's that going to do exactly?
Richert 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Richert with the ground and pound from mount.
Smells trying desperately to get to his feet.
Richert punishing his opponent with strikes.
Smells is in all sorts of trouble here.
Richert fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Smells keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Smells throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Richert looking to secure an arm triangle but Smells defends it well.
Richert punching from mount but Smells doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Smells's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Smells is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Richert dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Smells swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Richert counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Smells's guard now.
Richert slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Richert connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Smells some visible discomfort.
Richert works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Smells is looking for a sweep.
Richert lands a decent elbow from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smells is trying to get back to his feet.

Richert tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Richert has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Smells wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smells is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smells on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Smells manages to get back to half guard.
Smells looks like he's trying to stand up.
Smells taking some punishment here, with Richert in his half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Richert on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Smells throws a series of punches but Richert moves out of range.
Smells throws a combination that misses

and Richert counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Smells's guard now.
Smells wants to stand but Richert is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Richert's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Smells wants to sweep but no luck.
Smells is looking to stand back up but Richert counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Smells.
Smells is not content to let Richert control the position.
Smells wants to get back to his feet but Richert drags him back down.
Richert lands an elbow.
Smells is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Richert has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Smells closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Smells lands in his opponent's guard.
Richert trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richert doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Richert not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Smells won't allow Richert to sweep him here.
Smells is working Richert over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Smells wants to stand but Richert is controlling his posture from full guard.
Smells preventing the sweep.
Smells working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Richert's head.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Smells throws a leg kick

and Richert holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Smells is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Richert gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Richert gets underhooks to prevent Smells's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
The is referee keeping an eye on Richert - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Smells is looking to break free of the clinch but Richert has double underhooks.
Smells throws an elbow but it misses.

Richert pulls Smells into guard.
Richert trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Smells would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Smells is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Richert throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Smells with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smells won't allow Richert to sweep him here.
Richert doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Richert looking for a sweep. Not yet Richert, not yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smells lands with a cross.
A head kick by Smells misses

and Richert counters with a shoot takedown. Smells fights it but they end up in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Richert dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Richert throws a nice looking combination but Smells bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Richert throws a jab but it's blocked by Smells.
Richert looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Richert clinches with his opponent.
Smells goes for a takedown attempt but Richert pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Richert dodges the punch combination from Smells.
Matt Richert is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smells throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Richert counters with a nice double leg into side control. Smells won't be happy with that.
A lull in the action here.
Smells tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richert working the ground and pound.
Richert working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Richert prevents Smells from escaping the position.
Richert misses with the ground and pound.
Smells is not content to let Richert control the position.
Smells tries to escape but Richert is in control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smells looks to land a right hand but Richert moved out of range.
Smells throws a sloppy body shot

and Richert counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Smells tries to get to full guard but Richert has control of the leg.

Smells with the active half guard here but Richert passes nicely into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smells misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Richert lands an elbow.
Richert throws an elbow but Smells slips to the side and avoids it well.
Smells is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Smells is not content to let Richert control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smells throws a leg kick that is checked
and Richert makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Smells lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Richert has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Richert and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Mike Smells seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richert stuffs the takedown.

Richert has Smells up against the cage in a clinch.
Richert throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Smells is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Richert prevents the takedown attempt.
Matt Richert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Smells.
Smells can't break the clinch.
Smells has had enough of the clinch but Richert keeps him there for the moment.
Richert misses with a punch on the inside.
Richert manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Smells is trying to break the clinch but Richert has him pressed against the cage.
Smells is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Richert taking a breather.
Richert tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smells.
Smells wants to break the clinch but can't.
Richert with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Smells wants to get back to striking at distance but Richert won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Smells breaks the clinch.
Smells fails with the takedown.
Richert circles away from the clinch attempt
and Richert counters with a left to the body.
Richert lands a with a good body shot.
Smells takes a kick to the side of the head.
Smells misses with a wild combination.

Richert darts in and clinches Smells up against the cage.
Smells wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Richert connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smells's face.
Mike Smells has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A quick uppercut on the inside from Smells.
Richert stalling the fight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Richert showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Richert, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

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