PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tarzan Taborda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rnady Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith has chosen My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark - Fall Out Boy as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Taborda
vs
Smith

165 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tarzan Taborda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rnady Smith!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Sam Margolis and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Taborda is fending him off so far but Smith persists. Nope, Taborda circles away and we're back to standing.
Smith will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Horrible takedown by Taborda or perhaps it was just good defense by Smith which made him look bad.

Taborda looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Taborda tries to pass to full mount but Smith defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taborda passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Smith!
Smith keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Taborda scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Smith?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taborda wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Smith can't escape the position.
Smith trying desperately to get to his feet.
Taborda landing strikes from the mount and Smith is in trouble!
Smith really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Taborda takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Taborda lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Taborda prevents Smith from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taborda tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Taborda dominating with strikes here.
Taborda controlling from the full mount.
Taborda landing strikes, looking to finish!
Smith keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
A nice elbow there by Taborda.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is looking to get to half guard.
Taborda takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Smith tries to control the position but Taborda now has his back.
Taborda has good solid back control here.
Smith trying to control the hands but Taborda breaks the grip.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taborda has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Smith's body.
Taborda lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Smith tries to escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarzan Taborda dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Taborda fails with a takedown attempt.
Taborda shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Taborda moves out of range of the body kick from Smith.
Taborda darts in looking for a takedown but Smith gets double underhooks and turns Taborda into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tarzan Taborda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith looking to stall.
Taborda jumps guard but Smith stands there with Taborda around his waist. Taborda gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Taborda tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith has Taborda pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Taborda manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Taborda drags the fight down to the ground.

Taborda is working an open guard so Smith takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Tarzan Taborda is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith darts in looking for a takedown but Taborda gets double underhooks and turns Smith into the cage.
Smith prevents Taborda from breaking the clinch.

Smith pulls guard successfully.
Taborda looking to pass the guard.
Taborda is working Smith over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Taborda trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Taborda won't allow Smith to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Taborda from controlling successfully.
Smith has control of Taborda's left arm, preventing Taborda from doing any damage.
Taborda might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Taborda wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tarzan Taborda just wasn't active enough.
Smith chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Taborda manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taborda shoots in but no luck this time.
Nice sprawl there from Taborda as Smith shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taborda tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Taborda blocks a head kick by Smith.
Taborda will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smith lands with a good body shot.
Taborda fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Smith drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith postures up.
Smith is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Taborda on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Taborda tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taborda has a closed guard, preventing Smith from standing up.
Smith trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Taborda manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Smith managing to control the position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Rnady Smith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taborda as he jumps to the side.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Taborda shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Taborda showed some decent athleticism there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rnady Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Taborda looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Smith jabs at Taborda's body.
Taborda on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Taborda dives in for a single leg takedown but Smith sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Taborda avoids the elbow strike from Smith, against the cage.
Taborda is pressed up against the cage. Smith has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Taborda down to the mat. Taborda avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Smith drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Taborda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taborda looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Taborda avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Taborda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Rnady Smith was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Taborda sprawls well. Taborda wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Taborda.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taborda is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taborda is trying to break free.
Smith softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Taborda escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith works Taborda's body with a nice hook.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Taborda is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Taborda trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taborda is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Smith is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Smith seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tarzan Taborda just wasn't active enough.

Smith pushes Taborda up against the cage in a clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Taborda's waist but Taborda gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Smith off to one side.
Tarzan Taborda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rnady Smith.

Smith scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taborda wants to get back to full guard.
Smith is just content to waste time from the top position. Taborda takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Taborda looking to control.
Smith controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Taborda is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Taborda is keeping the position for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rnady Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Smith has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rnady Smith!
Rnady Smith decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.