PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gary The Reaper (ranked 1496 p4p, 204 weight class) and Joe Smith (ranked 1323 p4p, 174 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

The Reaper
vs
Smith

186 cm
30
200 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

183 cm
22
194 lbs
6 - 3 - 2

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Riner Clothing

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gary The Reaper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Smith!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The Reaper slips under a jab from Smith.
The Reaper takes a kick to the side of the head.
Smith looking to land some kicks to the body here.
The Reaper attempts a counter takedown but Smith avoids it well and moves away.
Smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Smith throws a looping overhand right but The Reaper ducks down to avoid it.
The Reaper tries to counter with a takedown but Smith is quick to defend against it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before The Reaper has time to react.
The Reaper walks into a jab.
Smith tried to score with a low kick but The Reaper checks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Reaper chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Smith can pounce on him.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The Reaper on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A nice leg kick lands there from Smith.
Smith connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Smith thumps The Reaper with a low kick.
Smith misses with a hook

and The Reaper counters with a shoot takedown. Smith fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to control.
Smith really doesn't want to stay on the ground with The Reaper. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from The Reaper.
The Reaper works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The Reaper is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The Reaper trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The Reaper is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for The Reaper to get the leverage.
Smith wants to improve his position but The Reaper is controlling well.
Smith is trying to maintain the position but The Reaper is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to roll over but The Reaper keeps him under control.
Smith keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Smith has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. The Reaper is working away from the top position though.
Smith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The Reaper wants to pass to mount but Smith is defending the position.
Smith wants to get back to full guard.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.
The Reaper 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.
The Reaper not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The Reaper content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Smith is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The Reaper is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Smith is not content to let The Reaper control the position.
Smith moves into full guard.
We've been hearing that The Reaper has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The Reaper is looking to work some ground and pound but Smith has wrist control.
The Reaper throws a big elbow that misses.
The Reaper scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
The Reaper lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The Reaper wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Smith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith takes a swing at The Reaper's ribcage but misses.
Smith tries to score with a low kick but The Reaper moves his leg out of the way.
Smith misses with a hook. The Reaper ducked under it nicely.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The Reaper appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Smith scores with a hook to the body. The Reaper takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith throws the left hand but The Reaper avoids the punch easily.
Smith throws a leg kick that is checked

and The Reaper decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Smith's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The Reaper passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Smith parries the strikes from The Reaper easily there. The Reaper is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Smith to escape.
The Reaper is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The Reaper working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The Reaper looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Smith is avoiding damage well.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smith can do anything to dispel that myth.
The Reaper working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The Reaper throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith struggling a bit here.
The Reaper tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
The Reaper trying to control the position but Smith is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to improve position but can't.
Smith pushes The Reaper away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, The Reaper gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Smith is trying to improve his position.
Smith keeps trying to improve his position.
The Reaper creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Smith defending against the ground and pound.
The Reaper throws a strike aimed at the side of Smith's head but Smith avoids it well.
Smith is looking to reverse the position.
The Reaper working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The Reaper trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith taking a bit of punishment here - The Reaper scoring with strikes.

The Reaper goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Smith has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for The Reaper but great work by Smith.
Smith trying to control the position but The Reaper is working away.
The Reaper tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The Reaper being controlled for a moment.
The Reaper tries to bench press Smith off him but Smith keeps the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but The Reaper keeps working.
The Reaper gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The Reaper works his way to full guard. Good work.
Smith wants to control from the top but The Reaper keeps moving.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.
Smith trying to control but The Reaper is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The Reaper trying to strike off his back.
Smith wants to control from the top but The Reaper keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gary The Reaper dominated that second round.
That's time! The Reaper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Smith thuds a left hand into The Reaper's body.
Smith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The Reaper attempts a counter takedown but Smith avoids it well and moves away.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The Reaper attempts a counter takedown but Smith avoids it well and moves away.
The Reaper moves out of range of the strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Smith 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 The Reaper has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from The Reaper and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith connects with a body shot.
Smith throws a quick inside leg kick.
The Reaper takes a shot to the body in his stride.
The Reaper uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Smith.
The Reaper is looking to counter the offense by Smith and move into the clinch.
The Reaper on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The Reaper 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.
The Reaper avoids the head kick by Smith.
The Reaper is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Smith.
Smith thows a leg kick but The Reaper checks it

and The Reaper counters with a shoot takedown. Smith fights it but they end up in guard.
The Reaper stands and throws Smith's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Gary The Reaper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
The Reaper throws a strike aimed at the side of Smith's head but Smith avoids it well.
The Reaper in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Smith prevents The Reaper from moving into mount.
The Reaper throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The Reaper scores with punches from side control.
Smith felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Smith stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
The Reaper tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith taking a bit of punishment here - The Reaper scoring with strikes.
The Reaper tries to advance to mount but can't.
The strikes coming from The Reaper are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Smith taking punishment in the form of punches.

The Reaper thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Smith avoids any damage from the ground and pound of The Reaper.
Smith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but The Reaper wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Smith is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The Reaper prevents Smith from improving his position.
The Reaper not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The Reaper thows a huge punch but Smith dodges it nicely.
Smith is not content to let The Reaper control the position.
Smith is trying to control but can't.
Smith keeping hold of The Reaper's head, controlling as best he can.
The Reaper winds up and cracks Smith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Smith keeping control of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The Reaper prevents Smith from improving his position.
Smith gets full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Gary The Reaper.
I think The Reaper 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Joe Smith!
Joe Smith made sure to mention his sponsor, IniTech Nutrition in his post fight interview.