PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Robert Harper (ranked 1202 p4p, 157 weight class) and Piet Smit (ranked 1344 p4p, 190 weight class). Smit has chosen Baby Got Back as his entrance music. Piet Smit has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Harper
vs
Smit

190 cm
21
210 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

188 cm
27
210 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

UnderGround Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Robert Harper!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Piet Smit!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smit clinches.
Harper has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Smit avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Harper looking for a takedown.
Smit stops a takedown attempt from Harper.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper is looking for a takedown.
Harper gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Smit.
Smit tries to score a body lock takedown but Harper shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Harper can't get the takedown.
Harper is working for takedown but Smit is calmly controlling the position for now.
Smit effectively controlling the action here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper tries to pull guard but Smit holds him up against the cage and eventually Harper drops back down to his feet.
Harper drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Harper is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper jumps guard but Smit turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Smit is pressed up against the cage. Harper has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Smit down to the mat. Smit avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Smit moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A punch lands to the side of Smit 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Harper misses with a hook.
Harper looks to throw the jab but Smit is out of range.
Smit tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Harper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harper looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Harper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Smit slips a jab from Harper.
Harper digs a good hook to Smit's body.
Harper lands a glancing blow to the side of Smit's head.
Harper lands with a hook. Smit tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper looks to throw the jab but Smit is out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Smit! But no joy.
Harper throws a body punch but Smit moves out of range.
Smit shoots in looking for a takedown. Harper tries to sprawl out of it but Smit keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Harper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Harper drops down looking for a counter takedown but Smit sprawls and moves away.
Harper throws a lazy right hand but Smit sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smit tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Harper defends well and Smit ends up having to push Harper into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A jab from Harper does it's job there.
Smit is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice jab there from Harper.

It looks like Piet Smit has been cut.
Harper looks to throw the jab but Smit is out of range.
Smit avoids the body shot from Harper.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smit moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Harper misses the jab.
Harper throws a hook to the side of Smit's head but Smit sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Smit clinches.
Harper can't get the takedown.
Harper on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Harper is trying to drag Smit to the mat but Smit just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Smit drags the fight down to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Harper drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Harper jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Harper pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smit is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Harper avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Harper drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Harper jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Harper thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Harper drops back looking for a leg! Smit is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Smit manages to kick Harper off! Harper jumps back into Smit's guard.
Smit looking to control.

Harper avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Harper drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Harper jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Harper looking to pass the guard.

Harper thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Smit looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Harper dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Piet Smit'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.

A telegraphed right hand from Harper misses the target.
Smit throws a big counter head kick but Harper avoids it with no problem.

Smit gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Smit is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Harper is trying to pull guard but Smit has him pressed against the cage.
Harper tries to score a body lock takedown but Smit shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Smit manages to break the clinch.
Harper throws a hook but Smit blocks it.
Smit keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Harper.
Harper misses with a body shot.
Harper is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper tries for a takedown but Smit circles away easily
and Smit counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smit keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Harper.
Smit counters with a body kick.
Smit ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fighters circling - Harper throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper throws a lazy uppercut
and Smit counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Harper rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Smit connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Smit moves away from the strike by Harper.
Smit wants to counter the offense by Harper and move into the clinch position.
Harper misses with a hook.
Robert Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harper throws a poor cross that misses
and Smit makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Smit bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Smit avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Harper lands with a right hand.
Harper swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Smit lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Smit has closed the distance and engaged Harper in a clinch.
Smit taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Harper drops down looking for an ankle pick but Smit pulls his leg out and moves away.
Smit slips under a jab from Harper.
Harper misses with a lunging right hand
and Smit cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Smit will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Harper defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Smit.
Smit fails with the takedown.
Harper throws a poor cross that misses
and Smit counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Smit takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Smit gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Harper throws a big shot that misses.
Smit moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Harper missing with a left hand there. Smit was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Harper throws a jab when Smit was well out of range.
Harper throws a lazy uppercut
and Smit counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper swings widly with a right hand
and Smit counters with a right hand to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smit.
Harper waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Smit.
Nice shot lands for Harper.
Nice uppercut lands for Harper. That snapped Smit's head back.
Harper throws out a powerful jab.
Harper throws a hook but Smit avoids it easily.
Smit ducks under a wild hook from Harper.
Smit appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Harper looks to land a left hand but Smit moved out of range nicely.
Harper waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Smit.
Smit swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Harper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Smit is fending him off so far but Harper persists. Nope, Smit circles away and we're back to standing.

Smit moves into range and clinches up with Harper.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper goes for a takedown attempt but Smit pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Harper gets tackled into the cage by Smit. Smit maintains the clinch.
Harper is trying to pull guard but Smit has him pressed against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Harper stops a takedown attempt from Smit.
Harper is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Smit is defending well.
Harper wants a takedown.
Smit goes for a takedown attempt but Harper pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Harper throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Smit has taken the fight to the clinch.
Harper is looking for a takedown.
Harper drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smit is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Harper pulls him back up using the underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Robert Harper will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Piet Smit's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Smit moves into the clinch.
Harper is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smit can do to turn this around?
Harper changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Smit fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Smit displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Harper throws out the jab.

Smit gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Smit breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harper misses with a hook. Smit ducked under it nicely.
Harper connects with a crisp jab.
Harper misses with a left hand
and Smit counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Harper throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Smit follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Harper is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Harper misses with a right hand
and Smit cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper misses with an uppercut.
Smit staying out of range there.
Harper misses with an uppercut. Smit saw that one coming.
No luck for Smit with that takedown attempt.
Harper drops down looking for a counter takedown but Smit sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper swings widly with a right hand

and Smit counters by moving into the clinch.
Harper tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Harper pulls guard successfully.
Smit trying to control but Harper is working from the bottom.
Smit preventing the sweep.
Smit loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smit postures up and lands a big shot to Harper's brow.
Harper tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smit makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Smit trying to control the position from guard on top but Harper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Harper is on top in guard.

Smit looking for a guillotine here but Harper defends easily.

Harper drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Harper jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smit throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Smit looking for a guillotine here but Harper defends easily.

Harper is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smit had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Harper defends it easily.

Harper thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Harper drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Smit manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Harper has Smit in his guard.

Harper escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smit gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Harper working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Smit has passed into half guard!
Harper wants to get back to full guard but Smit has mounted him!
Harper wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Smit.
Piet Smit has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smit looking to finish with strikes here!
Harper really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Smit lands a heavy elbow.

It looks like Robert Harper has been cut.

Smit has hold of Harper's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Harper manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Smit is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Harper has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Harper is in all sorts of trouble here.

Smit looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smit tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Piet Smit comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Harper 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Harper!
Robert Harper retains his light heavyweight title!
Robert Harper decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
The defeated Piet Smit had this to say: 'Winning is not everything, it is the only thing! I'll be back!'.