PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Smith (ranked 2023 p4p, 226 weight class) and Marcellus Clay (ranked 1847 p4p, 217 weight class). Smith comes to the cage accompanied by Lonely Train by Black Stone Cherry. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Smith
vs
Clay

195 cm
28
280 lbs
12 - 12 - 0

191 cm
32
265 lbs
21 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Aaron Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcellus Clay!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Aafke Stam and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith pivots, looking for a leg kick but Clay is out of range and Smith settles back down.
Clay jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Smith throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Clay on the side of the head.
Smith connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Clay momentarily.
Smith lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Smith misses with a head kick.
Clay swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Clay but Clay pushes him off and we're back to square one.
As Smith backs off Clay throws a huge counter combo but Smith manages to avoid it all.
A big right from Clay misses.
Smith throws a one two combo.

Smith changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Clay looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Clay keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clay is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith trying to control the position but Clay is working away.
Smith advances nicely into full mount.
Clay wants to get back to his feet.
Clay is looking to improve his position but Smith isn't that keen on the idea.
Clay keeps trying to improve his position.
Clay wants to control but Smith is having none of it.
Poor strikes thrown by Smith there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Clay wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith with the ground and pound from mount.
Clay tries to hold on but Smith postures up.
Smith fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Smith looking to control but Clay is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Smith putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Clay wants to control but Smith is having none of it.
Clay sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
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!
Smith looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a head shot. Clay uses the momentum to regain guard.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Clay.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Clay is keeping the position for now.
Smith content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Clay works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
Smith 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.
Smith passes Clay's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Clay wants to get back to full guard.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Clay does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith trying to mount his opponent but Clay defends it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smith lands a nice short elbow.
Clay is looking to improve his position.
Smith is thwarting Clay's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Smith dominated that round.
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 lands a glancing blow to the side of Clay's head.
Clay lands with a good body shot.
Smith misses with an uppercut
and Clay counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Smith throws a right hand that misses
and Clay counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Clay throws a hook but Smith blocks it.
Smith was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Smith misses with a straight right.
Clay on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Smith pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Aaron Smith is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Clay drops Smith with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Smith looks back up at him and smiles so Clay waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

It looks like Aaron Smith has been cut.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith misses with a left hand
and Clay connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Smith is rocked!
Clay is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smith.
Clay throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Smith misses the target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Clay counters with an inside leg kick.

Clay gets caught napping as Smith dives in and scores a takedown. Clay manages to retain guard.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Clay is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Clay looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Clay wants to get back to his feet but Smith is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Clay is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is working hard here to advance position.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Clay wants to get back to his feet but Smith is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Aaron Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Smith throws a poor cross that misses
letting Clay counter with a right hand.
Clay slips a jab from Smith.
Clay looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smith.
Smith is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Smith gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Clay connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith jabs Clay to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Clay sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Clay doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Clay feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Smith sprawling to the canvas! Smith rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Clay finish him?!
Oh Smith is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Clay walks into a jab.
Smith seems to have got his legs back now.
A good leg kick by Smith.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Clay momentarily.
Clay on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Smith. Smith obviously looking to wear him down.
Smith throws a sloppy head kick and Clay moves out of range easily.
Clay throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Smith counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Clay thinking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Clay cracks Smith with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Clay has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Smith to stand back up!

Aaron Smith's cut is getting worse.
Smith throws a hook but Clay avoids it easily.
Smith throws out a loose jab but Clay uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith staying out of range there.
Clay lands with a jab that stuns his opponent. Smith is looking to close the distance but Clay sees it coming and throws a beautiful knee! Smith crumbles to the mat and that's all she wrote! Let's hope Smith is OK because that was naaaaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Knee). Marcellus Clay!
Marcellus Clay decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
The defeated Aaron Smith had this to say: 'No one likes seeing their opponent's hand raised, but that just means that they were the better man today. My team at 3Band MMA and I will break down this match and make the proper changes for my next camp.'.