PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Corey Smith Jr (ranked 293 p4p, 41 weight class) and Aaron Alvarez (ranked 646 p4p, 92 weight class). Smith Jr's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, You Will Know My Name. 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?

Smith Jr
vs
Alvarez

183 cm
27
215 lbs
15 - 6 - 1

187 cm
37
218 lbs
26 - 15 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Threads of HARDCORE

Threads of HARDCORE
Urban Fighter

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 15 - 6 - 1, fighting out of London, Corey Smith Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 15 - 2, fighting out of New York, Aaron Alvarez!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Alvarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A little feinted left hand from Smith Jr on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Smith Jr avoids the head kick by Alvarez.
A big left from Alvarez misses.
Smith Jr swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Alvarez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Smith Jr holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
I was talking to Smith Jr's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Smith Jr is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Alvarez working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Alvarez lands a right hand.
Alvarez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Smith Jr tries a body shot but Alvarez blocks it.
A hook to the body from Smith Jr.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith Jr misses with a punch to the body.
Smith Jr doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Smith Jr.
Alvarez swings wildly with an uppercut but Smith Jr uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith Jr blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Smith Jr.

Smith Jr manages to break the clinch.
Alvarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith Jr lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Smith Jr lands a body shot.
Smith Jr thuds his right hand into Alvarez's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

It looks like Aaron Alvarez has been cut.
A left lands for Alvarez.
Smith Jr fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Alvarez manages to avoid it.
Alvarez throws a jab but it's blocked by Smith Jr.
Alvarez throws a poor cross that misses
and Smith Jr counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Smith Jr swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Alvarez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Alvarez gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith Jr is trying to force a seperation but Alvarez has the dominant position.
A short uppercut from Alvarez.
Alvarez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Alvarez scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Smith Jr pushes Alvarez back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Alvarez throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Smith Jrs head.
Alvarez misses with a punch to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Smith Jr.
Alvarez struggles to land a body shot inside as Smith Jr controls his hands.
Alvarez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Smith Jr softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Smith Jr lands with a short shot to the head.
Alvarez's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Alvarez goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith Jr fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Alvarez misses with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Alvarez.
Alvarez has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Smith Jr seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Alvarez can turn it around.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Alvarez fails to land.
Alvarez struggles to land a body shot inside as Smith Jr controls his hands.

Smith Jr's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Smith Jr checks a leg kick.
Alvarez connects with an inside leg kick.
Alvarez tries to clinch there but Smith Jr circles away.

Smith Jr gets tackled into the cage by Alvarez. Alvarez maintains the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Smith Jr.
Alvarez working aggressively here.

Smith Jr breaks the clinch.
Smith Jr tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Alvarez is able to avoid easily.

Smith Jr tries to keep at a distance but Alvarez has taken the fight into the clinch.
Smith Jr throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Alvarezs head.
Alvarez is stalling here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith Jr is trying to break the clinch but Alvarez has him pressed against the cage.
Smith Jr lands a hook to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Smith Jr.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith Jr lands a nice shot to the body.
Alvarez is stalling here.
Smith Jr tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Smith Jr creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Smith Jr is trying to break the clinch but Alvarez has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smith Jr.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Smith Jr tries to work over Alvarez's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Smith Jr pushes Alvarez back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Alvarez goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith Jr wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Alvarez has him pressed against the cage.
Smith Jr content to slow the pace in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Corey Smith Jr dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aaron Alvarez's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smith Jr takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Alvarez punishes Smith Jr's body with a nice straight punch.
Aaron Alvarez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Alvarez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith Jr paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith Jr misses with a hook.
Smith Jr moves out of range of the leg kick from Alvarez.
An inside leg kick from Smith Jr misses.
Smith Jr checks a leg kick.
Alvarez throws a leg kick
and Smith Jr 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.
Alvarez pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Alvarez has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Smith Jr finds it's way round the side to connect with Alvarez's head.
A punch lands to the side of Alvarez 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Alvarez misses with a double jab

and Smith Jr holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez is looking to control Smith Jr's arms but Smith Jr gets an underhook and turns him. Now Alvarez has his back to the cage.
Smith Jr blocking some punches.
Smith Jr can't find room to land a body shot as Alvarez controls the action.

Smith Jr breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alvarez throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Smith Jr counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Alvarez gets a clinch.
Smith Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Alvarez.
Smith Jr can't find room to land a body shot as Alvarez controls the action.
Smith Jr goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Still in the clinch, Smith Jr scores with a nice short uppercut.
Smith Jr working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Alvarez prevents a body shot from Smith Jr.
Smith Jr blocking some punches.
Alvarez prevents Smith Jr from breaking the clinch.
Alvarez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez blocks a body shot from Smith Jr.
Smith Jr looking to stall.
Nice body punch from Smith Jr.
Alvarez working aggressively here.
Smith Jr lands with a right to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Smith Jr.

Smith Jr breaks the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith Jr misses with a looping left.
Alvarez tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Smith Jr was well out of range. Poor timing from Alvarez.
It looked like Smith Jr was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Alvarez.
Smith Jr on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Alvarez. Alvarez obviously looking to wear him down.
Alvarez does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
As Alvarez looks to move away, Smith Jr throws a big counter combo but Alvarez just gets out of the way.
Alvarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith Jr appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Smith Jr checks a leg kick.
It looked like Smith Jr wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Alvarez lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith Jr with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Smith Jr throws a front kick aimed at Alvarez's knee but Alvarez avoids it well.
Smith Jr has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Alvarez finds it's way round the side to connect with Smith Jr's head.
Alvarez lands a nice looking body kick.
The fighters circling - Alvarez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Smith Jr takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Alvarez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith Jr. Alvarez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Alvarez wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Alvarez.
Smith Jr throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Alvarez needs to keep his hands up - Smith Jr had a free shot at his head there.

That has opened up Aaron Alvarez's cut even more.
Alvarez is looking to score with low kicks.
Smith Jr misses with a body kick.
Smith Jr takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith Jr throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Alvarez counters with a right hand to the body.
A clash of legs there as Alvarez blocks the low kick.
Alvarez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith Jr.
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 Corey Smith Jr will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Aaron Alvarez's cut.
That's time! Smith Jr's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Smith Jr looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Alvarez checks the leg kick nicely there.
Alvarez throws out a leg kick but Smith Jr moves out of range and Alvarez only half commits.
Smith Jr throws a shot from downtown. Alvarez moves away and avoids it.
Smith Jr throws a head kick that half lands.
Alvarez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith Jr moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smith Jr listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A slapping leg kick lands for Alvarez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alvarez loads up on a big right hand but Smith Jr slips the punch.
Corey Smith Jr is winning the standup battle so far.
Alvarez misses the body punch
and Smith Jr counters with a stiff right hand.

The cut above Aaron Alvarez's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Alvarez misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith Jr moves out of range of the strikes.
Smith Jr half committed to a counter leg kick.
Smith Jr misses with a shot to the body
and Alvarez counters with a good low kick that Smith Jr was not able to check.
Alvarez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Smith Jr throws out the jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Alvarez!
Alvarez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alvarez misses with a hook

and Smith Jr counters with a nice right hand that sends Alvarez toppling to the canvas! Alvarez scrambles and gets back to his feet - can Smith Jr finish him?!

Alvarez is rocked!
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!
Alvarez moves to clinch but Smith Jr breaks away
and Smith Jr counters with a huge right that knocks Alvarez out cold! Smith Jr is running around with a crazed look on his face - you can see how much that meant to him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Corey Smith Jr!
An out of breath Corey Smith Jr thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.