PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dragon Li Chai (ranked 2598 p4p, 2034 weight class) and John Smith (ranked 150 p4p, 113 weight class). John Smith is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Chai
vs
Smith

172 cm
20
145
2 - 2 - 0

168 cm
21
141
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Dragon Li Chai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Smith!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Trevor Gratis and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Chai bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A jab lands there for Chai.
A punch combination from Chai misses.
We've been told by Chai's head coaches at Master Chai's Dojo that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
A low kick from Chai misses

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Chai didn't expect that.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Chai holds on and takes a little breather.
Smith postures up in Chai's guard and throws a big left but Chai blocks it.
Smith throws a big right hand that misses.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Chai has wrist control.
Chai knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Smith working some strikes from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith won't allow Chai to sweep him here.
Smith trying to move into half guard but instead Chai has managed to sweep!

Smith throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Chai from controlling successfully.
Chai stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Chai wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Smith manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Chai manages to get himself to full guard.

Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Chai is retaining full guard.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Chai has wrist control.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith connects with a couple of short punches.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Chai blocks nicely.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control from the top but Chai keeps moving.
Smith content to stall in guard here.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Chai's head.
Smith cracks Chai with a solid left hand.
Smith is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Chai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Chai avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Chai utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Chai preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Smith wants to control from the top but Chai keeps moving.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Chai has wrist control.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith chips away with some ground and pound.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith misses with a wild body shot.
Chai jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Smith checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Chai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Smith was well out of range. Poor timing from Chai.
Smith takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Smith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Chai defends it nicely.
Chai uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Smith.
Chai's jab looks to have found its range, popping Smith under the eye.
Smith shoots for a double leg takedown but Chai sprawls well. He's pushed Smith's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Chai rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Chai!
Smith throwing strikes but Chai manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith is looking for a sweep.
Smith is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Smith has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Smith manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Chai controlling the position well.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Chai's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is looking to stall here but Chai recovers full guard.
Smith is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Smith postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smith distracts Chai with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Smith postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Smith wants to control from the top but Chai keeps moving.
Chai working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Smith throws an elbow that misses. Chai uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Chai!

Smith pulls Chai in close to prevent any damage.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Chai engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Smith seems keen to control Chai's posture.
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.
Smith throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.
Smith ducks right into an uppercut from Chai.
Chai looks for the body kick but Smith saw that one coming.
Chai looks to land a left hand but Smith moved out of range nicely.
Smith checks a low kick from Chai.
Dragon Li Chai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Chai throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Smith sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Smith throws a push kick but Chai slaps the foot to one side.
Chai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Smith uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Chai.
Chai takes one on the button.
Chai lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Smith defending well as Chai loads up on a big left hand.
Chai misses with a two punch combination.
John Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Chai lands with a thumping leg kick.
Smith uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Chai.
Smith takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Chai does a little dance to reset his feet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dragon Li Chai will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're 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.

Smith throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Chai stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Chai looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Smith throws a head kick that misses.
Chai missing with a left hand there. Smith was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Chai looks to land a right hand but Smith moved out of range.
Smith feints the counter takedown.
Chai thows a left - swing and a miss!
Chai listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Dragon Li Chai is winning the standup battle so far.
Chai looks to land a body kick but Smith moved away.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Smith fails to land the takedown.
Smith digs a good hook to Chai's body.
Chai plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chai misses with a leg kick.

Smith gets a takedown into 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 is keen to just control but Chai is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Chai defending well though.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Chai blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Smith connects with a nice short shot to Chai's temple.
Smith takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Chai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Smith.
Smith scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Chai defending well though.
Smith throwing shots but Chai is blocking nicely.
Smith missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Chai is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Smith scores with a couple of nice shots.
Smith not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Smith drops an elbow to the side of Chai's head.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Chai keeps working.
Smith seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Chai has hold of Smith's hands but Smith slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Smith is keen to just control but Chai is a slippery customer.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Chai avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Smith.
Smith working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands with a punch from half guard.
Smith is nestled in close to Chai, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Smith is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smith lands a nice short elbow.
Smith is nestled in close to Chai, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Chai wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
Smith trying to control from half guard but Chai is working away.
Smith lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing shots but Chai is blocking nicely.
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Chai is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Smith working Chai over with strikes.
Dragon Li Chai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
John Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smith not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Smith lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Smith lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
John Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Still in half guard, Smith seems content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
John 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 Alec Ball scores the fight for John Smith!
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight for John Smith!
Judge William Peck scores the fight for John Smith!

John Smith wins by unanimous decision!