PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erico Plaza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Smith
vs
Plaza

185 cm
26
183 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

170 cm
24
183 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Good low kicks
Powerful

RENEGADE *MMA* Donation Giveback

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Erico Plaza!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plaza misses with a double jab.
Smith cracks Plaza with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Smith misses with a hook.
Plaza misses with a looping right.
Plaza takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Nice body punch from Plaza.
Smith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Plaza misses the body punch
and Smith counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Smith looks to land a right hand but Plaza moved out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Plaza looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Plaza throws a combination that misses

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control.
Plaza can't do much from the bottom here.
Plaza is looking to regain half guard here but Smith keeps moving and retains side control.
Plaza is not content to let Smith control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plaza is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Plaza sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Plaza wants to get back to full guard.
Plaza blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.

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.
Plaza is trying to get back to full guard.
Plaza keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Smith prevents Plaza from improving his position.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Plaza is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Smith is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Plaza has managed to free his arm - good work.

Smith is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Plaza is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Plaza tries to get to full guard but Smith has control of the leg.
Plaza trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Plaza tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.
Plaza gets full guard.
Plaza is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Plaza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Plaza is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Smith tries to stand but Plaza is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Smith dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Smith bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Smith throws a left and a right that both miss
and Plaza counters with a leg kick.
Plaza fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Good standup being displayed there by Smith as he connects with a hook.
Plaza misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Plaza is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Plaza throws a combination that misses
and Smith counters with a nice body shot.
Smith comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
A jab lands there for Smith.
Plaza misses with a hook.
Plaza throws out a powerful jab.

Plaza clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
Plaza lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Plaza doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Smith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Plaza avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plaza lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Plaza tries for a takedown but Smith manages to get underhooks.
Smith is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smith.

Plaza breaks from the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Plaza.
Plaza swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Plaza but Plaza pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith walks into a left hand.
Plaza jabs at Smith's body.
Erico Plaza is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Plaza closes the distance and clinches.

Plaza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith throws a jab when Plaza was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smith defending well as Plaza loads up on a big left hand.
Smith ducks under a wild hook from Plaza.
A looping hook to the body misses from Plaza. Smith does a little dance to reset his feet.

Plaza has taken the fight to the clinch.
Plaza goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Plaza digs a right hand into Smith's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Smith's gas tank.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smith.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Plaza creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Plaza escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith moves out of range of the strikes.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Smith lands a nice shot that snaps Plaza's head back.
Plaza throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Smith throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Smith was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Plaza is breathing heavily.
Smith punching from mount but Plaza doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Smith looking to control and managing it successfully.
Smith lands a big elbow.
Smith prevents Plaza from getting the reversal.
Smith lands a big elbow.
Smith will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Smith thowing shots but they're missing.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Smith dominating with strikes here.
Smith landing strikes from the mount and Plaza is in trouble!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Plaza is wriggling around trying to escape.
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 Marcus Smith will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Plaza throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.
Smith throws a head kick that misses.
Plaza misses with a body shot.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Plaza 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 Smith has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Smith and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Smith misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
A big right from Plaza misses.
Plaza moves out of range of the leg kick from Smith.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Plaza feints and then cracks Smith's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Smith down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Plaza lands a leg kick that knocks Smith off balance momentarily.
Smith is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Smith steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Plaza.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Plaza is just out of range.
Plaza is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
A big right from Plaza misses.
Plaza with a nice cross.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plaza ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Smith moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Smith throws a hook but Plaza avoids it easily.

Smith scores with a takedown into Plaza's guard.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Plaza.
Plaza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Plaza avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Plaza is working from the bottom.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Plaza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smith won't allow Plaza to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Plaza is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Smith won't allow Plaza to sweep him here.
Smith postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Erico Plaza was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Plaza moves away and avoids it.
Smith scores with a jab to the body.
Plaza fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Smith checks it well.
Plaza tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Plaza swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Erico Plaza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith throws a hook but Plaza blocks it.
Smith lands with an uppercut that bounces Plaza off the cage and back into rage.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Plaza is just out of range.
Smith fails with the takedown
and Plaza counters with a slapping leg kick.
Smith slips a jab and a cross from Plaza.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt
and Plaza counters with a straight right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Plaza takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smith uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Plaza.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Plaza looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith has gone for a leg lock! Plaza slips out almost immediately though and dives into Smith's guard.
Smith controls Plaza momentarily but Plaza frees himself.
Marcus Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Plaza looking to pass the guard.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Plaza.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Erico Plaza.
I think Smith 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Smith!