PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dante Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Qazim Sozi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Smith
vs
Sozi

176 cm
28
173 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

186 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

Olympic wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dante Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Qazim Sozi!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Steve Montenegro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith with a poor takedown
and Sozi counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Sozi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Smith was well out of range. Poor timing from Sozi.
Sozi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Smith tries for a takedown but Sozi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sozi swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Sozi thows a body shot but no joy.
Sozi tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
Sozi thuds a left hand into Smith's body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Smith.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dante Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Sozi counters with a right hand to the body.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sozi sprawls well. Sozi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Sozi throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Sozi as Smith shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sozi swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt
and Sozi counters with a right hand to the body.
Smith is breathing heavily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sozi. Smith does a little dance to reset his feet.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sozi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sozi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Smith was well out of range. Poor timing from Sozi.
Smith gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sozi counters with a single leg into guard. Smith didn't expect that.
Sozi is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sozi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sozi tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
Sozi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sozi is in close to Smith's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sozi cracks Smith with a solid left hand.
Sozi advances position into side control!
Smith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sozi wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sozi creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Sozi wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Sozi looks up at the clock and then as Smith takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Sozi smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Sozi lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Sozi trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Sozi controls the position.
It looks like Sozi might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Sozi scoring with punches from side control.
Sozi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sozi controls the position.
Smith is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.

Smith looking for submissions off his back.
Sozi controlling the action here.

Smith looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sozi lands strikes from half guard.

Smith is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Sozi pulls his head out easily.

Smith actively working from the bottom here.
Sozi slips a nice elbow through Smith's hands, connecting with Smith's forehead.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Smith looking for submissions off his back.
Sozi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
Sozi wants to pass to mount but Smith is defending the position.
Sozi passes the guard and advances to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Qazim Sozi dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smith looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Sozi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smith.
Smith misses with a takedown
and Sozi counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Smith is trying hard to land a takedown here. Sozi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dante Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith misses with a takedown
and Sozi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Smith fails with the takedown
and Sozi counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Sozi has Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Sozi lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sozi fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sozi shoots in and gets a takedown into Smith's guard.
Sozi wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Sozi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sozi passes into half guard.
Sozi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Sozi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sozi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Sozi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Sozi working over Smith with some ground and pound. Smith looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sozi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sozi scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sozi has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith is bucking up trying to escape but Sozi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sozi is landing with some decent strikes but Smith is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Sozi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sozi putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Sozi lands a heavy elbow.
Smith is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Sozi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sozi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Smith hang on?
Sozi controlling from the full mount.
Qazim Sozi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sozi looking to finish Smith with some ground and pound. This is bad for Smith!
Sozi dominating with strikes here.
Sozi looking to control and managing it successfully.
Sozi working the ground and pound effectively.
Sozi fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Sozi working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sozi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Smith hang on?
Smith is squirming around, avoiding Sozi's attempts to control the action.
Smith can't escape the position.
Sozi breaks from Smith's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Sozi wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Smith is working to get back to half guard.
Sozi lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Smith hang on?
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sozi landing strikes from the mount.
Sozi prevents Smith from getting the reversal.
Smith regains half guard.
Smith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sozi scores with a couple of nice shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Qazim Sozi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith gets tackled into the cage by Sozi. Sozi maintains the clinch.
Smith tries for a takedown. No joy.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sozi prevents it.
Smith can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dante Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith tries for a takedown but Sozi manages to get underhooks.
Smith goes for a takedown attempt but Sozi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Smith looks for a takedown but Sozi sprawls well.
Sozi lands a nice shot to the body.
Sozi jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sozi misses with a wild body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sozi slaps away a takedown attempt from Smith, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Sozi moves into the clinch.
Sozi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sozi gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Smith.
Sozi leaning against his opponent.
Smith has Sozi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sozi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Smith is fighting off a takedown attempt but Sozi is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Smith to the mat. Smith regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Sozi content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Sozi looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sozi passes Smith's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Smith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sozi scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sozi wants to take a breather but Smith is having none of it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sozi in particular looking to stall.

Smith looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sozi content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sozi working over Smith with some ground and pound. Smith looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Sozi passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sozi controlling the pace for now.
Sozi landing punches.
Sozi tries to control but Smith wriggling away.
Smith is bucking up trying to escape but Sozi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Smith keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Sozi with good strikes from the mount here!
Sozi with the ground and pound from mount.
Smith can't escape the position.
Sozi dominating with strikes here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sozi in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sozi unloading with bombs!

Smith is rocked!
Sozi lands a big shot to the head and Smith winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Qazim Sozi!