PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Fenix Espada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyson Smirnov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smirnov has a pretty significant injury - he really shouldn't be fighting right now but he's a warrior and he's here none the less! Fenix Espada has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Espada
vs
Smirnov

185 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Fenix Espada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tyson Smirnov!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Chad Campbell and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smirnov takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Smirnov looks gassed!
Smirnov will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Espada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Espada lands a head kick. Smirnov smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Espada gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smirnov trying to control but Espada is working from the bottom.
Espada looking for a sweep. Not yet Espada, not yet.
Espada is trying to keep Smirnov in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnov slips nicely into half guard.
Espada is looking to escape.
Smirnov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Espada knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smirnov is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smirnov takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Fenix Espada is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smirnov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Espada sprawls well. Espada wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smirnov gets slowly back to his feet.
Espada turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Espada throws a head kick but Smirnov moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Espada lands but Smirnov takes it in his stride.
Smirnov steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Espada. That one must have hurt.
Espada goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Espada lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Espada lands with a thumping leg kick.
Espada throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smirnov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Espada feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Smirnov's calf.
Espada lands with a kick to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espada throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Espada throws a head kick that Smirnov semi-blocks.
Espada pushes Smirnov away with a front kick.
Smirnov is looking to clinch but Espada is avoiding it.
Espada plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Espada feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Smirnov's calf.
Smirnov shoots in looking for a takedown. Espada tries to sprawl out of it but Smirnov keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Espada manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Fenix Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyson Smirnov.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smirnov looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fenix Espada dominated that round.
That's time! Espada's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smirnov shoots in but no luck this time.
Espada chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Espada cracks the inside of Smirnov's front leg.
That kick from Espada tenderised Smirnov's leg. Smirnov is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Espada. Smirnov shrugs it off though.
Smirnov takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Espada lands a nice looking body kick.
Tyson Smirnov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Espada with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Smirnov is breathing heavily.
Espada moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Espada throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Espada connects with a leg kick. Smirnov looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Espada.
Crunch! Espada slams his shin into Smirnov's torso.
Espada scoring well with a low kick there.
Espada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Espada throws a sloppy head kick and Smirnov moves out of range easily.
Smirnov's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Smirnov misses with a few strikes there.
Espada connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Smirnov shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Espada sprawls well. Espada wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smirnov gets slowly back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Espada looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Smirnov walks forward, straight into a front kick from Espada.
Smirnov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Espada can pounce on him.
A solid leg kick lands there for Espada.
Espada lands a front kick.
A head kick from Espada lands but Smirnov takes it in his stride.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Espada.
Espada fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Smirnov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espada lets loose with a powerful body kick. Smirnov will feel that in the morning.
Espada lands a nice looking kick to the body. Smirnov takes a step back to recover.
Smirnov takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Espada scores with a head kick. Smirnov tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Espada - that will leave a mark!
Espada fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Espada lands a head kick. Smirnov smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Espada connects with a high kick.
A head kick misses from Espada.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espada lands a high kick!
A slapping leg kick lands for Espada.
Fenix Espada is winning the standup battle so far.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Smirnov is defended easily by Espada.
Fenix Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyson Smirnov.
Both fighters circling a little - Espada finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Espada scores with a kick to the midsection.
Nice body kick there by Espada.
Smirnov takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fenix Espada dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Espada throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smirnov shoots for a takedown but Espada saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Espada scores with a kick to the body.
Espada plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Espada throws a head kick that half lands.
Espada misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smirnov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Espada can pounce on him.
Smirnov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Espada pushes Smirnov away with a front kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Espada.
Espada scores with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Espada, right into the meat.
Smirnov on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Good leg kick by Espada there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Smirnov avoids the head kick by Espada.
Espada bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Espada fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Smirnov.
Smirnov wants to clinch.
Espada throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Smirnov's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Espada lands but Smirnov takes it in his stride.
Smirnov has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Espada.
Smirnov tries to clinch but Espada moves out of range.
Espada throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Smirnov's head.
Espada turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Espada cracks the inside of Smirnov's front leg.
Espada connects with a high kick.
Espada lands a head kick!
Espada moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Espada throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Espada scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Espada plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Tyson Smirnov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Espada keeps Smirnov at a distance using the push kick.
Smirnov shoots for a takedown but Espada saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Espada explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Espada pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Espada. No joy for Smirnov on that attempt.
Fenix Espada has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tyson Smirnov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Espada scores with a head kick. Smirnov tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Smirnov is defended easily by Espada.
Espada throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Smirnov's head.
Tyson Smirnov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Espada throws a nice head kick!
Smirnov takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Espada throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Fenix Espada is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A slapping leg kick lands for Espada.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fenix Espada showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Espada, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fenix Espada!