PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Xibra (ranked 4929 p4p, 5018 weight class) and Adam Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Xibra
vs
Smith

170 cm
18
170
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
178
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alex Xibra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Adam Smith!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Daniel Blasius and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith is looking to clinch.
Xibra looks for a takedown but Smith sprawls well.
Xibra fails with the takedown
and Smith counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Smith connects with a single shot there.

Xibra gets a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith tries to get to full guard but Xibra has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith wants to control but Xibra is keeping busy.
Xibra wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.

Smith has one foot on Xibra's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Xibra sprawls well. Xibra wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Smith tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Xibra swivels and escapes.

Xibra gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Smith changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Xibra fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Alex Xibra has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Smith.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a leg kick that misses.
Xibra tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Xibra swinging wildly here.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Xibra shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Xibra tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Smith manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Xibra looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Smith is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt.

Xibra scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Smith throws Xibra to one side and escapes!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Xibra shoots in for a double leg but Smith sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Smith throws a fast counter high kick but Xibra manages to duck under it in time.
Xibra closes this distance looking for a takedown but Smith circles away.
Xibra is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xibra stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Xibra wants it to stay on the feet.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith scores with a hook to the body. Xibra takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Xibra misses with a looping left.

Smith instigates a clinch.
Smith is trying to pull guard but Xibra turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Xibra gets control of Smith's arms and successfully pulls guard. Xibra will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Smith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Xibra is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Smith slips nicely into half guard.
Smith takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Smith passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Xibra!
Smith sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adam Smith dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Xibra closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Adam Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Xibra is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith tries to bench press Xibra off him but Xibra keeps the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xibra wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Xibra has just dragged him back down to the mat.
What's Smith going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
Smith wants to control but Xibra postures up.
A lull in the action here as Xibra stalls from top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Smith changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Xibra tries to avoid it but Smith manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Xibra to the ground. Xibra escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

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.
Xibra shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Smith defends it nicely.
Smith changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Xibra lands a nice looking kick to the body. Smith takes a step back to recover.
Alex Xibra is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith is looking to clinch but Xibra is avoiding it.
A left and a right from Smith both land. Nice combination.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Xibra shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Jab from Smith.
Smith fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Alex Xibra has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Adam Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown attempt by Smith or perhaps it was just good defense by Xibra, which made it look bad.
Smith is breathing heavily.

Xibra bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Smith throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Smith checks the leg kick.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt

and Xibra moves into the clinch.
Xibra lands a nice elbow.
Smith tries to pull guard but Xibra holds him up against the cage and eventually Smith drops back down to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Xibra pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xibra shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
Smith is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Xibra looks for a takedown but Smith sprawls well.
Smith unleashes a big counter combination but Xibra bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Xibra goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Xibra but Xibra pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Xibra fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Adam Smith will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Xibra's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Xibra.
Xibra will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smith tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Xibra defends well and Smith ends up having to push Xibra into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Smith tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Xibra defends well and Smith ends up having to push Xibra into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Xibra, pushing him back against the cage.

Xibra breaks the clinch.
Xibra wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Adam Smith seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xibra fails with the takedown.
Smith defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Xibra.
Smith drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Xibra defends it well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Xibra. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xibra scoring well with a low kick there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Xibra defends it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Xibra tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Smith defends well and Xibra ends up having to push Smith into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Smith thuds a left hand into Xibra's body.

Smith moves into the clinch.
Xibra stops a takedown attempt from Smith.
Xibra softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Smith is trying to break the clinch but Xibra has him pressed against the cage.
Smith is looking to take this one to the mat.
Smith looking for a takedown.
Smith tries to pull guard but Xibra forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xibra makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Xibra stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Smith tries to pull guard but Xibra forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Xibra wants to stall.

Xibra has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Smith uses from the top position.
Xibra is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Xibra trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.
Xibra being controlled here, momentarily.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four 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.
Xibra moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Xibra.
Xibra stuffs the takedown.
Smith shoots in but Xibra avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Smith shoots in looking for a takedown but Xibra manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Smith's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Smith tries to clinch but Xibra is having none of it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Xibra.
Smith with the counter takedown but Xibra avoids it easily.
Alex Xibra has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Smith has managed to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alex Xibra.
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 Aafke Stam scores the fight for Adam Smith!
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight for Adam Smith!
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight for Adam Smith!

Adam Smith wins by unanimous decision!