PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paul Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Senshi Jaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Smith
vs
Jaa

176 cm
20
165 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

163 cm
22
163 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

Firebird Designs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Senshi Jaa!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jaa bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Smith's head.

Smith is rocked!
Smith shoots in and drives through. Jaa sprawls well.
Oh Smith is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jaa throws a big shot that misses.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Smith seems to have got his legs back now.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Jaa is keeping the position.
Jaa trying to strike off his back.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jaa can do anything to dispel that myth.
Jaa wants to hit a switch here but Smith passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Jaa there!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Jaa working to try and regain half guard.
Jaa regains half guard.
Jaa missing with punches from the bottom.
Smith wants to take a breather but Jaa is having none of it.
Jaa strikes from the bottom but Smith passes into mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jaa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Smith controlling the pace for now.

Smith is working for a guillotine from mount but Jaa frees his head quite easily.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Jaa is looking to improve his position but Smith isn't that keen on the idea.
Jaa is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Smith throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Smith misses with a head shot.
Jaa is working to get back to half guard.
Jaa tries to hold on but Smith pushes him away.

Smith stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Smith is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Jaa circles away.

Jaa darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Jaa is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
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. Jaa connects with a nice short shot to Smith's temple.
Smith won't allow Jaa to pass to mount.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Jaa lands a nice short elbow.
Jaa is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Smith works his way to full guard. Good work.
Jaa content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jaa postures up and lands a big shot to Smith's brow.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Smith is on top in guard.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Jaa swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Jaa is working from the bottom.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Smith decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Jaa, up you get!

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!
Jaa is trying desperately to improve position.
Jaa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Smith controlling from mount.

Smith is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Smith moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Smith shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Jaa's guard.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Jaa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Jaa is on top in guard.
Jaa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
Smith keeping full guard, as Jaa tries to pass.
Jaa slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Jaa lands a few punches from side control.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Jaa wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Smith on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Jaa working the body and head with strikes.
Smith takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Jaa wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa tries to advance to mount but Smith denies him.

Jaa looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Jaa working the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Senshi Jaa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Jaa.
Jaa working the head and body with strikes.
Jaa trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Jaa should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Smith is looking for a sweep.
Jaa is putting a hurting on Smith here, landing some big shots from side control.
Senshi Jaa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jaa lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Jaa is putting a hurting on Smith here, landing some big shots from side control.
Smith takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Jaa working away.
Jaa working the ground and pound from side control.
Jaa working the body and head with strikes.
Jaa in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Smith takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Jaa tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jaa in side control lands a decent elbow.
Jaa lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Check out the look on Jaa's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jaa lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Jaa working the head with strikes.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Smith trying to control here.
Jaa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Smith is trying to maintain the position but Jaa is very close to passing his half guard.
Jaa tries to pass the half guard into mount. Smith knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Smith is looking to improve his position.
Smith is trying to maintain the position but Jaa is very close to passing his half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Jaa lands a nice short elbow.
Smith on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Jaa looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Smith with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Jaa scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jaa working Smith over with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.
Jaa looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Smith trying to hold on to Jaa's head to control him but Jaa postures up.
Jaa working Smith over with strikes.
Jaa landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Smith manages to get to full guard.
Jaa trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jaa landing some decent shots from guard.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Jaa wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.
Jaa lands a couple of elbows.

Smith is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Jaa manages to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with the combination.
Smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Smith with a poor takedown

and Jaa counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Smith manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Jaa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Jaa regains half guard.
Jaa regains full guard. Nicely done.
Jaa trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Smith passes into half guard.
Jaa tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Still in half guard, Smith seems content to control.
Jaa wants to improve his position but Smith is controlling well.
Smith seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jaa flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Jaa tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Jaa moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Jaa 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 is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Jaa looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Jaa throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Smith decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jaa wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa stuffs the takedown.
Smith throws a low kick but Jaa avoids it.
Jaa throws a good cross that connects.
Horrible takedown by Smith or perhaps it was just good defense by Jaa which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith dodges the punch combination from Jaa.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Senshi Jaa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Smith looks for a takedown but Jaa sprawls well.
Smith shoots in and drives through. Jaa sprawls well.
Jaa fails with an attempt to clinch.

Jaa gets a takedown into half guard.
Jaa tries to pass the half guard into mount. Smith knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Jaa working over Smith with some ground and pound. Smith looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.
Jaa is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Jaa working Smith over with strikes.
Jaa seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Jaa trying to control from half guard but Smith is working away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jaa lands strikes from half guard.
Smith is looking to improve his position.
Smith trying to control here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jaa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Smith trying to control but Jaa postures up.
Smith gets full guard.
Jaa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Jaa striking off his back but it's not causing Smith any problems.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Smith is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Jaa has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Smith is looking to defend but Jaa has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Smith! Jaa pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Smith taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:46 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Senshi Jaa!