PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Neil Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hakeem Ayotunde (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith comes to the cage accompanied by Re-Education (Through Labor). This should be fireworks!

Smith
vs
Ayotunde

165 cm
24
140 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

225 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Neil Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hakeem Ayotunde!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith thuds a left hand into Ayotunde's body.
Ayotunde is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Ayotunde just misses with a punch to the body.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ayotunde throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ayotunde moves out of range of the body kick.
Smith is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Smith is looking to pass Ayotunde's guard but actually Ayotunde recovers to full guard.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ayotunde not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Smith throws a big right hand that misses.
Ayotunde is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Smith is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ayotunde looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Ayotunde working a defensive guard here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Ayotunde gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Smith to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Smith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Ayotunde looking to control.

Smith decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Smith looks to land a body kick but Ayotunde moved away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ayotunde takes a swing at Smith's ribcage but misses.
Ayotunde lunges at Smith with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Smith's hand.
Ayotunde lands a nice shot to the body.
Smith avoids a punch combination nicely.
Smith gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ayotunde.

Smith darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Ayotunde is trying to control but can't.

Smith is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ayotunde tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.
Ayotunde has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Smith is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ayotunde defending well though.
Smith moves nicely into side control.
Check out the look on Smith's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
You can see the frustration on Ayotunde's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Smith landing strikes.
Ayotunde tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Smith postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Smith is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ayotunde is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ayotunde can't do much from the bottom here.
Ayotunde gets back to half guard.
Smith is thwarting Ayotunde's attempts to control the position.
Ayotunde misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil 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.

Ayotunde throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Smith on the side of the head.
Smith is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ayotunde.

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

Smith is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Ayotunde has escaped the position, nice work there.
You can see the frustration on Ayotunde's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Smith looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Smith decides to stand back up. Smith steps back and let's Ayotunde get back to his feet.
Ayotunde's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Ayotunde duly obliges.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith misses with a double jab
and Ayotunde counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.
Ayotunde will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ayotunde scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Ayotunde lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Smith doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
No joy there for Ayotunde, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ayotunde lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A jab from Ayotunde does it's job there.
Smith misses with a body kick.
Smith falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ayotunde makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Some wild striking there from Ayotunde.
Smith tries to bum rush Ayotunde with a series of wild strikes but Ayotunde uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ayotunde connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Smith's hands.
Ayotunde scores with a body shot.

Smith shoots in and bounces Ayotunde off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ayotunde looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ayotunde is keeping the position for now.
Ayotunde controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Ayotunde has wrist control.
Ayotunde controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Smith slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Ayotunde manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Ayotunde wants to control the position but Smith says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Smith trying to control the action but Ayotunde is working from the bottom.
Ayotunde tries to get to full guard but Smith has control of the leg.
Smith is trying to control. Ayotunde wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ayotunde is trying to maintain the position but Smith is very close to passing his half guard.
Neil Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

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.
Ayotunde trying to control here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Smith shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ayotunde manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ayotunde is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Smith's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Ayotunde escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smith gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Ayotunde is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Smith is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Smith dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith throws a series of strikes that have Ayotunde backpedaling.

Smith looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Smith thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ayotunde tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ayotunde slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Ayotunde is looking to stand back up but Smith counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Ayotunde.
Ayotunde tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Smith manages to move to mount!
Ayotunde tries to improve his position but instead Smith has taken his back!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith avoiding Ayotunde 's attempts to control his hands.

Smith is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Ayotunde taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Smith.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Neil Smith!