PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Spike Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Baki Hanma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Baki Hanma has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Spike Smith's chin.

Smith
vs
Hanma

225 cm
23
300 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

192 cm
23
290 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Spike Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Baki Hanma!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith tries to clinch there but Hanma circles away.
Smith tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hanma sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Smith somewhat.
Spike Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hanma moves into the clinch.
Hanma wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.

Hanma pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith throws a head kick but Hanma moves out of range.
Hanma walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hanma but Hanma pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Spike Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A head kick by Hanma misses

and Smith counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Hanma is defending against the submission attempts here by Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Smith is trying to control the action in half guard but Hanma is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith looks to land a strike but Hanma avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith throws and elbow that misses. Hanma uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Hanma!
Smith thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Hanma has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Smith is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smith shoots for a takedown but Hanma saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Smith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith throws a half hearted mid kick.

Hanma darts in and clinches Smith up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Hanma's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Smith keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hanma's efforts to push away.
With the fighters up against the cage, Smith throws an elbow but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hanma wants to break the clinch but can't.
Smith pushes Hanma back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
The referee calls for Smith to work.
Hanma tries to break the clinch but Smith is controlling the position.
Hanma is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Smith keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hanma's efforts to push away.

Hanma breaks the clinch.
Hanma keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hanma moves away.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spike Smith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith instigates a clinch.
Hanma can't break the clinch.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Hanma tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Hanma.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith looks to clinch

and Hanma counters by clinching up.
Hanma is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Smith utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Hanma in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Hanma is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith lands an elbow just above Hanma 's eye.
Smith fails to pull guard.
Smith lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hanma takes a knee right on the jaw!
Smith tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hanma smiles and moves away.
Hanma wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Smith tries to clinch
and Hanma counters with a right hand to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
A head kick misses from Smith.
Smith fails with the takedown
and Hanma counters with a nice low kick that buckles Smith's knee momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Spike Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith fails with the takedown
and Hanma counters with an inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hanma moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smith connects with a high kick.
Smith closes the distance but Hanma moves to the side

and Hanma counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hanma prevents the takedown attempt.
Hanma working hard to break the clinch.
Smith tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hanma working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hanma lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Hanma breaks from the clinch.

Hanma closes the distance and pushes Smith back into the cage.
Hanma is trying to break the clinch but Smith is controlling him.
Hanma wants to break the clinch but can't.
Smith using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith lands a knee to the body.
Smith lands an elbow just above Hanma 's eye.
Smith dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Hanma takes a knee right on the jaw!
Smith softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Smith putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hanma in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Spike Smith has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Smith has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hanma is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Smith leaning against his opponent.
Hanma working hard to break the clinch.
Smith working Hanma over with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spike Smith dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hanma tries to clinch up
and Smith counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Hanma circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Smith instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hanma is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.
Smith gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hanma wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hanma counters by moving into the clinch.
Hanma tries to circle away but Smith has him pinned against the cage.
Smith lands a nice knee to the body.
Hanma takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smith lands a damaging elbow.
Smith lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Smith lands a body punch.
Smith lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Smith successfully pulls guard.
Smith throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Hanma won't allow Smith to sweep him here.
Smith throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hanma stands up from Smith's guard - Hanma perhaps looking for a knockout.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hanma counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Smith shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hanma defends it nicely.
Smith throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Hanma.

Smith gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Smith leaning his opponent against the cage.

Smith pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smith fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Hanma swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Hanma misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Hanma circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hanma moves into the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spike Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Smith has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Spike Smith!