PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Urso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kendall Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Urso kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is Big Ten Inch. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Urso
vs
Smith

185 cm
21
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Rocco Urso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kendall Smith!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Anthony Taglia and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith looks to throw the jab but Urso is out of range.

It looks like Rocco Urso has been cut.
Smith looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Urso throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Urso misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Urso tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick misses from Urso.
Urso throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Smith clinches with his opponent.
Urso with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Smith.
Urso throws a knee to the head but misses.
Urso wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Urso is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Urso looking to slow down the pace here.
Urso wants to break free but Smith has control.
Urso is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Urso tries for a takedown. No joy.
Urso lands a nice knee to the body.
Urso is breathing heavily.
Urso wants to break the clinch but can't.
Urso tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Smith throws an elbow but it misses.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Urso shoots in and drives through. Smith sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rocco Urso. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Urso tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Smith has Urso pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Urso manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith fails to pull guard.
Urso has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Smith is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Urso throws a head kick that misses.
Urso clinches but Smith breaks the clinch

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Urso didn't expect that.
Urso looking to control.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Urso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Urso is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Urso working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.
Smith won't allow Urso to sweep him here.
Smith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Urso not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Urso tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith passes Urso's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Urso moves into full guard.

Urso working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Smith has passed into half guard!
Urso is trying to get back to full guard.
Urso trying to hold on to Smith's head to control him but Smith postures up.
Smith slips a nice elbow through Urso's hands, connecting with Urso's forehead.
Urso is not content to let Smith control the position.
Urso is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Smith not doing much here.
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!

Smith is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Urso is trying to control but can't.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A head kick misses from Smith.
Horrible takedown by Urso or perhaps it was just good defense by Smith which made him look bad.
Rocco Urso seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith shoots in but no luck this time.
Smith takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Urso throws a sloppy head kick

and Smith counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Urso misses with a takedown

and Smith counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Urso's guard now.

Urso 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.
Smith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Urso's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Urso is keeping the position for now.
Smith trying to control but Urso is working from the bottom.
Smith wants to get up but he can't break Urso's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Urso is trying to keep Smith in close.

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Smith wants to control from the top but Urso keeps moving.
Urso keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Smith preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kendall Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rocco Urso's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith misses with a two punch combination.
Smith fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Smith is looking to clinch but Urso is avoiding it.
Smith on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Smith throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Urso misses with a head kick.
Urso tries to clinch but Smith moves out of range.
Rocco Urso is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A head kick from Urso lands but Smith takes it in his stride.
Urso misses with a head kick.
Urso lands a head kick. Smith smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

Smith is rocked!
Smith bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Urso throws a head kick that misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Urso looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Smith closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kendall Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Urso is refusing to be controlled, as Smith sits in half guard.
Smith tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Urso.
Urso gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Smith wants to control from the top but Urso keeps moving.
Smith stays in close to Urso's body and controls the position.

Smith gets to his feet - Urso follows without any prompting.

Urso tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.

Urso breaks the clinch.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Smith's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Urso throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Smith escapes and throws Urso's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Smith staying calm.
Urso gets back to half guard.
Urso is trying to stand up here but Smith is controlling him well.
Urso wants to get back to full guard.
Urso moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Smith wants to control from the top but Urso keeps moving.
Urso is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Urso is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Urso is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Smith has managed to free his arm - good work.

Urso is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Smith is looking to improve his position.

Urso is looking for a kimura here.
Smith is positioning himself well to prevent Urso advancing to mount.
Smith is pressing down on Urso's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smith pulls Urso in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Urso preventing the sweep.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Urso is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Smith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Urso's back instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Urso is trapped and Smith is scoring with shots to the head and body.

Smith looking for the choke but no joy.
Urso is trying to break free.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Urso preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Smith.
Smith wants to control but Urso is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rocco Urso will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rocco Urso's cut.
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 get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Urso missing with a left hand there. Smith was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Urso throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Urso.
Smith avoids the head kick by Urso.
Smith throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Urso tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into side control. Urso won't be happy with that.
Smith remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Urso is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Smith off and has taken his back!
Smith is covering up but some of the strikes from Urso are getting through and doing damage.
Smith is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

Urso sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! Smith taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rocco Urso!