PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sam Hebert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Smithsonian (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sam Hebert has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Hebert
vs
Smithsonian

185 cm
24
217 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

205 cm
23
275 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Experienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Hebert!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Smithsonian!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smithsonian shoots in for a takedown but Hebert shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hebert looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smithsonian swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hebert tries to clinch up.
Smithsonian throws a sloppy head kick and Hebert moves out of range easily.
Hebert is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hebert fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hebert moves in looking to clinch but Smithsonian pushes him off.
Nice sprawl there from Hebert as Smithsonian shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smithsonian is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hebert sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Sam Hebert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Smithsonian.
Hebert moves in looking to clinch but Smithsonian pushes him off.
Hebert tries to clinch up.
Hebert is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hebert tries to clinch up but Smithsonian circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hebert moves into the clinch successfully.
Smithsonian on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hebert lands a nice elbow.
Smithsonian fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A knee to the head by Hebert.
Hebert looking to throw knees to the head but Smithsonian is blocking nicely.
Hebert with a knee to the head.
Hebert looking to throw knees to the head but Smithsonian is blocking nicely.
Hebert is pressed up against the cage. Smithsonian has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hebert down to the mat. Hebert avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smithsonian swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hebert is looking to clinch but Smithsonian is avoiding it.
Smithsonian circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smithsonian throws a right and a left that both miss.
Smithsonian swats away the attempt to clinch by Hebert.
Smithsonian has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smithsonian shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hebert defends it nicely.
Hebert wants to clinch.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smithsonian swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Smithsonian shoots for a double leg takedown but Hebert sprawls well. He's pushed Smithsonian's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hebert looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hebert fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hebert doesn't manage to clinch there - Smithsonian circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smithsonian keeps the fight on the outside.
Hebert tries to clinch but Smithsonian is having none of it.

Hebert drives through and clinches with Smithsonian against the cage.
Hebert lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Smithsonian jumps guard but Hebert stands there with Smithsonian around his waist. Smithsonian gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hebert using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Hebert misses with a knee to the head.
Hebert will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Smithsonian up against the cage.
Hebert lands a good knee to the midsection. Smithsonian won't want to take too many of those.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hebert obliges.
Smithsonian looks gassed!
Hebert throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Smithsonian blocks it with crossed arms.
Hebert using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Smithsonian has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Come on Hebert - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Smithsonian tightens his grip and picks Hebert up, before dumping him to the ground. Hebert manages to land in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smithsonian looking to pass the guard.
Hebert is looking to stand up but Smithsonian isn't so interested in that idea.
Hebert knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smithsonian on the ground.
Smithsonian tries to free his leg and advance position but Hebert is retaining full guard.
Hebert is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Hebert pushes Smithsonian off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Hebert dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hebert tries to clinch but Smithsonian moves out of range.

Hebert gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hebert lands a good knee to the midsection. Smithsonian won't want to take too many of those.
Smithsonian is working for takedown but Hebert is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hebert lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Hebert stops a takedown attempt from Smithsonian.
Hebert unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Hebert connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smithsonian's face.
Hebert lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Smithsonian takes a knee right on the jaw!
Hebert working Smithsonian over with knees to the body.
Hebert lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Smithsonian is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hebert lands a knee to the head.
Hebert working Smithsonian over with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hebert stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hebert.
Hebert lands a damaging elbow.
Hebert displaying some good clinch control by pressing Smithsonian up against the cage.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Hebert here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Smithsonian jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hebert walks away with a smile on his face. Smithsonian gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sam Hebert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Smithsonian.
Smithsonian fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Smithsonian swats away the attempt to clinch by Hebert.
Hebert is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Smithsonian avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smithsonian shoots in for a takedown but Hebert shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hebert tries to clinch up.
Hebert tries to clinch there but Smithsonian circles away.
Hebert moves in looking to clinch but Smithsonian pushes him off.
Hebert tries to clinch but Smithsonian is having none of it.
Hebert tries to clinch but Smithsonian moves out of range.
Hebert tries to clinch but Smithsonian is having none of it.
Hebert tries to clinch up.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch but Smithsonian swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Smithsonian gets a takedown into half guard.
Smithsonian throws a strike but Hebert avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smithsonian pushes down on Hebert's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Smithsonian seems to be working for a kimura but Hebert defends the submission attempt.
Hebert wants to get back to his feet.

Smithsonian is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hebert defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Hebert manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Hebert tries to clinch there but Smithsonian circles away.
Hebert is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hebert tries to clinch up but Smithsonian circles away and keeps his distance.

Hebert moves into the clinch.
Hebert tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Hebert lands a damaging elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Hebert dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Smithsonian throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hebert is looking to clinch but Smithsonian is avoiding it.
Hebert fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sam Hebert seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hebert tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smithsonian fails with the takedown.
Smithsonian swats away the attempt to clinch by Hebert.

Smithsonian tries to keep at a distance but Hebert has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hebert holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hebert lands a knee to the body.
Smithsonian blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Smithsonian takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smithsonian tries to pull guard but Hebert holds him up against the cage and eventually Smithsonian drops back down to his feet.
Hebert gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hebert.
Hebert comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hebert stalling.
Hebert lands a knee to the head.
Hebert stalling.
Smithsonian jumps guard but Hebert stands there with Smithsonian around his waist. Smithsonian gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Sam Hebert has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Smithsonian.
Smithsonian tries to score a body lock takedown but Hebert shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Hebert tries a knee to the head but Smithsonian blocks it.
Hebert is pressed up against the cage. Smithsonian has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hebert down to the mat. Hebert avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hebert is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Johnny Smithsonian has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hebert tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smithsonian swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hebert tries to clinch there but Smithsonian circles away.
Sam Hebert is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Hebert moves into the clinch.
Smithsonian changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hebert fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hebert is looking to clinch but Smithsonian is avoiding it.

Hebert closes the distance and clinches.
Nice elbow from Hebert.
Hebert slowing the pace effectively.
Hebert landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smithsonian has Hebert pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hebert manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A bit of stalling here from Hebert.
Hebert utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Knees to the body from Hebert.
Hebert lands a knee to the head.
Hebert lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A knee to the head by Hebert.
Hebert utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hebert.
Hebert lands a knee to the head.
Hebert gets underhooks to prevent Smithsonian's takedown attempt.
Hebert misses with a knee strike.
Smithsonian takes an elbow to the temple.
Hebert throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hebert is pressed up against the cage. Smithsonian has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hebert down to the mat. Hebert avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Smithsonian shoots in but Hebert avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hebert tries to clinch up but Smithsonian circles away and keeps his distance.
Smithsonian looks to land a left hand but Hebert moved out of range nicely.
Smithsonian closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hebert circles away.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smithsonian paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hebert tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smithsonian paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hebert is looking to clinch.
Smithsonian fails with the takedown.
Sam Hebert is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Hebert has Smithsonian up against the cage in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Hebert showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hebert, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:26
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Hebert!