PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Kane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Kane has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kane
vs
Smith

180 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

184 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Death Ring Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Michael Kane!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Paul Smith!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Konstantin Menshow and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith throws out a loose jab but Kane uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith scores with a decent looking hook.
Good standup being displayed there by Smith as he connects with a hook.
Smith connects with a looping right hand.
Kane fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Smith looks to land a combination but Kane avoids it well.
Kane keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Some wild striking there from Smith.
Smith throws a shot to the body.
Kane takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Smith with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Smith dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Smith scores with a one two! Kane had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Kane does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kane slips under a jab.
Smith swinging wildly here.
Smith lands a nice shot that snaps Kane's head back.
Nice straight punches there by Smith. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Smith.
Smith tries to bum rush Kane with a series of wild strikes but Kane uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Kane shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Smith napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Smith tries to escape but Kane is in control.
Kane working the body and head with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kane working the head with strikes.
Smith is trying to buck Kane off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kane tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kane has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Kane is trying to get an arm triangle but Smith is defending well.
Smith is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kane misses with the ground and pound.

Kane working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Smith wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Kane throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Smith is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kane is controlling him well.
Kane misses with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.
Smith dodges the ground and pound from Kane.

Kane working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kane in side control, throwing shots but Smith defends.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.
Smith is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Smith looks gassed!
Kane landing strikes.

Kane thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Kane working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Smith is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Kane throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kane throws an elbow but Smith slips to the side and avoids it well.
Smith prevents Kane from moving into mount.
Kane sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Smith is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Kane prevents Smith from escaping the position.
Kane working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Left hook, right uppercut from Smith.
Smith bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Kane's head backwards.
Some wild striking there from Smith.
A punch combination from Smith misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Smith misses with a looping left.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Kane dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A telegraphed right hand from Smith misses the target.
Kane avoids the body shot from Smith.
Kane dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Smith misses with a double jab.
Smith keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Smith lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Kane backs up against the cage.
Kane walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Smith digs a good hook to Kane's body.
Smith looks to land a right hand but Kane moved out of range.
Smith connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a body punch but Kane moves out of range.
Paul Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Smith connects with a good right hand that stumbles Kane. Kane circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Smith fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Smith throws a jab but it's blocked by Kane.
Kane needs to keep his hands up - Smith had a free shot at his head there.
Smith pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kane moves out of range of the strikes.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Kane.
Kane walks into a stiff left hand from Smith.
Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Kane moves away.
Smith misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a straight right.
Smith paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Smith jabs Kane right on the nose. Kane blinks but takes it well.
Smith throws an overhand right that lands on Kane's shoulder, as Kane tries to avoid the shot.

Kane closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Smith to the mat! Smith manages to get full guard.
Kane throws a big right hand that misses.
Smith can't keep his opponent in guard - Kane advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Kane throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Kane not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Smith pushes Kane off looking to stand but Kane dives back in and keeps control.
Smith really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kane. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kane is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kane to get the leverage.

Kane is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kane to get the leverage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kane prevents Smith from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kane thows a huge punch but Smith dodges it nicely.
Kane has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Kane prevents Smith from standing back up.

Kane is working for a kimura but Smith is defending it quite comfortably.

Kane wants to work for an arm triangle but Smith is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Smith tries to kick Kane off but Kane keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Kane.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Kane is controlling him well.
Kane seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Kane is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kane to get the leverage.

Kane seems to be working for a kimura but Smith defends the submission attempt.
Smith tries to kick Kane off but Kane keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

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.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Kane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Kane thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Smith's head.

Kane is working for a submission of some sort.
Smith tries to kick Kane off but Kane keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smith throws a hook but Kane blocks it.
Smith lands a jab.

Kane shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Smith squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Smith will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith throws a body punch but Kane moves out of range.
Kane gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Smith.
Smith throws a series of punches but Kane moves out of range.
Kane misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kane is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Smith.
Smith fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Smith lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Kane looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Smith looks to throw the jab but Kane is out of range.
Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Smith lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Paul Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a right hand that Kane ducks under and follows up with a left that Kane also avoids with ease.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Smith lands a jab to the nose.
Kane is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Smith looks to land a right hand but Kane moved out of range.
A swing and a miss from Smith.
Smith throws a right and a left that both miss.
Smith connects with a nice looking jab.
Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Kane.
Kane avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two 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 misses the shot to the body.
Smith misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kane dives in and grabs Smith's left leg, looking for a takedown. Smith pushes down on Kane's head and hops out.
Smith fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kane looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Smith bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Kane's head backwards.
Smith throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Kane.
Smith throws the left hand but Kane avoids the punch easily.
Paul Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kane closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Smith is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Kane tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Kane is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Smith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Smith dodges the ground and pound from Kane.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is pushing Kane's head away, looking to escape. Kane manages to hold on to the position though.
Kane misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Kane is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Smith knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Kane wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Smith, who protects the arm well.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.

Kane wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Smith, who protects the arm well.
Smith is trying to get back to his feet.
Kane throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Kane tries to score with some ground and pound. Smith controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Kane asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Kane creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Smith is trying to buck Kane off.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smith cracks Kane with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Smith misses with a looping left.
Smith lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Kane circles away quickly and effectively.
Kane takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Smith throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Kane misses with a takedown attempt - Smith sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Kane. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kane takes a jab right on the kisser.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Paul Smith.
I think Smith has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27

The fight is ruled a draw!