PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jack Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Duncan Higgins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Smith
vs
Higgins

180 cm
20
158 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

180 cm
24
150 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Good elbows
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Duncan Higgins!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, James Ackerman and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Higgins clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
Higgins tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Higgins is looking to control Smith's arms but Smith gets an underhook and turns him. Now Higgins has his back to the cage.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Higgins prevents it.
Higgins lands an elbow inside that Smith shrugs off.
Higgins looking to stall.
Higgins tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
Higgins lands a nice knee to the body.
Higgins is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Smith is defending well for now.

Smith pulls guard.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Smith controls Higgins momentarily but Higgins frees himself.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Higgins from controlling successfully.

Smith is looking for a triangle but Higgins pushes his legs off easily.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Higgins defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Higgins can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Higgins wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Higgins throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Higgins wants to stand but Smith has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Smith is trying to control the position but Higgins postures up.
Higgins really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Smith. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Higgins tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.
Higgins trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Higgins wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Smith wants to clinch

and Higgins holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Higgins trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Smith has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Higgins is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Higgins tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
Smith lands a left hand.
Smith avoiding damage as Higgins throws knees to the body.
Higgins looks gassed!
Higgins keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Smith's efforts to push away.
Higgins missing with knees to the body.
Smith takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Higgins.
Higgins is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Smith is defending well for now.
Smith avoiding damage as Higgins throws knees to the body.
Higgins tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Smith has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Higgins is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Smith wants to break the clinch but can't.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Higgins prevents it.
Higgins trying to control the position but instead, Smith has worked for underhooks and has pushed Higgins into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Smith looking for a takedown.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Smith on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Higgins slowing the pace effectively.
Smith avoiding damage as Higgins throws knees to the body.
Higgins utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Smith turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Higgins dodges the ground and pound from Smith.
Smith working away.
Higgins tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Higgins takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack 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.

Smith has Higgins up against the cage in a clinch.
Higgins lands an elbow inside.
Higgins stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Smith manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Smith wants to sweep here but Higgins controlling him for the moment.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Smith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Higgins's guard.
Smith slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Higgins is breathing heavily.

Higgins explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch combination from Smith misses.
Higgins tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Smith moves into the clinch.
Higgins tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Higgins trying to control the position but instead, Smith has worked for underhooks and has pushed Higgins into the cage.
Smith avoiding damage as Higgins throws knees to the body.
Smith avoiding damage as Higgins throws knees to the body.
Higgins misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smith.
Smith tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Smith drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Higgins gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Higgins leaning against his opponent.

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.
Higgins trying to land knees to the body.
Smith managing to block the knees to the body from Higgins.
A right handed body shot lands from Smith.

Smith manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Smith controlling the position.

Smith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Smith working for a triangle but Higgins defends it easily.
Higgins looking to sit in guard and control but Smith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Higgins blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Higgins is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Smith postures up in Higgins's guard and throws a big left but Higgins blocks it.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Higgins is keeping the position for now.

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 passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Smith looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Smith tries to move to mount but Higgins blocks the move with his legs.
Smith lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Higgins defending against the ground and pound.
Smith throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Smith dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Smith clinches but Higgins breaks the clinch

and Higgins counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Higgins utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Smith blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knees in the clinch landing for Higgins.
Higgins gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Smith.
Smith is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Higgins has Smith pressed against the cage.
Higgins missing with knees to the body.
Higgins working Smith over with knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Higgins throws an elbow but it misses.
Smith managing to block the knees to the body from Higgins.
Smith tries to pull guard but Higgins won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Higgins missing with knees to the body.
Smith blocks an elbow strike from Higgins.
Smith blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Higgins gets underhooks to prevent Smith's takedown attempt.

Smith pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Higgins moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Smith throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Higgins was covering up waiting for the punch and Smith finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Higgins keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Higgins working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Jack Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith landing with the ground and pound.
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Smith wants to control from the top but Higgins keeps moving.
Smith is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Higgins wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Higgins utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Higgins is retaining full guard.
Higgins is looking to stand back up but Smith counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Higgins.
Smith slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Higgins trying to hold on to Smith's head to control him but Smith postures up.
Higgins is concentrating on defense, preventing Smith from advancing position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Higgins can do anything to dispel that myth.
Smith frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Smith has hold of an arm here, looking to extend it. He's committed to the armbar attempt here! Will he get it?! Yes! Higgins is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jack Smith!