PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jamie Racken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maciej Szmyd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Szmyd is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Enter Sandman - Metallica. Maciej Szmyd has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Racken
vs
Szmyd

180 cm
20
200 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

190 cm
25
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

LHK Clothing

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jamie Racken!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Maciej Szmyd!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Bruno Hogan and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Szmyd doesn't manage to clinch there - Racken circles away.
Szmyd wants to clinch.
Racken throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Szmyd shoots in for a takedown but Racken shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Jamie Racken seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Szmyd chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Racken shoots in but no luck this time.
Racken shoots in for a takedown but Szmyd shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Szmyd misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Racken shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Szmyd wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Racken.
Racken prevents Szmyd from getting the reversal.
Racken controlling his opponent.
Racken can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Szmyd is looking to escape.
Szmyd can't escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szmyd is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Racken is landing with some decent strikes but Szmyd is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

It looks like Maciej Szmyd has been cut.
Racken unloads with some shots from mount but Szmyd bucks and avoids them well.
Racken looking to finish with strikes here!
Szmyd is wriggling around trying to escape.
Racken controlling the pace for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Racken throws some wild stikes that Szmyd manages to avoid easily.
Racken throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Racken is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Szmyd can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Racken working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Szmyd wants to hold on but Racken pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Racken is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Racken wants to control the pace but Szmyd is squirming around nicely.

Racken working for a guillotine from mount but Szmyd is in no mood to give up.
Racken takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Racken working away from the top, dropping strikes.

That has opened up Maciej Szmyd's cut even more.
Racken looking to control but Szmyd is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Racken thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Racken sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Racken wants to control the pace but Szmyd is squirming around nicely.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Racken cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Racken dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Maciej Szmyd'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.

Racken scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Racken rushes Szmyd and presses him up against the cage.
Racken scores with a nice hook to the head.

The cut above Maciej Szmyd's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

Racken manages to pull guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jamie Racken.
Szmyd keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Racken shoots for a double leg takedown but Szmyd sprawls well. He's pushed Racken's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Racken doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Szmyd counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Racken is lucky that one didn't land flush.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamie Racken. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Racken looks to land a body kick but Szmyd moved away.

Racken closes the distance and clinches.
Szmyd is working for takedown but Racken is calmly controlling the position for now.

Racken has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Szmyd uses from the top position.

Szmyd avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Szmyd passes into half guard.
Szmyd trying to pass the guard but Racken defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Racken manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Racken is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Szmyd pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Racken is keeping the position for now.
Racken wants to get back to his feet but Szmyd is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Racken trying to control the position.
Szmyd preventing the sweep.

Racken looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Szmyd won't allow Racken to sweep him here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Szmyd misses with a double jab.

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.
Nice sprawl there from Szmyd as Racken shoots in.
Szmyd throws a head kick that misses.
Racken throws a series of punches but Szmyd avoids them all with ease.
Racken takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Szmyd leaves Racken with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Szmyd closes this distance looking for a takedown but Racken circles away.
Racken lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Szmyd backs up against the cage.
Szmyd keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Szmyd shoots in looking for a takedown. Racken tries to sprawl out of it but Szmyd keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Racken manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Szmyd swings for the body but Racken moves out of range.

Racken scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Racken is looking to take a break and control but Szmyd is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Szmyd manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szmyd is trying to stand up here but Racken is controlling him well.
Racken not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Racken tries to pass the half guard into mount. Szmyd knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Racken wants to stand up but Szmyd has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Szmyd is staying active underneath Racken, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Szmyd keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Racken looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Racken scores a takedown into full mount!
Jamie Racken overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Racken swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Szmyd is now in Racken's guard. A big mistake from Racken there, giving up the dominant position!
Szmyd being controlled here momentarily.
Szmyd pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Racken is keeping the position for now.
Racken is adopting a defensive guard.
Szmyd stops Racken from standing up.
Szmyd looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Racken dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Maciej Szmyd's cut.
That's time! Racken's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Racken fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Racken throws the kick towards the body but Szmyd avoids it.
Szmyd chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Racken can pounce on him.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Szmyd misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Racken shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Racken showed some decent athleticism there.
Racken passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Szmyd!
Racken throwing strikes but Szmyd uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Racken frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Racken unloads with some shots from mount but Szmyd bucks and avoids them well.
Racken looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Szmyd is bucking up trying to escape but Racken cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Racken has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Szmyd's face.

Racken looking to secure an arm triangle but Szmyd defends it well.
Racken tries to control but Szmyd wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Racken postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Szmyd looks a forlorn figure.
Racken lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Racken throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Racken wants to control the pace but Szmyd is squirming around nicely.
Racken is in the full mount, landing strikes.
The referee warns Szmyd that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Szmyd is looking to improve his position but Racken isn't that keen on the idea.
Maciej Szmyd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Racken connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Racken putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Szmyd tries to hold on but Racken pushes him away.
Racken prevents Szmyd from getting the reversal.
Racken landing strikes from the mount.
Racken cracks Szmyd with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Racken sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Racken cracks Szmyd with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Racken landing strikes from the mount and Szmyd is in trouble!
Racken postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Szmyd looks a forlorn figure.
Racken looking to control but Szmyd is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Racken looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Szmyd is bucking up trying to escape but Racken cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Racken in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Jamie Racken is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Racken controlling from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jamie Racken showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Racken 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jamie Racken!