PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Smirnov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shin Yamaguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Smirnov
vs
Yamaguchi

165 cm
22
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
154 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BLKOUT Clothing

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alexander Smirnov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Shin Yamaguchi!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, John Mangel and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smirnov moves into the clinch.

Smirnov pulls Yamaguchi into guard.

Smirnov working for submissions but it's allowed Yamaguchi to get to half guard.
Smirnov is looking to control Yamaguchi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Smirnov avoid being mounted?
Yamaguchi trying to mount his opponent but Smirnov defends it.
Smirnov makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Smirnov.
Smirnov keeping moving, preventing Yamaguchi from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yamaguchi postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Smirnov is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Yamaguchi, into his guard.
Smirnov trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Yamaguchi looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Smirnov has picked Yamaguchi up and slammed him! Yamaguchi can't keep hold of the triangle and Smirnov manages to pass to side control!
Yamaguchi is not content to let Smirnov control the position.
Yamaguchi takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Yamaguchi tries to escape but Smirnov is in control.
Yamaguchi is looking to reverse the position.
Smirnov scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Yamaguchi to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yamaguchi keeps working.
Yamaguchi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Yamaguchi tries to get to full guard but Smirnov has control of the leg.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Smirnov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Smirnov not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Yamaguchi keeping hold of Smirnov's head, controlling as best he can.
Smirnov is trying to control the action in half guard but Yamaguchi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smirnov stops Yamaguchi from getting back to his feet.
Smirnov is looking to take a break and control but Yamaguchi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yamaguchi is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smirnov looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yamaguchi lands a nice hook to Smirnov's body. Smirnov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Shin Yamaguchi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yamaguchi throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smirnov.

Smirnov scores with a takedown into Yamaguchi's guard.
Yamaguchi can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smirnov controls the pace.
Yamaguchi is adopting a defensive guard.
Smirnov trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Smirnov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smirnov scoring with punches to the head and body.
Smirnov slips nicely into half guard.
Smirnov is pressing down on Yamaguchi's thigh, looking to free his foot. Yamaguchi is holding on for now.

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

Smirnov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Smirnov dominated that round.
That's time! Smirnov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Yamaguchi throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smirnov gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Yamaguchi.
Nice uppercut lands for Yamaguchi. That snapped Smirnov's head back.
Smirnov avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Smirnov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Smirnov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yamaguchi keeps working.

Smirnov tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Smirnov has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Yamaguchi is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Yamaguchi is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Smirnov has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamaguchi is trying to control Smirnov's posture but Smirnov avoids it.

Smirnov is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yamaguchi has escaped the position, nice work there.
Smirnov wants to control but Yamaguchi is keeping him busy.
Smirnov controlling from side mount.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smirnov closes this distance looking for a takedown but Yamaguchi circles away.

Smirnov gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Smirnov turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Smirnov manages to end up in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Yamaguchi wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Smirnov is looking to take a break and control but Yamaguchi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Yamaguchi struggling a bit here.
Yamaguchi tries to bench press Smirnov off him but Smirnov keeps the position.
Yamaguchi wants to get back to his feet.

Smirnov is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Yamaguchi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Yamaguchi can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Smirnov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Yamaguchi taking some punishment here, with Smirnov in his half guard.
Smirnov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Yamaguchi defending well though.
Smirnov wants to take a breather but Yamaguchi is having none of it.
Yamaguchi is trying to maintain the position but Smirnov is very close to passing his half guard.
Nice strikes from Smirnov there.
Yamaguchi works his way to full guard. Good work.
Smirnov postures up.
Smirnov throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Yamaguchi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Yamaguchi keeping moving, preventing Smirnov from controlling successfully.
Yamaguchi wants to get back to his feet but Smirnov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Smirnov pushes down on Yamaguchi's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Smirnov takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Smirnov is trying to control the action in half guard but Yamaguchi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Yamaguchi looking for submissions off his back.
Yamaguchi is looking for a sweep. Smirnov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Smirnov dominated that second round.
That's time! Smirnov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Yamaguchi stuffs the takedown attempt from Smirnov. Smirnov gets slowly back to his feet.
Yamaguchi connects with a nice looking jab.

Smirnov shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Smirnov was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Smirnov avoids the attempt from Yamaguchi to control.
Yamaguchi tries to buck Smirnov off but Smirnov takes his back!
Smirnov is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Smirnov gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Smirnov gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Smirnov apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Yamaguchi paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Smirnov dodges the punch combination from Yamaguchi.
Yamaguchi rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smirnov moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Yamaguchi throws a shot from downtown. Smirnov moves away and avoids it.
Smirnov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Yamaguchi as he jumps to the side.
Smirnov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Smirnov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yamaguchi closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Yamaguchi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Yamaguchi looks to land a combination. Smirnov sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Smirnov fails to land the takedown.
Yamaguchi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Yamaguchi swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Smirnov counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Yamaguchi's guard now.
Smirnov wants to control from the top but Yamaguchi keeps moving.
Smirnov showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov advances position into side control!
Yamaguchi defending against the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smirnov is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Yamaguchi's shoulder. That is not cool.
Yamaguchi is not content to let Smirnov control the position.
Yamaguchi struggling a bit here.
Smirnov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Yamaguchi on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yamaguchi tries to buck Smirnov off but Smirnov is having none of it.
Yamaguchi can't do much from the bottom here.
Smirnov trying to control the action but Yamaguchi is working from the bottom.
Yamaguchi avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Smirnov.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smirnov slips a jab and a cross from Yamaguchi.
Alexander Smirnov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Smirnov closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Smirnov wants to take a breather but Yamaguchi manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Smirnov.
Smirnov wants to control from the top but Yamaguchi keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov postures up.
Smirnov might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Yamaguchi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smirnov can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Smirnov trying to control the position from guard on top but Yamaguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Yamaguchi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Yamaguchi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Yamaguchi keeping moving, preventing Smirnov from controlling successfully.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Smirnov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexander Smirnov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Smirnov, 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Smirnov!