PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Scott Hardcastle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith has chosen Guerilla Radio by RATM as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hardcastle
vs
Smith

191 cm
22
260 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
19
245 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Improved boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

Shinryaku MMA Gear

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Scott Hardcastle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Smith!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hardcastle misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Hardcastle tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Smith shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Smith showed some decent athleticism there.
Smith thows a huge punch but Hardcastle dodges it nicely.
Smith scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Smith is taking a breather. Hardcastle says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Smith wants to take a breather but Hardcastle is having none of it.
Smith has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hardcastle wants to get back to his feet.
Smith is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hardcastle is looking to escape.
Hardcastle blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Smith is taking a breather. Hardcastle says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Smith is looking to stall here but Hardcastle recovers full guard.
Hardcastle being controlled here, momentarily.

Despite being in the dominant position, Matt Smith just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hardcastle fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith has managed to clinch.
Hardcastle is trying to stall.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Smith. No joy for Hardcastle on that attempt.
Hardcastle takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Smith tries to bum rush Hardcastle with a series of wild strikes but Hardcastle uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hardcastle wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.
Hardcastle is breathing heavily.
Hardcastle is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Hardcastle is keeping the position.
Smith won't allow Hardcastle to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control from the top but Hardcastle keeps moving.
Smith not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Hardcastle is keeping the position.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hardcastle will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Smith dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hardcastle connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Hardcastle lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Smith misses with an elbow over the top.
Hardcastle looking to stall.

Smith breaks from the clinch.

Smith decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hardcastle is looking to escape.
Well, if Smith is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Smith is just content to waste time from the top position. Hardcastle takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Smith sitting in guard here, content to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Hardcastle is working from the bottom.
Smith pushes down on Hardcastle's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Smith looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hardcastle pushes Smith off looking to stand but Smith dives back in and keeps control.
Smith is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardcastle keeps working.

Despite being in the dominant position, Matt Smith just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hardcastle closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Hardcastle pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hardcastle looks to clinch
and Smith counters with a series of strikes. Hardcastle will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hardcastle fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Smith on the side of the head.
Smith shoots for a takedown but Hardcastle saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hardcastle takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Hardcastle showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control.
Hardcastle wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Hardcastle explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Hardcastle moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Smith goes down! Can Hardcastle finish him!?

Smith is rocked!

It looks like Matt Smith has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith has a closed guard, preventing Hardcastle from standing up.
Smith is still in real trouble! Can Hardcastle finish him?
Smith utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hardcastle tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
Smith seems to have recovered his senses.
Hardcastle looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Hardcastle gets to his feet - Smith follows without any prompting.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hardcastle tries to clinch

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control.
Matt Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Matt Smith's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Hardcastle.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt - Hardcastle sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hardcastle fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hardcastle looks to clinch

and Smith counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hardcastle's guard now.
Hardcastle keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Hardcastle is looking to stand up but Smith isn't so interested in that idea.

Hardcastle kicks Smith off and gets to his feet.
Hardcastle shoots in but no luck this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hardcastle tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hardcastle counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Smith's guard now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hardcastle wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Smith has his foot on Hardcastle's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hardcastle works his way back into a safe position though.
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but Hardcastle is proving a slippery customer.
Smith has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Hardcastle tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Hardcastle won't allow Smith to sweep him here.
Smith looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Hardcastle puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Hardcastle tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hardcastle tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hardcastle has his takedown stuffed

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hardcastle won't be happy with that.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Hardcastle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith throwing shots but missing, from side control.

Smith wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hardcastle, who protects the arm well.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hardcastle keeps working.
Hardcastle is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Smith throwing shots but missing, from side control.

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.

Hardcastle bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Smith shoots in for a double leg but Hardcastle sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hardcastle lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Hardcastle.
Smith avoids a punch combination nicely.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Hardcastle closes the distance and clinches.
Hardcastle looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Scott Hardcastle. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hardcastle breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Scott Hardcastle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head kick misses from Hardcastle.
No joy there for Hardcastle, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hardcastle takes a swing at Smith's ribcage but misses.
Smith slips a jab from Hardcastle.
Hardcastle tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Hardcastle throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Scott Hardcastle.
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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Smith!