PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vytautas Smirnovas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Amare Fletcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Smirnovas
vs
Fletcher

199 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Very strong

Good takedowns
Brawler
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Vytautas Smirnovas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Amare Fletcher!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Aafke Stam and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Fletcher. Smirnovas does a little dance to reset his feet.

Smirnovas pushes Fletcher up against the cage in a clinch.
Fletcher tries to score a body lock takedown but Smirnovas shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Smirnovas drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Fletcher gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Smirnovas gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Fletcher regains guard.
Fletcher wants to sweep but no luck.
Smirnovas has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smirnovas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Fletcher controls Smirnovas momentarily but Smirnovas frees himself.
Smirnovas tries to free his leg and advance position but Fletcher is retaining full guard.

Fletcher working for a triangle but Smirnovas defends it easily.
Smirnovas preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnovas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fletcher keeping moving, preventing Smirnovas from controlling successfully.
Smirnovas knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Fletcher on the ground.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smirnovas shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Smirnovas decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Smirnovas will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Fletcher is trying to maintain the position but Smirnovas is very close to passing his half guard.
Fletcher throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ground and pound from Smirnovas.
Fletcher is staying active underneath Smirnovas, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Fletcher manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smirnovas seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Fletcher trying to keep a closed guard but Smirnovas is proving a slippery customer.
Smirnovas throwing strikes from guard but Fletcher blocks nicely.
Fletcher keeping moving, preventing Smirnovas from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smirnovas throwing strikes but missing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fletcher tries to clinch up

and Smirnovas counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Fletcher fails to pull guard.
A frustrated look appears on Fletcher's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Smirnovas tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vytautas Smirnovas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fletcher takes a shot to the head.

It looks like Amare Fletcher has been cut.
Stalling in the clinch from Smirnovas.

Smirnovas breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smirnovas scores with a hook to the body. Fletcher takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Fletcher looks gassed!
Smirnovas looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Smirnovas darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smirnovas is thwarting Fletcher's attempts to control the position.
Smirnovas trying to mount his opponent but Fletcher defends it.
Smirnovas trying to advance position but Fletcher counters by regaining guard.
Smirnovas prevents Fletcher from getting back to his feet.
Smirnovas in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fletcher controlling Smirnovas's posture.
Smirnovas trying to control the position from guard on top but Fletcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vytautas Smirnovas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Amare Fletcher's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Fletcher tries to clinch

and Smirnovas counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Smirnovas.
Smirnovas loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Fletcher 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.
Smirnovas trying to control the position from guard on top but Fletcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smirnovas throws and elbow that misses. Fletcher uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smirnovas's guard. Nice move by Fletcher!
Smirnovas keeping full guard, as Fletcher tries to pass.
Smirnovas avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fletcher stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smirnovas swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher wants to control from the top but Smirnovas keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Fletcher wants to clinch but Smirnovas slips to the side

and Smirnovas counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Smirnovas has gone for a leg lock! Fletcher slips out almost immediately though and dives into Smirnovas's guard.
Smirnovas wants to hit a switch here but Fletcher passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Smirnovas there!
Fletcher tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smirnovas is wriggling around trying to escape.
Fletcher trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Fletcher controlling his opponent.
Smirnovas on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Smirnovas tries to get out of the position.
Smirnovas tries to buck Fletcher off but Fletcher takes his back!
Fletcher trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher has Smirnovas flattened out and is raining down punches.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Fletcher's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Fletcher biding his time, controlling Smirnovas.
Fletcher throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Smirnovas!
Smirnovas really must keep his cool here. He's controlling one of Fletcher's hands and whilst he does that, he's got a chance of escaping the position.
Fletcher misses with an elbow to the head.

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.
Fletcher doesn't have the hooks in and Smirnovas manages to turn into his guard.
Fletcher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smirnovas is fighting to break Fletcher's control of his arms but Fletcher is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Smirnovas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Fletcher is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Smirnovas wants to get back to full guard but Fletcher has mounted him!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vytautas Smirnovas dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Amare Fletcher'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. This is the final round!

Fletcher closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Fletcher has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Fletcher looking to control and managing it successfully.
Smirnovas really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fletcher lands with some strikes.
Smirnovas is working to get back to half guard.
Smirnovas tries to hold on but Fletcher pushes him away.
Fletcher landing strikes from the mount.
Fletcher controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher trying to control but Smirnovas is having none of it.
Fletcher looking to control and managing it successfully.
Smirnovas tries to hold on but Fletcher pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher raining down shots from the mount!

It looks like Vytautas Smirnovas has been cut.
Fletcher controlling the pace for now.

Fletcher gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Fletcher looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Smirnovas!
Fletcher avoids the attempt from Smirnovas to control.

Fletcher swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Smirnovas is now in Fletcher's guard. A big mistake from Fletcher there, giving up the dominant position!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fletcher is trying to control the position but Smirnovas postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Amare Fletcher.
Smirnovas fails with the takedown

and Fletcher counters with a shoot takedown. Smirnovas fights it but they end up in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Fletcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Smirnovas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Amare Fletcher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vytautas Smirnovas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Amare Fletcher has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fletcher takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fletcher throwing strikes from guard but Smirnovas blocks nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Amare Fletcher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Smirnovas has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Vytautas Smirnovas!