PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Funku Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ales Smid (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smid is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Sandstorm. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gracie
vs
Smid

186 cm
26
212 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

187 cm
22
216 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Funku Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ales Smid!
The judges for this bout are Aafke Stam, Patrick Alders and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie digs a good body shot into Smid's ribs.
Smid is looking to land body kicks.
Smid looks for the body kick but Gracie saw that one coming.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smid throws a lazy uppercut
and Gracie counters with a nice uppercut.
Gracie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gracie misses with a wild body shot.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Smid moves away.
Smid fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Gracie throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smid.
Smid misses with a leg kick.
Gracie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gracie checks a leg kick.
Smid bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Gracie needs to keep his hands up - Smid had a free shot at his head there.
No joy there for Gracie, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Nice uppercut there from Gracie.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie tries to bum rush Smid with a series of wild strikes but Smid uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Smid slips under a jab from Gracie.
A shot to the liver by Gracie. Beautiful body shot.
Funku Gracie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gracie throws a series of punches but Smid avoids them all with ease.
Gracie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Smid.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Smid.
An inside leg kick from Smid misses.
Gracie lands a head shot.
Smid throws a chopping leg kick but Gracie manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Smid comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Gracie lunges at Smid with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Smid's hand.
Gracie is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gracie steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Smid. That one must have hurt.
Gracie moves away from the strike by Smid.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gracie. Smid does a little dance to reset his feet.
Smid is looking to chop away at Gracie's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smid swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gracie shoots in but no luck this time.
Gracie misses with a two punch combination.
Smid with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gracie misses with a body punch
and Smid counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Some wild striking there from Gracie.
Gracie cracks Smid with a good jab.
Gracie throws a combination that misses
and Smid makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Gracie really felt that one!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Both fighters circling a little - Smid finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Smid connects with an inside leg kick.
Smid misses with a low kick.
Smid uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gracie.
Smid looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie just misses with a punch to the body.
Smid throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Gracie lands a jab to the head.
Gracie looks to throw the jab but Smid is out of range.
Smid scores with a punch to the head.
Smid lands a jab to Gracie's midsection.
Smid throws a push kick but Gracie slaps the foot to one side.
Smid throws a quick inside leg kick.
Smid throws a nice inside leg kick.
Smid lands a front kick.
Gracie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Smid moves away.
Nice sprawl there from Smid as Gracie shoots in.
Smid slips a straight right by Gracie.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gracie.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Funku Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smid walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Gracie checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smid ducks under a wild hook from Gracie.
Gracie misses with an uppercut
and Smid counters with a nice uppercut.
Smid moves out of range as Gracie strikes.
Gracie keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A clash of legs there as Gracie blocks the low kick.
Gracie rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smid moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smid cracks Gracie with an open hand slap.
Donk. Gracie catches Smid right on the button with a cross.
Smid fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie digs a good hook to Smid's body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smid avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gracie swings for the body but Smid moves out of range.
Gracie misses with a body shot
and Smid counters with a slapping leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ales Smid dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gracie throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Smid was covering up waiting for the punch and Gracie finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Smid keeps moving.
Smid looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gracie is one step ahead there.
Gracie controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Smid is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie throws a strike but Smid rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Smid controlling him for the moment.

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.
Gracie looking to control.
Gracie lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Smid!
Smid sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Gracie thows a huge punch but Smid dodges it nicely.
Smid wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smid is trying to stand.
Gracie is looking to take a break and control but Smid is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gracie working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gracie trying to control from half guard but Smid is working away.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Smid defending well.
Gracie is keen to just control but Smid is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Smid is in trouble now - Gracie has advanced to mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smid is squirming around, avoiding Gracie's attempts to control the action.
Smid's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Gracie is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Smid has managed to escape the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Funku Gracie dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Smid takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Smid looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Smid's head but Smid sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Smid throws a sloppy body shot
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
Horrible takedown by Gracie or perhaps it was just good defense by Smid which made him look bad.
Gracie misses the shot to the body.
Gracie keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Smid.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smid is looking to chop away at Gracie's legs.
Gracie pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Smid back to the cage. Gracie follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Gracie scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Gracie moves out of range of the leg kick from Smid.
Gracie scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Smid pinned against the cage. Smid gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Smid takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Gracie walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Smid fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Gracie is out of range.
Gracie cracks Smid with a right hand to the side of the head.
Gracie misses with a body punch
and Smid makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Smid keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Gracie feints and as Smid raises his hands in defense, Gracie changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smid wants to stand and escape but Gracie is having none of it.
Smid avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smid has momentary wrist control but Gracie slips an elbow through the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smid not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Smid keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.
Gracie tries to free his leg and advance position but Smid is retaining full guard.
Smid manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gracie manages to get himself to full guard.
Gracie wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Gracie working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smid's guard.
Gracie preventing the sweep.
Gracieis looking to pass into half guard but Smid pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Smid is in guard.
Gracie manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smid manages to get himself to full guard.
Smid wants to sweep but no luck.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Smid is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Gracie stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smid swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gracie postures up in Smid's guard and throws a big left but Smid blocks it.
Gracie content to stall in guard here.
Smid preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Funku Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Gracie 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 Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Funku Gracie!