PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between TJ Pierce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and David Smith (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.

Pierce
vs
Smith

195 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, TJ Pierce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, David Smith!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Ian Loll and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Pierce pushes him off.
Pierce could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Pierce clinches with his opponent.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pierce closes the distance and clinches.
Pierce with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pierce pressing his opponent against the cage.
Smith tries to pull guard but Pierce holds him up against the cage and eventually Smith drops back down to his feet.
Smith fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Pierce ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Pierce no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pierce swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pierce is keeping the position for now.
Pierce managing to control the position.
Pierce trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierce wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Pierce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Smith.
No luck for Pierce with that takedown attempt.
Smith misses with a double jab.
Smith has his takedown stuffed

so Pierce counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
TJ Pierce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Smith.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Pierce slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Smith striking off his back but it's not causing Pierce any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith 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 throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Pierce preventing the sweep.
Pierce prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Pierce from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Pierce takes the fight into the clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Pierce shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Smith is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith'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.
Smith is looking to get to half guard.

Pierce has control of Smith's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Smith regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Pierce tries to control but Smith wriggling away.
Pierce prevents Smith from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pierce looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Smith wants to hold on but Pierce pushes him away.
Pierce controlling his opponent.

That's four 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.
Smith is wriggling around trying to escape.
Pierce avoids the attempt from Smith to control.
Smith is in all sorts of trouble here.
Pierce looking to finish Smith with some ground and pound. This is bad for Smith!
Smith is trying to stand.
Smith can't escape the position.
Pierce trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Smith can't escape the position.
Smith blocking the ground and pound.
Pierce prevents Smith from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Pierce dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Smith tries to clinch up.
Smith darts in trying to clinch

and Pierce moves into the clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pierce circles away.
Smith wants to clinch.
Smith tries to clinch but Pierce moves away

and Pierce counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Smith wants to improve his position but instead Pierce has moved into half guard.
Smith is pressing down on Pierce's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smith controls Pierce momentarily but Pierce frees himself.

Smith has his foot on Pierce's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pierce works his way back into a safe position though.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Pierce from controlling successfully.
Pierce prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith wriggles free and stands up.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Pierce swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Pierce pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smith looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith closes the distance looking to clinch

and Pierce counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Smith trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Pierce trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Pierce prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Pierce controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Pierce wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Pierce manages to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to hold on to Pierce's head to control him but Pierce postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Pierce stuffs the takedown attempt from Smith. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Pierce connects with a nice looking jab.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith looks to land a combination but Pierce avoids it well.
Smith is looking to clinch but Pierce is avoiding it.
Pierce ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Pierce shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Smith but Smith pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Pierce clinches up against the cage.
Smith wants a takedown but no success here.
TJ Pierce has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of David Smith.
Smith lands an uppercut.
Smith has had enough of the clinch but Pierce keeps him there for the moment.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Pierce counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pierce.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierce wants to break the clinch but can't.
Smith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pierce pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Smith wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pierce holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Pierce pulls guard successfully.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pierce is trying to keep Smith in close.
Smith stops Pierce from standing up.

Pierce has his feet on Smith's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Pierce lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Pierce lands a right hook to the body.

Pierce shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Smith is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Smith.
Pierce won't allow Smith to sweep him here.
Pierce would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Smith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Pierce is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Smith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Pierce's back instead.
Pierce trying to control the hands but Smith won't let him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Smith has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Pierce dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Smith tries to clinch up

and Pierce counters with a shoot takedown. Smith fights it but they end up in guard.
Smith is looking to stand up but Pierce isn't so interested in that idea.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Pierce from controlling successfully.
Smith wants to sweep here but Pierce controlling him for the moment.
Pierce works a leg free and moves into half guard.
TJ Pierce overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Smith wants to get back to full guard but Pierce has passed into side control.
Smith gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith wants to control but Pierce is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pierce decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Pierce misses with a jab, cross combination.
David Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown by Pierce or perhaps it was just good defense by Smith which made him look bad.
A cross from Smith lands.
Smith tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pierce counters by clinching up.
Smith is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Pierce gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Smith stops a takedown attempt from Pierce.

Pierce jumps guard.
Smith wants to stand but Pierce has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Smith trying to control but Pierce is working from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pierce is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierce content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Pierce preventing the sweep.
Smith being controlled here, momentarily.
Pierce scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smith keeping full guard, as Pierce tries to pass.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Pierce throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Smith counters with a series of strikes. Pierce will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Pierce closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Pierce pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for TJ Pierce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith clinches but Pierce breaks the clinch

and Pierce counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Pierce is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pierce to get the leverage.
Pierce working Smith over with strikes.
Pierce working over Smith with some ground and pound. Smith looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Smith is in trouble now - Pierce has advanced to mount!
Smith is in a horrible position here. Pierce smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Smith wants to control but Pierce is having none of it.
Pierce looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Smith wants to hold on but Pierce pushes him away.
Poor strikes thrown by Pierce there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Smith tries to buck Pierce off but he can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Pierce trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith missing with punches from the bottom.
Smith wants to improve his position but Pierce is controlling well.
Smith is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pierce's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pierce's back!
Pierce staying busy and making it hard for Smith to control.
Pierce is trying to break free.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith has Pierce flattened out and is raining down punches.
Smith connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Pierce to escape the position.
David Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pierce trying to control but not successfully.
Pierce is covering up but some of the strikes from Smith are getting through and doing damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
TJ Pierce showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pierce, 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight for TJ Pierce!
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight for TJ Pierce!
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight for TJ Pierce!

TJ Pierce wins by unanimous decision!