PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ben Maples (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Maples had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Maples
vs
Smith

178 cm
23
156 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

175 cm
22
155 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Maples!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bobby Smith!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Alyssa Summers and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maples throws a body kick that misses.
Maples wants to clinch.
Maples lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Smith is looking to clinch but Maples is avoiding it.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Smith checks a leg kick.
Maples lets loose with a powerful body kick. Smith will feel that in the morning.
Smith throws an off balance right hand
and Maples counters with a series of strikes. Smith will be more careful next time no doubt.
Smith tries to bum rush Maples with a series of wild strikes but Maples uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Maples fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Maples displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Smith throws out the jab.
Maples scores with a nice body kick.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Smith tries to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Maples. Those never looked like landing.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Smith tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Maples makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maples shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Smith is trying to defend but Maples finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Nice strikes from Maples there.
Smith is trying to stand back up but Maples is controlling him

Maples is working for a submission of some sort.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.

Maples seems to be looking for submissions.
Maples trying to control from half guard but Smith is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maples wants to pass to mount but Smith is defending the position.
Smith wants to get back to his feet.
Maples content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Smith trying to control but Maples postures up.
Maples trying to mount his opponent but Smith defends it.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Maples is keen to just control but Smith is a slippery customer.
Maples is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Maples landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maples controlling the position easily from mount.
Smith really wants to buck Maples off and get back to his feet.
Smith is squirming around, avoiding Maples's attempts to control the action.
Smith tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith tries to hold on but Maples postures up.
Maples wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Maples breaks from Smith's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Smith is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maples throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Smith avoids a series of strikes thrown by Maples.
Maples sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Maples with shots to the head and body - Smith looks very uncomfortable down there.
Maples unloading with bombs!

Maples moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Smith has worked his arm free - good work by Smith!

Maples looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maples fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Smith is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Maples has just dragged him back down to the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith prevents Maples from moving into mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Maples dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Maples looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Smith scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Smith misses the jab.
Smith lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Maples manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Smith jabs Maples to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Maples swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Smith counter with a right hand.
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Maples manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maples changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Smith tries to avoid it but Maples manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Smith to the ground. Smith escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Smith is looking to clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Smith. Those never looked like landing.
Smith throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith tries to clinch

and Maples counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Smith's guard now.
Maples postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maples missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maples has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Maples stops Smith from standing up.
Maples stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith trying to control the position.
Smith lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Maples!
Maples gets back to half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smith lands a nice short elbow.
Maples is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maples avoid being mounted?
Smith prevents Maples from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maples is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Smith scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ben Maples overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Smith tries to stand but can't do so whilst Maples controls his leg.
Ground and pound from Smith.
Maples blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.
Smith content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Smith thows a huge punch but Maples dodges it nicely.
Maples avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maples is looking for a sweep. Smith is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Maples kicks Smith off and gets back to his feet.
Maples throws a left and a right that both miss
and Smith makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Smith misses with the combination.
Maples ducks right into an uppercut from Smith.
Maples takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Maples takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Maples misses with a kick to the body.
Bobby Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Maples avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Maples circles away.
Maples looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Maples slips under a jab from Smith.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to clinch up but Maples keeps it at a distance.
Maples avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maples avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Maples fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Maples looks to land a combination. Smith sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Maples swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maples throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Smith lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Maples is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Maples shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Maples was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maples won't let Smith get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Maples cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bobby Smith will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Maples.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maples.
Smith misses with a series of wild punches.
Maples with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Maples throws a left and a right that both miss
and Smith counters with a straight right hand.
Maples connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Smith has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Maples.
Maples misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maples throws a right and a left that Smith avoids nicely.
Ben Maples is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith misses with a right hand
and Maples counters with a slapping leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maples scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Smith checks a leg kick.
Smith on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Maples. Maples obviously looking to wear him down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maples looks for the body kick but Smith saw that one coming.
Maples showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smith.
A nice leg kick lands there from Maples.
Maples avoids a punch combination nicely.
Maples scores with a three punch combo!
Smith lands a slapping body shot.
Maples throws a combination that misses

and Smith counters by clinching up.
Maples using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Maples softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Smith wants to get back to striking at distance but Maples won't allow it.

Maples pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smith lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Maples manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maples keeps the fight on the outside.
Smith wants to clinch

and Maples counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Maples throwing shots but Smith is blocking nicely.
Maples sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Smith defending well though.
Smith trying to control here.
Smith is pressing down on Maples's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Maples trying to move into half guard but instead Smith has managed to sweep!
Smith wants to stand but Maples is controlling his posture from full guard.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Maples.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Maples is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Smith gets to his feet. Maples looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Maples connects with a leg kick. Smith looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Maples scores with a nice body kick.
Maples wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Smith throws a one two combo.
Smith slips a jab and a cross from Maples.
A head kick by Maples misses
enabling Smith to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Maples tenderised Smith's leg. Smith is trying to keep his angry face on.
Smith misses with a right hand

and Maples counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Maples stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith is looking to stand up but Maples isn't so interested in that idea.

Maples thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Maples won't allow Smith to get back to his feet.
Maples missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Maples trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Maples showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Maples has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Maples!