PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Petey Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zhang Zhu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Inside The Fire by Disturbed. Zhang Zhu acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Smith
vs
Zhu

172 cm
18
178 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

178 cm
24
180 lbs
1 - 9 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Petey Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zhang Zhu!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Steve Montenegro and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt
and Zhu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Smith fails with the takedown
enabling Zhu to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Petey Smith has been cut.
Zhu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Zhu with a lazy takedown attempt

and Smith counters with a single leg into guard. Zhu didn't expect that.
Zhu 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 trying to control the position from guard on top but Zhu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Zhu looking for a sweep. Not yet Zhu, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Zhu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Zhu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zhu postures up in Smith's guard and throws a big left but Smith blocks it.
Smith wants to stand up but Zhu is controlling him.
Zhu pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Zhu is looking to work some ground and pound but Smith has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Smith scrambles and gets back to his feet.

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.

Zhu drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Zhu throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Smith is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Zhu tries to move to mount but Smith blocks the move with his legs.
Zhu fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Zhu creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Smith sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Zhu is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith gets back to half guard.
Zhu sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Smith defending well though.
Smith has hold of Zhu's hands but Zhu slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Smith is trying to stand.
Zhu thows a huge punch but Smith dodges it nicely.
Zhu throwing shots but Smith is blocking nicely.
Smith on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Smith tries to get out of the position.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Zhu with the ground and pound but Smith uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Zhu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Smith pushes Zhu off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Zhu moves into the clinch.
Zhu lands a damaging elbow.
Smith has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zhu is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Petey Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zhu trying to land knees to the body.
Smith prevents a takedown attempt there.
Zhu crunches a lovely knee into Smith's ribcage.
Zhu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Smith has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Smith prevents a takedown attempt there.
Zhu is pressed up against the cage. Smith has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Zhu down to the mat. Zhu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Zhu lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhang Zhu dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Petey Smith's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Zhu clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
Smith has Zhu pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Zhu manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Zhu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Smith tries to score a body lock takedown but Zhu shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Smith drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Petey Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zhu stalling.
Zhu is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Smith blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Knees to the body from Zhu.
Smith tries to score a body lock takedown but Zhu shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Zhu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Smith takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Zhu closes the distance and pushes Smith back into the cage.
Zhu tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Smith changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Zhu fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Zhu throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhu throws a leg kick which misses Smith's front leg but catches the back leg as Smith tries to avoid it.
Smith fails with the takedown
and Zhu counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Zhu tries a head kick but it misses.
The fighters circle momentarily. Zhu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A swing and a miss from Zhu.
A solid body kick from Zhu.
Zhu scores with a head kick.

Zhu rushes Smith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Zhu utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Smith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Zhu avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Zhu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smith.
Smith wants a takedown.

Smith has clasped his hands together around Zhu's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Smith is trying to get an arm triangle but Zhu is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhu is looking for a sweep.
Smith misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Smith looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Smith throws an elbow but Zhu slips to the side and avoids it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Smith working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Zhu is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Smith off and has taken his back!
Zhu missing with strikes.
Zhu punches the canvas rather than the man.
Zhu missing with strikes.
Zhu throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Zhu struggling to land strikes to the head as Smith covers up.
Zhu thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Zhu missing with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhang Zhu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Petey Smith's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Zhu fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Zhu forces Smith back against the cage and clinches.
Smith avoids the elbow strike from Zhu, against the cage.
Smith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zhu pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Zhu wants a takedown.
Smith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Zhu pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Nice elbow from Zhu.
Smith tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Petey Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zhu using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Zhu throws an elbow that misses.
Smith blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Zhu tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
Smith goes for a takedown attempt but Zhu pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Zhu misses with a takedown attempt

and Smith counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Zhu!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Zhu really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Smith. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Zhu wants to control but Smith is having none of it.

Smith is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Zhu can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Zhu wants to hold on but Smith pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith with a couple of short strikes.

Smith moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Zhu has worked his arm free - good work by Zhu!
Smith with the ground and pound but Zhu regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Smith is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Zhu is staying active underneath Smith, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Zhu's head.
Zhu is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Zhu avoid being mounted?

Smith looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Smith is working for a kimura but Zhu is defending it quite comfortably.
Zhang Zhu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Petey Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Smith is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Zhu is just riding it out for now. Smith eventually gives up the hold.

Smith is working for a kimura but Zhu is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Petey Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Zhu 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zhang Zhu!