PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bryan Danielson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bryan Danielson acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Smith
vs
Danielson

172 cm
27
172 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

180 cm
19
170 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bryan Danielson!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Danielson did well to prevent Smith getting side control.
Danielson regains full guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Danielson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Smith is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Danielson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.

Danielson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Smith defends well.

Danielson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Danielson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smith wants to control from the top but Danielson keeps moving.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Danielson is keeping the position.

Danielson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smith gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Danielson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Danielson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smith works over Danielson with some ground and pound from guard.
Danielson keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Danielson is retaining full guard.
Danielson wants to sweep but no luck.
Smith lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danielson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Smith distracts Danielson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Smith won't allow Danielson to sweep him here.
Danielson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.
Smith keeping full guard, as Danielson tries to pass.
Danielson wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Smith is on top in guard.
Smith keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Danielson's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danielson trying to control the position.

Danielson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Danielson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.
Smith would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Smith keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Danielson's head.

Danielson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Smith gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Smith knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Danielson on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danielson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.
Danielson works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Danielson trying to advance position but Smith counters by regaining guard.
Danielson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smith keeping full guard, as Danielson tries to pass.

Danielson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Smith dives on top into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bryan Danielson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Smith pushes Danielson up against the cage in a clinch.
Danielson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Danielson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smith.
Danielson tries a body shot but Smith blocks it.
Danielson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Danielson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Danielson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Smith drops down looking for an ankle pick but Danielson pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Danielson as Smith shoots in.
Mike Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Danielson enables Smith to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Danielson manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Danielson has his foot on Smith's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Smith works his way back into a safe position though.
Danielson 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 wants to control from the top but Danielson keeps moving.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.

Smith got a little sloppy there for a moment and Danielson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Smith has managed to get both his arms back between Danielson's legs - danger averted.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith wants to control from the top but Danielson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is working Danielson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Smith controlling from the top position.
Smith wants to control from the top but Danielson keeps moving.
Danielson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.
Danielson trying to control the position.
Smith trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Danielson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Danielson wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Danielson.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Danielson from controlling successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Danielson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Smith kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Smith dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith clinches.
Danielson prevents the takedown attempt.
Smith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Danielson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Danielson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Danielson stops a takedown attempt from Smith.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Danielson is looking to control Smith's arms but Smith gets an underhook and turns him. Now Danielson has his back to the cage.
Danielson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Smith on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Danielson stops a takedown attempt from Smith.
Danielson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Smith managing to block the knees to the body from Danielson.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Danielson prevents it.
Smith is working for takedown but Danielson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Danielson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Smith is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Danielson creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Smith's defenses.
Danielson tries a knee to the head but Smith blocks it.
Danielson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Danielson stalls.
Smith is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Danielson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Danielson tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Knees to the body from Danielson.
Danielson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smith.
Danielson lands a good knee to the midsection. Smith won't want to take too many of those.
Danielson landing knees to the head.
Danielson with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Danielson misses with a knee to the head.
Danielson slowing the pace effectively.
Smith blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Smith avoids a wild elbow strike from Danielson.
Danielson stops a takedown attempt from Smith.
Danielson trying to land knees to the body.
Danielson wants to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Danielson gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Danielson tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Danielson tries a knee to the head but Smith blocks it.
Smith has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Danielson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Danielson prevents it.
Smith avoiding damage as Danielson throws knees to the body.
Danielson prevents a takedown attempt there.
Danielson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Smith drops down looking for an ankle pick but Danielson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Danielson tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danielson keeps the fight on the outside.
Danielson tries to clinch but Smith moves away

and Smith counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Danielson's guard now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Danielson looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Smith is working Danielson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Smith works over Danielson with some ground and pound from guard.
Smith wants to stand but Danielson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Danielson isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Smith stacks Danielson on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Smith!

Smith decides to stand up, so the ref orders Danielson to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bryan Danielson.
I think Danielson 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mike Smith!