PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Bowen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Smith
vs
Bowen

160 cm
25
159 lbs
9 - 2 - 1

185 cm
21
160 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Steve Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bruce Bowen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice uppercut there from Smith.
Bowen punishes Smith's body with a nice straight punch.
Smith swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Bowen makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Smith really felt that one!
Bowen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Smith checks it well.
Bowen lands a nice looking kick to the body. Smith takes a step back to recover.
Bowen throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Bowen looks to land a combination. Smith sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A jab from Smith does it's job there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bowen looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Bowen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Smith.
Bowen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Bowen lands with a shot to the body.
Smith on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Bowen. Bowen obviously looking to wear him down.
Smith lands the left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowen lands a head kick. Smith smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Smith misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bowen.
Bruce Bowen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith looks to throw the jab but Bowen is out of range.
Bowen avoids the body shot from Smith.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Smith lands with a shot to the body.
Bowen scores with a jab to the body.
Bowen misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Smith to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bowen connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Smith throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bowen's waist but Bowen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Smith off to one side.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Horrible takedown by Smith or perhaps it was just good defense by Bowen which made him look bad.
Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bowen moves away.
A jab lands there for Smith.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bowen moves away from the strike by Smith.
Bowen attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Smith misses the shot to the body.
Bowen walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Smith checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Smith avoids the body shot from Bowen.
Bowen misses with a wild body shot.
Bowen is looking to slow Smith down with leg kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Bowen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Smith misses with a body punch
and Bowen counters with a good low kick that Smith was not able to check.
Bowen throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bowen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Bowen.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bowen manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Smith misses with a shot to the body
and Bowen counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Smith is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A looping hook to the body misses from Bowen. Smith does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bowen thows a body kick. Smith tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Bowen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Bowen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bowen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Smith lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Smith takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Bowen is looking to slow Smith down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bowen throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smith.
Smith throws a right hand that misses
and Bowen counters with a nice leg kick.
A shot to the body from Smith misses
and Bowen counters with a thumping low kick.
Smith checks a low kick from Bowen.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bowen manages to avoid it.
Bowen connects with a leg kick. Smith looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bowen throws a sloppy body shot
and Smith makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Bowen connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bowen throws a nice head kick!
Bowen misses the shot to the body.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Bowen throws a body punch but Smith moves out of range.
Smith jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Bowen looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Bowen connects with an inside leg kick.

That's four 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.
Smith swings for the body but Bowen moves out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Smith misses the target.
Bowen throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Smith takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Bowen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Smith throws a predictable looking body shot
and Bowen counters with a head kick. That will keep Smith thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Bowen scores with a kick to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Bowen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Smith swings away with a body shot that misses
and Bowen counters with a head kick.
Bowen uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Smith.
A nice inside leg kick there by Bowen. That's going to slow Smith down.
Bowen misses with a hook to the body
and Smith counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Bowen thinking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith misses with a right hand
and Bowen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Smith's knee momentarily.
Bowen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bowen lands with a kick to the temple. Smith shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith swings widly with a right hand
and Bowen counters with a nice body shot.
A good leg kick by Bowen.
Bowen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Smith counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Smith chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Bowen can pounce on him.
Smith throws a lazy uppercut
and Bowen counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A nice leg kick lands there from Bowen.
Bruce Bowen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Bowen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Steve Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Smith as he connects with a hook.
Bowen lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Smith at a distance.
Smith throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bowen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Smith throws a right hand that misses
and Bowen counters with a nice low kick that buckles Smith's knee momentarily.
Bowen lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith takes a swing at Bowen's ribcage but misses.
Bowen connects with a solid leg kick.
Smith misses with the combination.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Smith checks a leg kick.
Bowen scores with a head kick.
Smith throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smith throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Smith is looking to wear down Bowen with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Good work by Smith as he checks the leg kick.
Bowen throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
Bowen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Bowen bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Bowen thuds his shin into the meat of Smith's side.
Bowen misses with a two punch combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Bowen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bowen has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bruce Bowen!