PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rico Slava (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johan Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Smith's choice of entrance music: Burn it into the Ground. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Slava
vs
Smith

195 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
145 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rico Slava!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johan Smith!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith tries to clinch but Slava is having none of it.

Slava closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Smith is pressed up against the cage. Slava has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Smith down to the mat. Smith avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Slava with a lazy takedown attempt

and Smith counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Slava!
Smith wants to control the pace but Slava is squirming around nicely.

Smith gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

Smith throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Slava was covering up waiting for the punch and Smith finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Slava looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Slava looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Smith pushing down on Slava's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith decides to stand up.

Slava clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
Smith is stalling here.

Slava tightens his grip and picks Smith up, before dumping him to the ground. Smith manages to land in guard.
Slava really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Slava stops Smith from standing up.
Slava knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Slava would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Smith throws some shots to the body, keeping his opponent honest.
Smith has his hands on Slava's head, controlling the position.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Slava trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

Smith is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Slava is aware though and is defending well.

Slava avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Smith looks gassed!
Slava is fighting to break Smith's control of his arms but Smith is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Slava trying to stand up but can't free himself from Smith's guard.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Slava from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith seems keen to control Slava's posture.
Slava landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Slava trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but Slava is proving a slippery customer.
Slava preventing the sweep.
Slava tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.

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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Smith with that takedown attempt.
Slava fails with the takedown

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into side control. Slava won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Slava. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith wants to stand but Slava is controlling his arm.
Smith trying to control the action but Slava is working from the bottom.

Smith goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Slava rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Smith's guard! Nice work there by Slava!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Slava chips away with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Smith dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Slava scores a takedown into full mount!
Smith is in all sorts of trouble here.
Slava tries to control but Smith wriggling away.
Smith bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Slava swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Smith stands up and waves to Slava to follow him.
Slava moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Smith is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Slava with a poor takedown

and Smith counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Slava is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Slava avoid being mounted?
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Slava is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Smith not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Smith is keen to just control but Slava is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Smith has hold of Slava's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Slava manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith avoids the attempt from Slava to control.
Smith misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Smith prevents Slava from getting the reversal.
Slava is working hard here to advance position.
Slava is bucking up trying to escape but Smith cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to control but Slava is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Slava is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Slava wants to control but Smith is having none of it.
Slava is in a horrible position here. Smith smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Smith lands a heavy elbow.
Smith controlling from the full mount.
Smith trying to control but Slava is having none of it.

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 has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Slava's face.
Slava throwing hammer fists to the chest of Smith. What's that going to do exactly?
Smith looking to control and managing it successfully.
Slava tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Smith jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Slava manages to avoid the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johan Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Slava is looking to clinch.
Slava moves to clinch but Smith breaks away

and Smith counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Smith.
Slava keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Slava gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Slava has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Slava wants to stand and escape but instead Smith has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Slava is working from the bottom.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Slava kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Slava looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Slava works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Slava is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Smith is controlling him.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Slava is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Slava avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Slava is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith stops Slava from standing up.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Slava swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Johan Smith has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Slava shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Slava showed some decent athleticism there.

Slava is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Slava to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Slava is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Smith manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Smith has his feet on Slava's thighs here. He's pushed Slava off and worked for a very quick armbar from the bottom! He's flipped onto his stomach and he's cranking hard on the arm! Slava screams in pain and taps out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Johan Smith!