PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neil Strauss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Neil Strauss was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Smith
vs
Strauss

185 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
21
182 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Neil Strauss!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith tries to clinch but Strauss is having none of it.
Smith tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Strauss swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Strauss circles away.
Smith wants to clinch.
Matt Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith wants to clinch.

Smith gets tackled into the cage by Strauss. Strauss maintains the clinch.
Strauss avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Smith lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Neil Strauss has been cut.
Strauss tries to break free but Smith pushes him back against the cage.
Smith lands a nice knee to the body.
Smith stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Strauss.
Strauss looking to stall.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Strauss lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Smith content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Strauss misses with an elbow strike.
Strauss fails to pull guard.
Strauss jumps guard but Smith stands there with Strauss around his waist. Strauss gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strauss is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Smith gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Strauss.
Matt Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neil Strauss.
Strauss wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Smith using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Strauss has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Smith scores with a knee to the head.
Strauss avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Smith trying to land knees to the body.
Strauss wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Strauss is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strauss tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Smith manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Smith with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Strauss tries to pull guard but Smith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Strauss is trying to break the clinch but Smith is controlling him.
Strauss drops down looking for an ankle pick but Smith pulls his leg out and moves away.
Smith is looking to clinch but Strauss is avoiding it.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Strauss swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to clinch.
Strauss swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Smith tries to clinch up but Strauss circles away and keeps his distance.
Smith wants to clinch.
Smith tries to clinch up.
Smith displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Strauss.
Smith tries to clinch up.
Smith tries to clinch up.
Matt Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Strauss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Neil Strauss's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith tries to clinch
and Strauss counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Smith rushes Strauss and presses him up against the cage.
Smith with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Strauss working aggressively here.
Strauss controlling the action here for a moment.
Strauss fails to pull guard.
Strauss wants to take the fight to the mat but Smith manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Smith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Strauss.
Strauss tries to break the clinch but Smith is controlling the position.
Strauss wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strauss drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Smith gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Matt Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neil Strauss.
Smith is pushing Strauss up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Smith landing knees to the head.
Smith lands a nice knee to the body.
Smith is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Strauss pulls Smith into guard.
Smith would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strauss bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.
Strauss forces his way into half guard.

Strauss is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Smith is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strauss content to control rather than advance.
Strauss tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Smith.
Strauss is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Strauss is trying to control. Smith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Neil Strauss has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Smith tries to clinch up but Strauss circles away and keeps his distance.
Sloppy strikes from Strauss. Those never looked like landing.
Neil Strauss is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Strauss swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Smith instigates a clinch.
Strauss on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Smith lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Strauss has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Smith blocks a punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Strauss showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Neil Strauss's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Smith looks to clinch

and Strauss counters by clinching up.
Strauss fails to pull the fight into his guard.
A knee to the head by Smith.
Strauss letting Smith take a breather here.
Strauss blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Strauss avoids the damage to the body.
Strauss tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Smith just stands there and leans against the cage.
Strauss jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Smith walks away with a smile on his face. Strauss gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Matt Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neil Strauss.
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Strauss manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Smith tries to clinch up but Strauss circles away and keeps his distance.
Strauss tries to score a power double leg takedown but Smith sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Strauss somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strauss lands a nice looking body kick.

Smith moves into the clinch.
Strauss misses with a punch to the body.
Strauss looking to slow down the pace here.
Smith tries to land a knee to the head but Strauss blocks with his arms.
Smith landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Smith trying to land knees to the body.

Strauss drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Strauss's guard.
Strauss tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Strauss manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Smith is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Strauss trying to control but Smith is having none of it.
Smith wants to control but Strauss is having none of it.
Strauss wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Smith tries to control Strauss's body but Strauss pushes him off. Smith squirms to his side and now Strauss has his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Strauss has managed to slip his arm under Smith's chin. This could be all over... yep, Smith is tapping out! Submission win for Strauss.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Neil Strauss!