PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Dos Santos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Junior Dos Santos has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Aaron Smith's chin.

Smith
vs
Dos Santos

195 cm
32
249 lbs
14 - 5 - 0

210 cm
23
285 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aaron Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Junior Dos Santos!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Roger Salmon and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith misses with a takedown attempt - Dos Santos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Smith closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Dos Santos's guard.
Dos Santos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dos Santos wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.
Smith has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Dos Santos keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Dos Santos working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Smith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith postures up in Dos Santos's guard and throws a big left but Dos Santos blocks it.
Dos Santos keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Dos Santos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dos Santos controlling Smith's posture.
Smith postures up in Dos Santos's guard and throws a big left but Dos Santos blocks it.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Dos Santos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dos Santos looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A lazy left from Smith finds it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith fails with the takedown.
Smith lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Dos Santos dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Dos Santos dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Smith closes the distance and clinches up with Dos Santos, looking for a takedown. Smith pushes Dos Santos against the cage but Dos Santos circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Dos Santos. Dos Santos obviously looking to wear him down.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dos Santos tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dos Santos is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Smith fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Dos Santos avoids it really well and circles away.

Dos Santos moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dos Santos connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Aaron Smith has been cut.
Dos Santos scores with a knee to the head.
Dos Santos prevents Smith from breaking the clinch.
Dos Santos lands a nice uppercut.
Smith working hard to break the clinch.
Dos Santos blocks an elbow strike.
Dos Santos has Smith pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Smith manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Smith is trying to force a seperation but Dos Santos has the dominant position.
Dos Santos with a knee to the head.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Dos Santos stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Dos Santos creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Smith's defenses.
Smith can't break the clinch.
Dos Santos keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Smith's efforts to push away.
Dos Santos lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dos Santos jerks Smith's head down, straight into the path of a devastating knee! Smith drops to the floor in a crumpled heap! Dos Santos goes to throw a finishing haymaker but pulls out - good sportsmanship from Dos Santos because Smith was completely out of it. That was a nice finish - just the right level of brutality to send everyone home happy.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:12 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knee). Junior Dos Santos!
An out of breath Junior Dos Santos thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.