PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Monks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Drew Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Monks
vs
Smith

170 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 London, James Monks!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Drew Smith!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Steven Brown and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Monks keeps the fight on the outside.

Smith closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Smith lands in his opponent's guard.
Monks trying to control the position.

Monks is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Smith is pushing down on Monks's leg trying to pass to half guard. Monks is fighting to maintain full guard but Smith has managed to sneak the leg through.

Monks with the active half guard here but Smith passes nicely into side control.
Smith lands a decent elbow from side control.

Smith stands up.
Monks tries for a takedown but Smith circles away easily

and Smith moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monks is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Smith gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Smith avoiding damage.
Smith misses with a knee strike.
Knees to the body from Smith.
Come on Smith - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Smith landing knees to the body.
Monks is breathing heavily.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Smith shoots and misses
and Monks counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.

Monks breaks from the clinch.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Smith with a couple of short strikes.
Smith with shots to the head and body - Monks looks very uncomfortable down there.
Monks taking shots to the head.
Smith tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Monks is in all sorts of trouble here.
Monks taking shots to the head.
Smith controlling the pace for now.
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Smith trying to control but Monks is having none of it.
Smith unloading with bombs!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monks is wriggling around trying to escape.
Smith content just to control the position here.
Smith can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Monks is looking to escape.
Smith avoids the attempt from Monks to control.

Smith wants to finish this one by submission but Monks is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Smith.
Monks is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smith is landing with some decent strikes but Monks is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith controlling from mount.
Smith landing strikes, looking to finish!
Smith sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Smith looking to secure an arm triangle but Monks defends it well.
Smith lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Monks hang on?
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith has taken the fight to the clinch.
Smith manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Smith connects with a nasty looking knee right to Monks's face.

Monks jumps guard and drags Smith to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Smith passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Smith connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Monks some visible discomfort.
Smith cracks Monks with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Monks keeps working.

Smith stands up.

Smith rushes Monks and presses him up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith lands a knee to the head.
Smith is stalling here.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Monks throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Smith takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A head kick misses from Monks.
Monks fails in his attempt to clinch.
Monks fails with the takedown

and Smith counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Monks!
Smith controlling from the full mount.
Smith moves to back control.
Smith lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is not going to allow Monks to sit and survive in this position.
Smith has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Smith is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Monks with him. Monks is trying to defend but Smith has an arm under the chin now! Monks grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Drew Smith!