PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryu Hero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gregory Schmitt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Schmitt has chosen Demons as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hero
vs
Schmitt

175 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Tokyo, Ryu Hero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Gregory Schmitt!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hero connects with a crisp jab.
Schmitt shoots in for a takedown but Hero shows good takedown defense.
Sloppy strikes from Schmitt. Those never looked like landing.
Schmitt dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A big right from Hero misses.

Schmitt throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hero was covering up waiting for the punch and Schmitt finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Schmitt trying to control the position from guard on top but Hero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Schmitt is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Schmitt postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hero is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Schmitt, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero tries to stand but Schmitt is controlling from the bottom.
Hero being controlled here momentarily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Schmitt is on top in guard.
Schmitt with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schmitt is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Schmitt wants to control from the top but Hero keeps moving.
Schmitt stays in close to Hero's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Gregory Schmitt hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Schmitt shoots in but Hero avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hero displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Schmitt.
Ryu Hero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gregory Schmitt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hero lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Schmitt fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hero manages to avoid it.
Nice takedown defense from Hero. No joy for Schmitt on that attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Schmitt.
A big left from Hero misses.
Hero just misses with a punch to the body.
Schmitt stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Schmitt fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hero on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hero wants it to stay on the feet.
Danga de danga de dang - Schmitt scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Ryu Hero has been cut.
Schmitt looks winded!
Schmitt throws a right and a left that Hero avoids nicely.
A jab from Hero does it's job there.
Schmitt moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hero stuffs the takedown.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Schmitt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Schmitt shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hero pinned against the cage. Hero gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Schmitt uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hero.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gregory Schmitt dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ryu Hero's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Schmitt avoids the body shot from Hero.
Schmitt lands with a hook. Hero tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Gregory Schmitt seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Schmitt shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hero sprawls well. Hero wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Schmitt gets slowly back to his feet.
A jab from Hero misses.
Schmitt moves out of range as Hero strikes.
Schmitt fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hero avoids it really well and circles away.
Schmitt throws a jab when Hero was well out of range.
Schmitt misses with a series of wild punches.
Gregory Schmitt seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Schmitt does no damage.
Hero slaps away a takedown attempt from Schmitt, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ryu Hero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gregory Schmitt.
Schmitt is breathing heavily.
Schmitt shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hero as he avoids it easily.
Hero lands the left hand.
Schmitt shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hero as he avoids it easily.
Hero connects with the punch.
Gregory Schmitt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Schmitt takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Ryu Hero is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hero throws a hook but Schmitt avoids it easily.
Schmitt steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hero.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hero wants it to stay on the feet.
Schmitt shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Schmitt takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hero jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Schmitt with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hero counters with a left to the body.
Schmitt tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Schmitt shoots for a double leg takedown but Hero sprawls well. He's pushed Schmitt's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hero throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Schmitt sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Schmitt on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Hero misses with a hook. Schmitt ducked under it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schmitt shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hero pinned against the cage. Hero gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Schmitt takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Schmitt has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hero finds it's way round the side to connect with Schmitt's head.
Hero throws a hook but Schmitt avoids it easily.
Schmitt bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hero cracks Schmitt with a good jab.
Hero is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Hero waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Schmitt.
Nice takedown defense from Hero. No joy for Schmitt on that attempt.
Schmitt misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hero throws a big shot that misses.
Hero misses with an uppercut.
Horrible takedown by Schmitt or perhaps it was just good defense by Hero which made him look bad.
Schmitt takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Jab, jab by Hero - just one landing.
Schmitt shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hero throws out a loose jab but Schmitt uses good head movement to avoid it.
Schmitt bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryu Hero dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ryu Hero's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hero misses with an uppercut.

Schmitt scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Schmitt in side control, throwing shots but Hero defends.

Schmitt tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Schmitt has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Schmitt is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hero will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Schmitt takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hero managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Schmitt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hero regains half guard, as Schmitt was trying to land strikes.
Schmitt with the ground and pound but Hero uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Schmitt trying to control the position from guard on top but Hero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Schmitt stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hero swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Schmitt not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hero working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Schmitt.
Schmitt must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hero avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Schmitt looking to sit in guard and control but Hero gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Schmitt has a closed guard, preventing Hero from standing up.

Schmitt scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Schmitt fails to land the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schmitt has a takedown stuffed.
Hero throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hero throws a shot from downtown. Schmitt moves away and avoids it.
Horrible takedown by Schmitt or perhaps it was just good defense by Hero which made him look bad.
Ryu Hero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gregory Schmitt.
Schmitt tries to clinch but Hero is having none of it.
Schmitt shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hero pinned against the cage. Hero gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schmitt fails with a takedown attempt.
Hero misses with a hook.
No luck for Schmitt with that takedown attempt.
Hero looks to land a left hand but Schmitt moved out of range nicely.
Schmitt slips under a jab from Hero.
Schmitt just misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gregory Schmitt comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Schmitt has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gregory Schmitt!
Post fight, Gregory Schmitt stared into the camera and said 'Bang! Bang!'.