PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shane Richards (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kim Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richards comes to the cage accompanied by Cry me a river - Michael buble. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Richards
vs
Smith

180 cm
33
173 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

185 cm
24
177 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shane Richards!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kim Smith!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Franklyn Lucas and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith rushes Richards and presses him up against the cage.
Richards lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Smith is leaning against Richards and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Smith letting Richards take a breather here.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Smith gets a clinch.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
The referee calls for Richards to work.
A short right from Richards.
A knee to the head by Richards.

It looks like Kim Smith has been cut.
Richards avoiding damage.
Smith working aggressively here.
Smith working aggressively here.
Smith tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Richards smiles and moves away.

Richards moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.
Richards landing knees to the head.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Smith gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Richards blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Richards breaks the clinch.

Smith closes the distance and pushes Richards back into the cage.
Richards leaning against his opponent.

Richards breaks the clinch.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Richards pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Richards content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.
Richards blocking some punches.
Richards prevents the takedown attempt.
Richards lands a body punch.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith closes the distance and pushes Richards back into the cage.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
A short right from Richards on the inside.

Richards pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kim Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.
Richards gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Smith.
Shane Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kim Smith.
Smith drops down looking for an ankle pick but Richards pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith darts in and clinches Richards up against the cage.

Richards manages to break the clinch.
Smith tries a head kick but it misses.
Sloppy strikes from Richards. Those never looked like landing.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Richards.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith rushes Richards and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Richards stalling.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Richards controls his hands.
A short uppercut from Richards.
Smith lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith clinches with his opponent.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Richards prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Smith's defenses.
A short body shot lands from Richards as the two fighters clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Richards stalling the fight.
Smith jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Richards walks away with a smile on his face. Smith gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Smith closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Richards's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Smith rushes Richards and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Richards misses with a knee to the head.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Richards.
Stalling in the clinch from Richards.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith can't find room to land a body shot as Richards controls the action.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Richards controls his hands.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Richards.
Richards misses with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kim Smith will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kim Smith's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Smith clinches.
Come on Richards - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Smith doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Richards lands with a short shot to the head.
Richards lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Richards pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Smith rushes Richards and presses him up against the cage.
Shane Richards has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Richards connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smith's face.
Richards landing knees to the head.
Smith misses with some punches.
Smith throws a head punch that misses.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Richards uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith misses with a body punch.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Richards lands with a light punch inside.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.

Richards breaks the clinch.

Smith drives through and clinches with Richards against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Smith.

Richards breaks the clinch.

Smith clinches.
Richards connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smith's face.

Richards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Richards swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Richards changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Smith tries to avoid it but Richards manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Smith to the ground. Smith escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Richards looking to throw knees to the head but Smith is blocking nicely.

Richards breaks from the clinch.

Smith moves into the clinch.

Richards breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Richards.
Richards throws a knee to the head but misses.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.
Richards blocking some punches.
A short right from Smith.
Smith is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Richards is defending well.
Richards blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Richards breaks from the clinch.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richards unloads a knee to the mid-section. Smith lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.

Smith gets control of Richards's arms and successfully pulls guard. Smith will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Smith working a defensive guard here.
Richards lands a couple of elbows.

Smith has his foot on Richards's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Richards works his way back into a safe position though.
Richards would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Richards is having none of it.
Richards 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.
Richards trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richards wants to stand but Smith is controlling his posture from full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Smith looking for a guillotine here but Richards defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richards controls from within his opponent's guard.
Smith trying to control the position.
Richards trying to stand up but can't free himself from Smith's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Richards engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

The ref stands the fighters back up because Shane Richards just wasn't active enough.

Smith has taken the fight to the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Shane Richards will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kim Smith's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Smith drives through and clinches with Richards against the cage.
Smith being controlled against the cage.

Richards breaks the clinch.

Smith clinches up against the cage.
Smith letting Richards take a breather here.
Smith tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Richards with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Smith swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Richards lands a damaging elbow.
Richards lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Richards misses with a body punch.
Richards blocking some punches.
Richards connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smith's face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Richards.
Smith tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Richards's elbow.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Richards obliges.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Richards.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short left from Richards.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Smith takes the fight into the clinch.

Richards's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Smith clinches up with Richards and pushes him back against the cage.
Richards connects with a knee to the head.

Smith is rocked!
Richards landing knees to the head.
Smith is still on wobbly legs! Can Richards finish him?

Richards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Smith has Richards up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith jumps guard but Richards turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richards lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Richards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Richards lands a nice leg kick that just misses Smith's sensitive parts.

Smith closes the distance and pushes Richards back into the cage.

Richards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Richards rushes Smith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Richards effectively controlling the action here.
Richards landing knees to the body.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Richards.

Richards breaks the clinch.

Smith has taken the fight to the clinch.
Smith seems to have recovered his senses.
Smith can't find room to land a body shot as Richards controls the action.
Richards landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Richards breaks the clinch.
Richards throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Smith's waist but Smith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Richards off to one side.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Smith moves into the clinch.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Smith gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Richards breaks from the clinch.
Kim Smith seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Richards tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Richards manages to break the clinch.

Richards clinches up against the cage.
Smith misses with a short punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Richards.

Richards breaks from the clinch.

Smith rushes Richards and presses him up against the cage.
Smith tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Richards's elbow.

Richards pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Richards gets tackled into the cage by Smith. Smith maintains the clinch.
Richards scores with a hook to the body.
Richards has Smith pressed against the cage.
Richards lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Richards breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith drives through and clinches with Richards against the cage.
Smith working aggressively here.
Richards blocking some punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Richards pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Shane Richards is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Smith clinches.
Richards taking a breather.
Smith tries to pull guard but Richards forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Richards tries to land a knee to the head but Smith blocks with his arms.

Richards breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A right hook to the body lands for Richards.
Smith jumps guard but Richards turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Shane Richards has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kim Smith.
Smith misses with a body punch.

Richards escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Shane Richards.
I think Richards has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shane Richards!