PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marco Smirnov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stevie Kimble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marco Smirnov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Smirnov
vs
Kimble

181 cm
25
177 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

182 cm
19
176 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marco Smirnov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Stevie Kimble!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from Kimble as Smirnov shoots in.
Smirnov avoids the head kick by Kimble.

Kimble gets tackled into the cage by Smirnov. Smirnov maintains the clinch.
Smirnov throws an elbow that misses.
Smirnov with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Kimble throws an elbow that misses.
Kimble connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smirnov's face.
A frustrated look appears on Smirnov's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Smirnov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Kimble lands an elbow inside that Smirnov shrugs off.

Smirnov manages to pull guard.
Smirnov wants to stand but Kimble is controlling the position.

Smirnov manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Kimble dives in and grabs Smirnov's left leg, looking for a takedown. Smirnov pushes down on Kimble's head and hops out.
Smirnov fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smirnov fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Smirnov. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnov misses with a two punch combination.
Kimble closes the distance but Smirnov moves to the side
enabling Smirnov to counter with a crisp jab.
Smirnov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Kimble fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Smirnov, pushing him back against the cage.
Kimble landing knees to the head.
Kimble lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Smirnov swings wildly with an uppercut but Kimble uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kimble trying to land knees to the body.
Smirnov drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Kimble gets the underhooks and prevents it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kimble looking to throw knees to the head but Smirnov is blocking nicely.
Smirnov dodges an elbow strike from Kimble.
Smirnov is trying to maintain a safe position but Kimble gets an underhook and turns Smirnov into the cage.
Kimble with a knee to the head.
Smirnov has had enough of the clinch but Kimble keeps him there for the moment.
Smirnov is trying to break the clinch but Kimble has him pressed against the cage.
A knee to the head by Kimble.
Kimble letting Smirnov take a breather here.
Smirnov is looking to break free of the clinch but Kimble has double underhooks.
Smirnov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kimble throws an elbow but it misses.
Kimble working Smirnov over with knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smirnov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kimble just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Kimble.
Smirnov slows down the pace here.
Kimble creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Kimble tries a knee to the head but Smirnov blocks it.
Smirnov is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Kimble throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Smirnov blocks it with crossed arms.
Kimble tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Smirnov has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

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

Smirnov gets a takedown into half guard.
Kimble pushes Smirnov off looking to stand but Smirnov dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kimble misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Kimble gets back to full guard.
Kimble keeping full guard, as Smirnov tries to pass.
Smirnov is pushing down on Kimble's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kimble is fighting to maintain full guard but Smirnov has managed to sneak the leg through.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Kimble taking some punishment here, with Smirnov in his half guard.
Smirnov slips a nice elbow through Kimble's hands, connecting with Kimble's forehead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smirnov throwing shots but Kimble is blocking nicely.

Kimble is defending against the submission attempts here by Smirnov.

Smirnov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Kimble sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Smirnov dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kimble sizes up Smirnov with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Marco Smirnov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smirnov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Kimble is fending him off so far but Smirnov persists. Nope, Kimble circles away and we're back to standing.
Smirnov slips a jab and a cross from Kimble.
A punch combination from Smirnov misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kimble looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kimble misses with a wild body shot.
Kimble on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Kimble feints and then cracks Smirnov's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Smirnov down.
Kimble swinging wildly here.
Kimble swinging wildly here.
Kimble tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smirnov swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kimble closes the distance but Smirnov moves to the side
and Smirnov counters with a two punch combo.
Smirnov cracks Kimble with an open hand slap.
Smirnov fails with a takedown attempt.
Kimble tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smirnov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smirnov looks for a takedown but Kimble sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Smirnov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smirnov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kimble avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kimble tries to clinch up but Smirnov circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Kimble.
Smirnov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Kimble tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kimble fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Smirnov.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smirnov circles away from the clinch attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Kimble tries to clinch up but Smirnov circles away and keeps his distance.
Kimble moves to clinch but Smirnov breaks away
and Smirnov counters with a left to the body.
Kimble fails with an attempt to clinch.

Smirnov rushes Kimble and presses him up against the cage.
Kimble creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kimble misses with a knee to the head.

Smirnov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kimble tries to clinch but Smirnov moves out of range.
Kimble throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Smirnov's waist but Smirnov gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kimble off to one side.
Kimble wants to clinch
and Smirnov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Smirnov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kimble avoids it really well and circles away.
Kimble takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Kimble scores with a kick to the body.
Kimble tries to clinch up.

Smirnov shoots in and bounces Kimble off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kimble wants to get back to his feet but Smirnov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Kimble had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Smirnov defends it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smirnov with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smirnov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kimble tries to land a sweep but no joy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smirnov advances position into side control!
Kimble struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Stevie Kimble will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Smirnov's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Smirnov duly obliges.

Smirnov clinches up with Kimble and pushes him back against the cage.
Kimble lands an elbow inside that Smirnov shrugs off.
Kimble landing knees to the head.
Kimble tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Kimble blocks an uppercut.
Kimble lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Kimble misses with a knee to the head.
Kimble scores with a knee to the head.
Kimble with a knee to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Smirnov.
Kimble tries a knee to the head but Smirnov blocks it.
Smirnov misses with a knee strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smirnov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Smirnov is trying to break the clinch but Kimble is controlling him.
Kimble connects with a nasty looking knee right to Smirnov's face.
Smirnov throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kimble misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smirnov.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Kimble.
Kimble creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Knees to the body from Kimble.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smirnov blocks the elbow strike.
Smirnov lands a left hand that snaps the head of Kimble backwards.

Smirnov manages to break the clinch.
Kimble tries to clinch but Smirnov moves out of range.
Kimble shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smirnov as he avoids it easily.

Smirnov clinches with his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smirnov throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Smirnov has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Kimble after a bit of a struggle.
Smirnov wants to stall.
Smirnov blocks the elbow strike.
Kimble tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smirnov tries to break free but Kimble pushes him back against the cage.
Smirnov fails to pull guard.
Kimble misses with an elbow over the top.
Kimble managing to block the knees to the body from Smirnov.
Kimble lands an elbow inside.
Kimble landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Kimble gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Stevie Kimble seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A knee to the head by Kimble.
Kimble lands a nice knee to the body.
Kimble prevents Smirnov from breaking the clinch.
Kimble lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kimble landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Smirnov has a couple of punches blocked by Kimble.
Kimble with a knee to the head.
Smirnov takes an elbow to the temple.
Smirnov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Smirnov tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kimble just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marco Smirnov. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smirnov blocks an elbow strike from Kimble.
Knees in the clinch landing for Kimble.
Kimble creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Smirnov's defenses.
Kimble with a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kimble lands a damaging elbow.
Kimble lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smirnov takes an elbow to the temple.
Smirnov is trying to pull guard but Kimble has him pressed against the cage.
Smirnov avoids the elbow strike from Kimble, against the cage.
Kimble landing knees to the body.
Kimble lands a damaging elbow.
Smirnov has a couple of punches blocked by Kimble.
Kimble with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Smirnov is trying to break the clinch but Kimble is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kimble lands an elbow inside.
Kimble lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Smirnov tries to score a body lock takedown but Kimble shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stevie Kimble comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kimble 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 John Mangel scores the fight for Stevie Kimble!
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight for Stevie Kimble!
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight for Stevie Kimble!

Stevie Kimble wins by unanimous decision!