PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Craig McDaniel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benja Smoove (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.

McDaniel
vs
Smoove

180 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

ZSTAR

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Craig McDaniel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Benja Smoove!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Robert Douchet and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smoove scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
McDaniel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smoove on the ground.
Smoove is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Smoove landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Smoove passes to side control.
McDaniel is trying to control Smoove's posture but Smoove avoids it.
McDaniel tries to buck Smoove off but Smoove is having none of it.
Smoove controlling from side mount.
Smoove working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smoove controlling the position from side mount.
Let's hope that Smoove has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Smoove tries for a kimura but McDaniel is defending well.
McDaniel struggling a bit here.
McDaniel regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
McDaniel slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Smoove stays in close to McDaniel's body and controls the position.
McDaniel trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smoove is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
McDaniel trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Smoove tries to free his leg and advance position but McDaniel is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McDaniel is trying to keep Smoove in close.
Smoove showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Smoove is pushing down on McDaniel's leg trying to pass to half guard. McDaniel is fighting to maintain full guard but Smoove has managed to sneak the leg through.
McDaniel is trying to get back to full guard.
Smoove passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for McDaniel!
Smoove takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Smoove looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Smoove controlling from the full mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Smoove cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
McDaniel slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Smoove trying to control the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

McDaniel throws a sloppy head kick and Smoove moves out of range easily.
McDaniel misses with a takedown

and Smoove counters with a nice double leg into side control. McDaniel won't be happy with that.
McDaniel is trying to control Smoove's posture but Smoove avoids it.
Smoove remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Despite being in the dominant position, Benja Smoove just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McDaniel doesn't manage to clinch there - Smoove circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smoove avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
McDaniel tries for a takedown but Smoove circles away easily

and Smoove counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Smoove decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
McDaniel tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
McDaniel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
McDaniel lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Smoove gets the takedown into side control.
McDaniel being controlled for a moment.
Smoove working the head with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smoove is chipping away with strikes.

Smoove decides to stand up, so the ref orders McDaniel to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
McDaniel throws a sloppy head kick and Smoove moves out of range easily.

Smoove shoots in and bounces McDaniel off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Smoove controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smoove gets to his feet. McDaniel looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

McDaniel gets caught flat footed, as Smoove shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Smoove drops back looking for a leg! McDaniel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and McDaniel manages to kick Smoove off! Smoove jumps back into McDaniel's guard.
Smoove controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Smoove pushes down on McDaniel's leg and manages to get into half guard.
McDaniel is in trouble now - Smoove has advanced to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smoove landing punches.
Smoove takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
A nice elbow there by Smoove.
Smoove takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McDaniel has given up his back here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benja Smoove showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

McDaniel misses with a takedown

and Smoove counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for McDaniel!
Smoove scoring with strikes but McDaniel is staying in there.
Smoove working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Smoove controlling the pace for now.
Smoove looking to finish McDaniel with some ground and pound. This is bad for McDaniel!
Smoove controlling from mount.

Smoove is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, McDaniel has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smoove cracks McDaniel with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smoove controlling the pace for now.
McDaniel tries to hold on but Smoove postures up.
Benja Smoove has got the better of the ground game so far.

Smoove stands up from mount. Strange move.

Smoove scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smoove content to control rather than advance.
Smoove has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smoove seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Smoove with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Benja Smoove just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McDaniel with a poor takedown

and Smoove counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smoove looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
McDaniel tries to improve position but can't.
Smoove taking a breather here.

Smoove decides to stand up, so the ref orders McDaniel to his feet.

McDaniel gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
McDaniel is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Smoove is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McDaniel is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Smoove dives into side control.

Smoove stands up.

Smoove shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Smoove was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Craig McDaniel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McDaniel is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Benja Smoove comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smoove winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 25:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 25:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benja Smoove!