PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Yokozuna Asashoryu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Greg Smithson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smithson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Creator of Worlds kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Asashoryu
vs
Smithson

212 cm
25
278 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

204 cm
22
290 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Just Fight (Everything 7$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yokozuna Asashoryu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Greg Smithson!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Steve Montenegro and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Asashoryu scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Smithson doesn't seem bothered though.
Smithson fails with a takedown attempt.
Smithson fails with a takedown attempt.

Smithson has closed the distance and engaged Asashoryu in a clinch.
Smithson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Yokozuna Asashoryu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Greg Smithson.
Smithson fails to pull guard.
Smithson jumps guard but Asashoryu stands there with Smithson around his waist. Smithson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Smithson tries to pull guard but Asashoryu forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

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

Smithson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Asashoryu is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asashoryu is working hard here to advance position.
Smithson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Asashoryu keeps working.
Asashoryu wants to get back to his feet.
Asashoryu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Smithson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Smithson working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Smithson controlling from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asashoryu gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Smithson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Asashoryu wants to get back to full guard.
Asashoryu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smithson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Asashoryu is trying to get back to full guard.

Smithson stands up from half guard.
Smithson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Asashoryu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Smithson tries to clinch there but Asashoryu circles away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Asashoryu stuffs the takedown.
Asashoryu stuffs the takedown.
Asashoryu paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smithson shoots in looking for a takedown but Asashoryu manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Smithson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Smithson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smithson looks winded!
Nice sprawl there from Asashoryu as Smithson shoots in.
Asashoryu throws a head kick but Smithson moves out of range.

Smithson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Asashoryu was covering up waiting for the punch and Smithson finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Asashoryu tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Asashoryu has his feet on Smithson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Asashoryu misses the jab.
Asashoryu leaves Smithson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Asashoryu stuffs the takedown.
Smithson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smithson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Asashoryu as he avoids it easily.
Asashoryu throws a sloppy head kick and Smithson moves out of range easily.
Asashoryu displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Smithson.
Smithson blocks a head kick by Asashoryu.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yokozuna Asashoryu dominated that round.
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.

Asashoryu is looking to land body kicks.
Asashoryu throws a head kick that misses.

Smithson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Smithson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Asashoryu is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Smithson trying to control the position from guard on top but Asashoryu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smithson looking to pass the guard.
Smithson trying to control the position from guard on top but Asashoryu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smithson stopping the sweep attempt from Asashoryu.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Greg Smithson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Smithson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Asashoryu swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Asashoryu lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Asashoryu fails to land with a series of punches.
Asashoryu throws the left hand but Smithson avoids the punch easily.
Smithson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Asashoryu counters with a nice uppercut.
Greg Smithson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smithson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Asashoryu swivels and escapes.
Yokozuna Asashoryu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Greg Smithson.
Smithson is breathing heavily.
Smithson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Asashoryu makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
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!
A punch combination from Asashoryu misses.

Smithson ducks straight into an uppercut from Asashoryu and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Smithson manages to regain guard straight away.

Smithson is rocked!

It looks like Greg Smithson has been cut.

Asashoryu thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Smithson is still in real trouble! Can Asashoryu finish him?
Asashoryu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Asashoryu looking to pass the guard.
Smithson seems to have recovered his senses.
Asashoryu passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Smithson is looking to regain half guard here but Asashoryu keeps moving and retains side control.

Asashoryu is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Smithson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Asashoryu stands up and beckons Smithson to his feet.
Smithson tries to clinch up
and Asashoryu connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smithson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Asashoryu pinned against the cage. Asashoryu gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Smithson shoots in looking for a takedown. Asashoryu tries to sprawl out of it but Smithson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Asashoryu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A looping hook to the body misses from Asashoryu. Smithson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Yokozuna Asashoryu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice defenses there by Smithson.

Smithson clinches.
Asashoryu is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Smithson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Smithson tries to pull guard but Asashoryu won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smithson is looking for a takedown.
Asashoryu swings wildly with an uppercut but Smithson uses good head movement to avoid it.

Asashoryu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Asashoryu lands a jab to the nose.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Asashoryu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smithson goes for a double leg but Asashoryu avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Asashoryu continues to drive forward.
Asashoryu is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smithson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Smithson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Asashoryu gets the underhooks and prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yokozuna Asashoryu dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Greg Smithson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A head kick misses from Asashoryu.
Smithson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smithson darts in looking for a takedown but Asashoryu gets double underhooks and turns Smithson into the cage.
Smithson looking for a takedown.
Smithson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Asashoryu is defending well.
Yokozuna Asashoryu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Greg Smithson.
Smithson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Smithson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Asashoryu fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Asashoryu. Those never looked like landing.
Asashoryu throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Asashoryu sets himself and throws a head kick that knocks Smithson to the ground! Asashoryu dives into full mount looking to finish!
Smithson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Asashoryu softens up his opponent with a couple of shots there and then CRACK! One massive shot lands there and Smithson is out cold! Asashoryu jumps to his feet and celebrates on the cage with the fans, who are, quite frankly, going absolutely mental!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Yokozuna Asashoryu!
A very excited looking Yokozuna Asashoryu made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.