PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Andries Van Tijn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Van Tijn
vs
Smith

190 cm
20
179 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
20
187 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andries Van Tijn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul Smith!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Van Tijn tries to clinch but Smith moves out of range.
Smith keeps the fight on the outside.

Smith clinches up against the cage.
Van Tijn fails to pull guard.
Van Tijn takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Andries Van Tijn has been cut.
Smith missing with knees to the body.

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

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Smith landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Van Tijn is breathing heavily.
Smith stalling against the cage.
Van Tijn on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Smith using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Van Tijn wants to break free but Smith has control.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Tijn wants to clinch but Smith slips to the side
and Smith counters with a three punch combo that has Van Tijn backing up. Van Tijn nods at Smith to acknowledge the strikes.
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!

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Smith crunches a lovely knee into Van Tijn's ribcage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Van Tijn. That did some damage!
Van Tijn closes the distance but Smith moves to the side

and Smith holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

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

Smith darts in and clinches Van Tijn up against the cage.
Smith tries to land a knee to the head but Van Tijn blocks with his arms.
Smith lands a nice knee to the body.
Smith using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Tijn avoids the damage to the body.
Smith landing knees to the body.
Smith landing knees to the body.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Smith, as that shot connected.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Smith gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Andries Van Tijn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Smith clinches up against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith connects with a solid leg kick.
Paul Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith wants to clinch up but Van Tijn keeps it at a distance.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Smith throws a series of punches but Van Tijn moves out of range.

Smith moves into the clinch.

Smith manages to break the clinch.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Van Tijn closes the distance looking to clinch

and Smith holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Tijn blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Smith missing with knees to the body.
Van Tijn wants to break free but Smith has control.
Smith manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Smith unloads a knee to the mid-section. Van Tijn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

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

Smith has Van Tijn up against the cage in a clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith throws a right hand that Van Tijn ducks under and follows up with a left that Van Tijn also avoids with ease.
Smith throws a half hearted mid kick.
Smith cracks Van Tijn with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith misses with a kick to the body.

Van Tijn tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.
Van Tijn tries to score a body lock takedown but Smith shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Smith scores a nice knee to the body.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A head kick misses from Smith.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Smith clinches.
Van Tijn takes an elbow to the temple.
Smith throws an elbow but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andries Van Tijn's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Van Tijn tries to clinch up
and Smith counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Van Tijn takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Paul Smith seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Andries Van Tijn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Van Tijn paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Smith pressing his opponent against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Van Tijn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith landing knees to the body.
Smith lands a nice elbow.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith tries to clinch up.
Van Tijn closes the distance looking to clinch
and Smith counters with a stiff right hand.
Van Tijn clinches but Smith breaks the clinch

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch.
Smith landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Smith stalling.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Tijn avoids the damage to the body.
Smith landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Smith gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Smith cracks Van Tijn with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Smith keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Van Tijn swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Smith leaning his opponent against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch.

Smith drives through and clinches with Van Tijn against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Tijn looks to clinch
and Smith counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Van Tijn takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Tijn moves out of range of the body kick from Smith.

Smith gets a clinch.
Smith misses with a knee to the head.
Van Tijn blocks the elbow strike.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Van Tijn swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Van Tijn gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Van Tijn takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Van Tijn closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Smith cracks Van Tijn with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A good leg kick by Smith.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Tijn takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

Van Tijn gets a clinch.

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

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Van Tijn, pushing him back against the cage.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Tijn avoids the damage to the body.
Paul Smith seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Tijn keeps the fight on the outside.

Smith clinches.
Smith crunches a lovely knee into Van Tijn's ribcage.
Van Tijn avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith prevents Van Tijn from breaking the clinch.
Smith stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Tijn avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Andries Van Tijn's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Smith has Van Tijn up against the cage in a clinch.
Van Tijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Van Tijn drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Smith gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Smith throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Van Tijn tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Come on Smith - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Smith landing knees to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Van Tijn pushes him off.

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

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Smith throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Van Tijn gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Smith rushes Van Tijn and presses him up against the cage.
Smith missing with knees to the body.

Smith breaks the clinch.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smith tries a head kick but it misses.
Van Tijn takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Smith has closed the distance and engaged Van Tijn in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Van Tijn closes the distance looking to clinch
and Smith counters with a head kick.
Van Tijn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Smith.
Van Tijn throws a half hearted mid kick.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Van Tijn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A head kick misses from Van Tijn.
Van Tijn closes the distance looking to clinch

and Smith holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Smith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Van Tijn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

Van Tijn instigates a clinch.
Smith is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Van Tijn clinches but Smith breaks the clinch
and Smith counters with a straight right hand.
Smith is looking to clinch.
Smith throws a head kick that misses.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt
and Smith counters with a low kick, right behind Van Tijn 's knee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
A lazy body kick from Van Tijn

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch.
Smith lands a knee to the body.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
Smith darts in trying to clinch

and Van Tijn moves into the clinch.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Tijn avoids the damage to the body.
Smith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Van Tijn.
Smith will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Van Tijn up against the cage.
Van Tijn keeps control of Smith as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smith has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 25:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Smith!