PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Finley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Finley
vs
Smith

178 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Alexander Finley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Michael Smith!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Finley throws a head kick that misses.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Smith prevents Finley from breaking the clinch.
Finley swings wildly with an uppercut but Smith uses good head movement to avoid it.

Smith is trying to trip Finley. He has hold of a leg but Finley is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Smith persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Smith passes Finley's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Finley knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Finley is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Finley avoid being mounted?
Smith sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Smith slips a nice elbow through Finley's hands, connecting with Finley's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Smith stands up and beckons Finley to join him on the feet.
Finley showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smith.
Smith lands a nice hook to Finley's body. Finley takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Smith feints and as Finley raises his hands in defense, Smith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith passes Finley's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Finley is defending well.
Smith working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Smith stalling.
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 working over Finley with some ground and pound. Finley looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith moves nicely into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

Smith is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Finley is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Smith stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Finley!
Smith is staying tight to Finley's torso, preventing him from escaping.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith tries to score with some ground and pound. Finley controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Smith dominated that round.
That's time! Finley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smith shoots in and bounces Finley off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Smith not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Finley throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Smith trying to control but Finley is working from the bottom.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Finley.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Michael Smith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Finley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Good leg kick by Smith there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Smith clinches.
Smith tries to land knees in the clinch but Finley avoids the damage to the body.

Smith turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Finley takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Michael Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.

Smith stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Finley tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.

Smith stands up and beckons Finley to join him on the feet.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith pushes Finley up against the cage in a clinch.
Smith stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Finley jumps guard but Smith turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Finley as Smith tries to tie him up.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Finley avoids a punch combination nicely.
Michael Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Finley.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finley missing with knees to the body.
Smith tries to throw a body punch but Finley avoids it by throwing Smith back against the cage.
Finley prevents Smith from breaking the clinch.

Finley pulls guard.

Smith stands up and waves to Finley to follow him.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Finley gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Finley's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Good exchange - Smith coming out on top.

Finley gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.

Smith gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith gets a clinch.
Smith wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Smith is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Smith has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Finley is trying to keep an underhook but Smith manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Finley wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Smith has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith wants to control the pace but Finley is squirming around nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith controlling his opponent.
Finley looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Smith just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Finley won't enjoy being in this position. Smith looking for the choke. Oh... he's slipped the arm under the neck - Finley is tapping - it's over boys! Smith picks up the submission victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:23 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Michael Smith!