PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ashley Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Bittbull (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Smith
vs
Bittbull

200 cm
23
266 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

189 cm
20
227 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ashley Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jose Bittbull!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Smith looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Bittbull clinches up against the cage.

Bittbull manages to break the clinch.
Smith closes the distance but Bittbull moves to the side
and Bittbull counters with a body kick that stops Smith in his tracks momentarily.
Bittbull lands a head kick!

Bittbull scores a takedown into full mount!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Bittbull controlling from the full mount.
Bittbull trying to control but Smith is having none of it.
Bittbull controlling the position easily from mount.
Bittbull really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Smith. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bittbull looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bittbull is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Bittbull sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Bittbull cracks Smith with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Bittbull controlling from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Jose Bittbull just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bittbull lands with a slapping head kick.

Bittbull drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull lands a slapping body shot.
Bittbull lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Bittbull.

Bittbull shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Bittbull sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Bittbull trying to pass the guard but Smith defending well.
Bittbull seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bittbull wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull lands strikes from half guard.
Smith is looking to escape.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bittbull throws a head kick that half lands.

Bittbull scores a takedown into full mount!
Bittbull takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Bittbull landing shots from mount.
Bittbull controlling the position easily from mount.
Bittbull wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull content just to control the position here.
Bittbull working Smith over with strikes here.
Smith tries to reverse the position but Bittbull maintains control.
Bittbull controlling his opponent.
Smith tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bittbull wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Bittbull dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bittbull clinches with his opponent.
Smith gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Bittbull.
Bittbull has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Smith avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Bittbull jumps into guard, dragging Smith to the mat.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
Smith tries to stand but Bittbull is controlling from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bittbull is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bittbull controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Bittbull is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bittbull ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Bittbull throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Bittbull scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Bittbull is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith lands a couple of sideways elbows.
Smith tries to roll over but Bittbull keeps him under control.
Smith moves into full guard.
Bittbull trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull stops Smith from standing up.
Smith trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Bittbull controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Bittbull is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A head kick from Bittbull lands but Smith takes it in his stride.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Bittbull.

Smith gets caught flat footed, as Bittbull shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Smith will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Bittbull stops Smith from standing up.

Smith kicks Bittbull off and gets to his feet.
Smith throws a jab but it's blocked by Bittbull.
Smith throws a combination that misses

and Bittbull counters with a takedown into side control.
Smith is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Bittbull asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Smith is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Smith prevents Bittbull from improving position.
Smith tries to buck Bittbull off but Bittbull is having none of it.
Bittbull advances to full mount.
Bittbull landing strikes, looking to finish!
Smith really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Bittbull controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Bittbull showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Smith misses with a takedown

and Bittbull counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bittbull.

Bittbull has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Smith regains guard immediately.

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

Smith gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bittbull controls from within his opponent's guard.
Smith is looking to stand up but Bittbull isn't so interested in that idea.

Smith has his feet on Bittbull's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Bittbull counters with a big head kick but Smith shrugs it off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bittbull gets the takedown into side control.
Smith is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Bittbull has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Smith manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Bittbull prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Bittbull trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.

Smith pushes Bittbull off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bittbull ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
Smith swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Bittbull counters with a head kick.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Bittbull counters with a two punch combo.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ashley Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a hook.
Smith shoots and misses

and Bittbull decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Smith's guard.
Bittbull must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bittbull is standing up over Smith. Smith looks to escape but Bittbull dives into side control.
Smith tries to escape but Bittbull is in control.
Smith tries to improve position but can't.
Jose Bittbull has got the better of the ground game so far.

Bittbull thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
A lull in the action here as Bittbull stalls from top position.
Smith looks frustrated here - throwing a couple of shots from the bottom though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to strike but it doesn't land.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Bittbull throws a nice head kick!

Smith 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.
Bittbull is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Smith is looking for a sweep. Bittbull is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Smith looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ashley Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bittbull controlling the action here.
Smith flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Bittbull looking for a submission but Smith manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bittbull postures up in Smith's guard and throws a big left but Smith blocks it.
Bittbull trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Bittbull manages to pass to side control.
Bittbull sitting and controlling from the half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Bittbull comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Bittbull 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Bittbull!