PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lars Manberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hunter Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lars Manberg has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Manberg
vs
Smith

180 cm
20
201 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
213 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Team S.W.A.T.
Nordic Battle Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lars Manberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hunter Smith!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Manberg slips a jab and a cross from Smith.
Manberg fails with the takedown.
Smith throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Manberg.
Manberg tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Manberg bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A nice combination there by Smith.

It looks like Lars Manberg has been cut.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
Manberg misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Smith checks a low kick from Manberg.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith looks to land a combination but Manberg avoids it well.
Smith swinging wilding here.
Manberg shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lars Manberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith looks to land a right hand but Manberg moved out of range.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Manberg bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Manberg tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manberg shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
Smith throws a series of punches but Manberg avoids them all with ease.
Smith looks to land a combination but Manberg avoids it well.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Manberg looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Smith is fending him off so far but Manberg persists. Nope, Smith circles away and we're back to standing.
Manberg is looking to chop away at Smith's legs.
A nice combination there by Smith.
Manberg scores with a jab to the body.

Manberg scores with a takedown into Smith's guard.
Manberg scoring with some ground and pound.
Manberg trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Manberg lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manberg trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Smith manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith won't allow Manberg to sweep him here.
Smith must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.
Manberg trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Smith fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Smith lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Manberg backs up against the cage.
Smith lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Manberg circles away quickly and effectively.
Some wild striking there from Smith.
Smith misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice takedown defense from Smith. No joy for Manberg on that attempt.
Smith lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Smith slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Smith misses with a double jab.
A punch combination from Smith misses.
Manberg has a takedown stuffed.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks to land a combination. Manberg sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Manberg tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Smith misses with a series of wild punches.
Smith tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Manberg swivels and escapes.
Smith throws a right and a left that Manberg avoids nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Manberg.
Smith throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Smith lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Manberg at a distance.
Smith misses with an uppercut. Manberg saw that one coming.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
Manberg shoots in looking for a takedown. Smith tries to sprawl out of it but Manberg keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Smith manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Manberg shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Manberg showed some decent athleticism there.
Manberg throwing shots but Smith is blocking nicely.
Smith moves into full guard.
Manberg throws and elbow that misses. Smith uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Manberg's guard. Nice move by Smith!
Manberg has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Manberg working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith wants to control from the top but Manberg keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manberg controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Manberg trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Manberg keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Manberg trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.
Manberg trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith throws a right and a left that Manberg avoids nicely.
Smith tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Manberg fails with the takedown.

That's two 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.
Manberg tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Manberg avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Manberg throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
Manberg tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
Smith misses with a jab, cross combination.
Left hook, right uppercut from Smith.
Manberg on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Smith lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Smith with a hook.
Manberg shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lars Manberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

Manberg 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.
Manberg wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Manberg looking to sit in guard and control but Smith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Manberg will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Manberg looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Smith stands up and waves to Manberg to follow him.
Smith's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Smith duly obliges.
Hunter Smith seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with the combination.
Smith misses with an uppercut. Manberg saw that one coming.
Manberg avoids a punch combination nicely.

Manberg shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Smith utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Manberg trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Smith manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Smith wanted to stand there but Manberg had control of the position.
Manberg wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hunter Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lars Manberg's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Smith swinging wilding here.
Smith scores with a one two! Manberg had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Manberg shoots in and drives through. Smith sprawls well.
Manberg dodges the punch combination from Smith.
Manberg misses with a takedown attempt - Smith sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Smith scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Smith scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Manberg tries for a takedown but Smith sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lars Manberg. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Smith throws a body punch but Manberg moves out of range.
Manberg moves out of range of the strikes.
Manberg fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lars Manberg is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smith looks to land a combination but Manberg avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith tries to bum rush Manberg with a series of wild strikes but Manberg uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Smith throws a series of punches but Manberg avoids them all with ease.
Manberg tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Manberg misses with a low kick.
Smith is looking to land body kicks.

Manberg darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Manberg is looking to advance position but Smith won't allow it.
Manberg not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Manberg not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Manberg not landing any meaningful shots this time.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smith can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manberg stalling away here and it's allowed Smith to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Manberg wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Manberg in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smith seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Hunter Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Manberg closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Smith gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Manberg.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Smith lands with a nice combination. Manberg backs away looking to recover.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manberg avoids a kick to the body.
Nice defenses there by Manberg.
Manberg fails in his attempt to clinch.
Manberg avoids a punch combination nicely.

Manberg shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Manberg thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Manberg with the ground and pound from mount.
Manberg working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Manberg wants to control the pace but Smith is squirming around nicely.
Smith suckers Manberg into throwing a sloppy strike and uses the momentum to reverse the position beautifully! Smith is now in Manberg's guard!
Smith wants to stand but Manberg has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith preventing the sweep.
Smith forces his way into half guard.
Manberg is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Smith's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Smith's back!
Smith wants to escape the position.
Manberg throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Lars Manberg has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Manberg is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Smith. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Hunter Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Manberg throws a series of strikes and Smith wriggles onto his back, so he's now mounted. He's in real trouble here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hunter Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smith 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

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