PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Baco Gacov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Smith
vs
Gacov

187 cm
22
225 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
26
235 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Dave Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Baco Gacov!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Roger Salmon and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Gacov. Those never looked like landing.
Smith wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Gacov throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Smith counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Gacov throws a right and a left that Smith avoids nicely.
Smith tries for a takedown but Gacov sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Gacov shoots for a takedown but Smith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Gacov throws a right and a left that both miss.
Smith drops down looking for a counter takedown but Gacov sprawls and moves away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Gacov.

It looks like Dave Smith has been cut.
Gacov misses with a double jab.
Gacov looks winded!
Gacov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gacov throws a right hand that Smith ducks under and follows up with a left that Smith also avoids with ease.

Smith closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Smith is nestled in close to Gacov, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Smith trying to pass the guard but Gacov defending well.
Smith scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith is looking for a kimura but Gacov is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Smith to get the leverage.
Smith lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Smith is looking for a kimura here.
Gacov is trying is best to control the position here.

Smith seems to be working for a kimura but Gacov defends the submission attempt.
Gacov is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gacov avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gacov defends it well.
Gacov trying to hold on to Smith's head to control him but Smith postures up.
Gacov wants to get back to full guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Gacov works his way to full guard. Good work.
Smith landing some decent shots from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gacov looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gacov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've been informed that Gacov has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Smith 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.
Smith lands a couple of elbows.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
Smith sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gacov's guard.
Gacov trying to control here.
Smith trying to control from Gacov's half guard. Gacov has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gacov keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Smith cracks Gacov with a solid left hand.
Smith controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Gacov looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gacov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gacov is trying to keep Smith in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dave Smith's cut.
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.

Gacov throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Baco Gacov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gacov.
Smith seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Smith shoots in and bounces Gacov off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is working Gacov over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Gacov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gacov is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Smith looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Gacov missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dave Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gacov tries to stand and escape but Smith is controlling the position.
Smith works his way to full guard. Good work.

Gacov drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Smith dives on top into guard.

Gacov is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Gacov keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Gacov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smith manages to get himself to full guard.

Gacov wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.
Smith looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Gacov from controlling successfully.
Smith punching from the bottom - just letting Gacov know he's still in a fight.
Smith keeping full guard, as Gacov tries to pass.
Smith trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Smith is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Gacov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Gacov wanted to stand there but Smith had control of the position.
Gacov looking to sit in guard and control but Smith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gacov is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith working some strikes from top position.
Smith cracks Gacov with a solid left hand.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gacov works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Smith won't allow Gacov to sweep him here.
Smith chips away with some ground and pound.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gacov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smith is in close to Gacov's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gacov looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Gacov looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Gacov keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

Gacov is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gacov shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Smith eats them both and turns towards Gacov to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Gacov fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.
Smith is looking to counter the offense by Gacov and move into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Dave Smith will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dave Smith's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Gacov fails to land with a series of punches.
Gacov lands a slapping body shot.
Nice sprawl there from Gacov as Smith shoots in.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smith.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gacov is trying to get back to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Smith is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gacov has escaped the position, nice work there.
Smith throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gacov tries to bench press Smith off him but Smith keeps the position.

Smith tries for a kimura but Gacov is defending well.
Gacov tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Check out the look on Smith's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

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

Smith goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Gacov has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Smith but great work by Gacov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control but Gacov postures up.

Gacov decides to stand back up. Gacov steps back and let's Smith get back to his feet.
Gacov scores with a one two! Smith had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Gacov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Smith quickly recovers to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gacov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Gacov postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Smith to stand up.
A nice combination there by Gacov.
Dave Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gacov lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Smith backs up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gacov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Smith tries to avoid it but Gacov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Smith to the ground. Smith escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Gacov throws a body shot but no joy.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Gacov shows good takedown defense.
Gacov lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Smith backs up against the cage.
Gacov looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Gacov will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gacov.
Gacov shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Smith slips under a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gacov attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Smith shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gacov manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Gacov has wrist control.
Baco Gacov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith chips away with some ground and pound.
Gacov wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gacov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dave Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Gacov looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

And that's the end of the fight!
Baco Gacov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Smith has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:28

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