PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Grant Hayes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gary Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grant Hayes has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hayes
vs
Smith

222 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Grant Hayes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Gary Smith!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Richard Clark and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hayes sprawls well initially but Smith persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hayes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hayes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hayes throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Hayes uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Smith lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hayes at a distance.

Smith shoots in and gets a takedown into Hayes's guard.

Hayes pushes Smith off and gets back to his feet.
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!
Hayes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Hayes pushes Smith up against the cage in a clinch.
Hayes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Smith is defending well for now.

Hayes gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes trying to stand up but can't free himself from Smith's guard.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Smith looks winded!
Hayes tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.

Hayes gets to his feet - Smith follows without any prompting.

Smith scores with a takedown into Hayes's guard.

Hayes manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hayes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hayes lands in his opponent's guard.

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

Hayes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice body punch from Hayes.

Hayes pulls guard successfully.
Hayes pulls Smith in to control the position.
Hayes continues to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
More hug and hope from Hayes.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hayes is keeping the position for now.
Hayes pulls Smith in close to prevent any damage.

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.
Hayes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Smith is controlling him.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Hayes has managed to clinch.
Hayes is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Smith gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Smith ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Smith no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Hayes gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Smith pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Hayes back to the cage. Smith follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Hayes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hayes closes the distance and clinches.
Hayes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Smith just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hayes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Smith just stands there and leans against the cage.

Smith pulls guard.
Smith will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Hayes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Smith, up you get!
Hayes moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.

Hayes closes the distance and pushes Smith back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hayes jumps guard and drags Smith to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Hayes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Smith defends well.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Hayes wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Smith wants to stand but Hayes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hayes keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.

Hayes had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Smith defends it easily.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Hayes has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Smith off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Hayes gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hayes is pulling down on Smith's head to control his posture.
Hayes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Hayes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Hayes is retaining full guard.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hayes trying to control the position here.

Hayes is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Smith presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes missing with knees to the body.
Hayes tries for a takedown. No joy.
We've been informed that Smith has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Grant Hayes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hayes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Hayes circles away.
Hayes on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

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

Hayes bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Hayes has managed to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Hayes dominated that second round.
That's time! Hayes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Hayes moves into the clinch.

Hayes pulls guard successfully.

Hayes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hayes is adopting a defensive guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hayes has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Smith throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hayes working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Smith doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Smith manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hayes is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Smith won't allow Hayes to sweep him here.
Hayes seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hayes's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Smith content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Smith pushing down on Hayes's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Smith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hayes's head.
Hayes is controlling Smith's trapped leg to prevent Smith from advancing to side control.
Hayes is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Smith fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hayes.
Smith scores with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hayes forces Smith back against the cage and clinches.
Smith avoiding damage as Hayes throws knees to the body.

Smith manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Smith really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hayes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Smith has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Hayes is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Smith.

Hayes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Hayes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to regain half guard here but Hayes keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Check out the look on Hayes's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hayes working the head and body with strikes.
Smith tries to bench press Hayes off him but Hayes keeps the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grant Hayes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hayes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Grant Hayes!