PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zachary Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcus Grant has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Grant
vs
Smith

185 cm
24
193 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

185 cm
18
196 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Zachary Smith!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Chris Downing and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grant fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith drops his hands momentarily and Grant takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Grant.
Marcus Grant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grant misses with a low kick.
Grant tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smith bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Grant tries a head kick but it misses.
A combination from Grant does no damage.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Grant pushes him off.
Grant scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Grant fails with the takedown.
Grant moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Grant moves away.
Grant stalks Smith and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Smith's face. Smith staggers backwards, shaken.
Smith takes a swing at Grant's ribcage but misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Grant clinches.
Grant wants to break the clinch but can't.

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

Grant changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Smith looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Grant decides to stand back up. Grant steps back and let's Smith get back to his feet.
Smith fails in his attempt to clinch.
Grant lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Smith checks a leg kick.
Smith keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Grant with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Grant dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Grant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Grant.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grant misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Smith on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Smith fails in his attempt to clinch.
Grant scores with a three punch combo!
Grant looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smith tries to clinch up.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Grant lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Smith backs up against the cage.
Grant throws a series of strikes that have Smith backpedaling.
Grant slips under a jab from Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant throws a right hand that Smith ducks under and follows up with a left that Smith also avoids with ease.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Grant is trying to control the position but Smith postures up.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Grant is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grant knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grant looking for a sweep. Not yet Grant, not yet.
Smith passes into half guard.
Smith trying to pass the guard but Grant defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith is trying to work for a kimura but Grant is defending well.
Smith looks gassed!
Smith trying to control from half guard but Grant is working away.
Smith is looking to stall here but Grant recovers full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grant is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Grant with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Grant throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Grant closes the distance and clinches.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
Grant wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Grant tries for a takedown but Smith manages to get underhooks.
Smith wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nice body punch from Grant - that landed with a thud.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Grant.
Grant is trying to break free.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Grant looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Grant fails to land with a series of punches.
Smith takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Grant wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Smith misses the body punch
enabling Grant to counter with a crisp jab.
Grant throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith swinging wilding here.
Smith is looking to clinch.
Grant lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Smith backs up against the cage.

Smith pushes Grant up against the cage in a clinch.
Smith stalling against the cage.
Smith jumps guard but Grant stands there with Smith around his waist. Smith gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Smith just misses with a elbow thrown towards Grant's brow.
Grant lands a body shot.

Grant pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Grant rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Grant works over Smith's head and body with a nice combination.
Grant uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Smith.
Smith avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Smith fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith stuffs the takedown attempt from Grant. Grant gets slowly back to his feet.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Grant swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Grant throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.

Grant looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Smith has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Grant has passed into side control.
Grant slows the pace down.
Smith sneaks back into half guard.
Smith wants to improve his position but Grant is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control but Grant is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Grant drops an elbow to the side of Smith's head.

Grant decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Grant looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Grant tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Grant throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Grant lands a slapping body shot.
Marcus Grant is winning the standup battle so far.
Grant wants to clinch.
Grant throws a combination. Smith tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grant shoots for a double leg takedown but Smith sprawls well. He's pushed Grant's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Grant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grant lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Grant.
Grant lands a two punch combo.
Grant swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Smith clinches up with Grant and pushes him back against the cage.

Smith breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Smith.
Grant throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Grant lands a jab-cross combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smith looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Grant throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Grant dominated that second round.
That's time! Grant's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Grant closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Grant misses with a jab, cross combination.
Smith avoids a kick to the body.
Grant will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Grant moves in looking to clinch but Smith pushes him off.
Smith tries for a takedown but Grant circles away easily
and Grant counters with a right hand to the body.
Marcus Grant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grant lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Grant lands a two punch combo.
Grant throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Grant tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Smith decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Grant's guard.

Grant uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Grant as Smith shoots in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant works over Smith's head and body with a nice combination.
Grant is working the combinations to good effect here.
Grant moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Grant lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Jab by Grant.
Grant stuns Smith with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Grant lands a two punch combo.
Smith has his takedown stuffed
and Grant counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Marcus Grant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zachary Smith.

Grant scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Grant lands a nice short elbow.
Grant prevents Smith from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.

Grant stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Smith to get to his feet.
Grant scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Grant throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Smith.
Grant throws a low kick but it's checked well by Smith.
Grant looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.

Grant closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Grant lands in his opponent's guard.
Smith has a closed guard, preventing Grant from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Grant stands up from Smith's guard - Grant perhaps looking for a knockout.
Grant misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Grant is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
Grant throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Grant shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Grant avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Smith wants to clinch
letting Grant counter with a right hand.
Grant circles away from the clinch attempt
and Grant counters with a stiff right hand.
Grant lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Grant pushes him off.
Zachary Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith tries to land a front kick but Grant steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Grant tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Grant throws a right and a left that both miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Grant throws a right and a left that Smith avoids nicely.
Grant throws a right and a left that both miss.
Smith throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Marcus Grant is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith falls off balance throwing a combination

and Grant counters with a shoot takedown. Smith fights it but they end up in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Grant showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Grant has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

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