PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chris River (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). River comes to the cage accompanied by A Country Boy Can Survive. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

River
vs
Smith

172 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

166 cm
23
149 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent knees
Very confident

Rivers Edge Nutrition
BioPharm Nutrition

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chris River!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Smith!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith gets a clinch.
Smith scores a nice knee to the body.
River jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Smith walks away with a smile on his face. River gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Nice jab there from Smith.
River showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smith.
River throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
John Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

River closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

River swings around for an armbar but Smith sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into River's guard.

Smith drops back looking for a leg! River is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and River manages to kick Smith off! Smith jumps back into River's guard.

River looking for subs off his back but Smith has passed one foot through into half guard.
River is refusing to be controlled, as Smith sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
River is looking to improve his position.
Smith throwing shots but River is blocking nicely.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but River does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
River trying to get back to full guard but Smith takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
River working to try and regain half guard.
River throwing hammer fists to the chest of Smith. What's that going to do exactly?

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.
River is trying desperately to improve position.
Smith throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
River can't escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Smith landing strikes, looking to finish!
River really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
River sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
River is looking to escape.
River tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
River is breathing heavily.

Smith is looking for a kimura here.
Smith drops an elbow to the side of River's head.
Smith working River over with strikes.
River tries to kick Smith off but Smith keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
River is staying active underneath Smith, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Smith not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Smith working River over with strikes.
Smith working River over with strikes.

That's four 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.
River regains full guard. Nicely done.

Smith drops back looking for a leg! River is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and River manages to kick Smith off! Smith jumps back into River's guard.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith trying to control but River is working from the bottom.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

River looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Smith fails with the takedown.
Nice body kick there by Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith blocks a head kick by River.
Smith tries to clinch up.
River lands a lovely overhand right.
Smith looks to land a body kick but River moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
River avoids a kick to the body.
Smith fails in his attempt to clinch.
River checks the leg kick nicely there.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but River swats him away and circles back towards the center.
River is looking to land body kicks.
River moves out of range of the body kick from Smith.
Chris River is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but River bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
River misses with a head kick.
River throws a body kick the misses
and Smith counters with a low kick, right behind River 's knee.
River avoids a punch combination nicely.

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.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but River pushes him off.
River throws a head kick that misses.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smith.
River is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Smith off and has taken his back!
Smith looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

River working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Smith defends a prolonged rear naked choke attempt and turns nicely into his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Smith wants to control from the top but River keeps moving.

River working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.

River looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Smith passes into half guard.
Smith wants to take a breather but River is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
River tries to roll over but Smith keeps him under control.
Smith seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Smith is taking a breather. River says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
River is in trouble now - Smith has advanced to mount!
Smith breaks from River's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Smith raining down shots from the mount!
Smith landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith tries to clinch there but River circles away.
Smith pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Smith goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
River throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Smith throws a sloppy head kick and River moves out of range easily.
River tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
River throws an overhand right that lands on Smith's shoulder, as Smith tries to avoid the shot.
Smith throws a lazy body kick
and River counters with a flying knee that drops Smith! River dives in and finishes the fight with a flurry of strikes from the mount!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Chris River!