PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between mike smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and tommy sewell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for mike smith has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

smith
vs
sewell

167 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, mike smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, tommy sewell!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, William Gold and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice sprawl there from sewell as smith shoots in.
A nice inside leg kick there by sewell. That's going to slow smith down.
sewell throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by smith.

sewell gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

sewell lands a takedown into guard.
smith keeping moving, preventing sewell from controlling successfully.
smith seems keen to control sewell's posture.
sewell controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
smith is trying to keep sewell in close.
smith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sewell sitting in guard, not really doing much.
sewell tries to free his leg and advance position but smith is retaining full guard.
sewell is stalling in the full guard.
sewell won't allow smith to sweep him here.
sewell looking to pass the guard.
sewell slips nicely into half guard.

That's two 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.
smith wants to control but sewell is keeping busy.

sewell seems to be working for a kimura but smith defends the submission attempt.

smith looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
sewell prevents smith from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
sewell works his way into side control.
sewell wants to lay and pray for a moment but smith keeps working.
sewell controlling the position.
smith taking punishment in the form of punches.

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.

sewell has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
sewell is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
smith shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts sewell as he jumps to the side.
smith is breathing heavily.
sewell tries to clinch but smith is having none of it.
Horrible takedown by smith or perhaps it was just good defense by sewell which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mike smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

sewell clinches with his opponent.
smith misses with a short punch on the inside.

sewell manages to pull guard.
sewell looking for a sweep. Not yet sewell, not yet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

tommy sewell dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

smith shoots in looking for a takedown. sewell tries to sprawl out of it but smith keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. sewell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from smith.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
smith wants to break free but sewell has control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
sewell has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. smith avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
smith gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from sewell.

sewell drags the fight down to the ground.
sewell looking to control but smith passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sewell is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
sewell looks like he's trying to stand up.
smith winds up and cracks sewell with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
sewell is trying to control but can't.
smith tries to stand but his hand is stuck under sewell.
sewell tries to get to full guard but smith has control of the leg.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
smith fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mike smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
smith changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. sewell tries to avoid it but smith manages to keep hold of a leg and drag sewell to the ground. sewell escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

sewell has closed the distance and engaged smith in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

sewell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

sewell closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming smith to the mat! smith manages to get full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
smith is trying to control the position but sewell postures up.
sewell tries to free his leg and advance position but smith is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

smith had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. sewell is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. smith Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take sewell's back instead.
smith is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften sewell up.
sewell just trying to survive but smith is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
sewell is in bad spot here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

tommy sewell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

smith misses with a takedown attempt

and sewell counters by clinching up.

sewell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

smith pushes sewell up against the cage in a clinch.

sewell has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but smith regains guard immediately.
smith looking to hit a scissor sweep but sewell is one step ahead there.
smith being controlled here, momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
sewell postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
sewell trying to control but smith is working from the bottom.
smith throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
sewell being controlled here momentarily.
sewell passes into half guard.
sewell is thwarting smith's attempts to control the position.

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.

sewell seems to be working for a kimura but smith defends the submission attempt.

smith looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
sewell looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that sewell has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

sewell postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for smith to stand up.
smith doesn't manage to clinch there - sewell circles away.
mike smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
sewell throws a head kick that misses.
sewell tries to clinch but smith moves out of range.
smith with a lazy takedown attempt

and sewell counters by moving into the clinch.

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.
A bit of stalling here from sewell.
smith tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for mike smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

smith pulls guard successfully.

smith working for a triangle but sewell defends it easily.
smith has momentary wrist control but sewell slips an elbow through the middle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
sewell 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.
mike smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
tommy sewell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
tommy sewell comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well sewell has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 James Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... tommy sewell!