PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Justin Midget (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodney Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Midget
vs
Smith

160 cm
29
160 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

173 cm
23
147 lbs
14 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Midget!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Rodney Smith!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Midget looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Midget takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Smith darts in and clinches Midget up against the cage.
Smith scores with a hook to the body.
Smith throws a head punch that misses.
Smith stalling the fight.
Smith lands a right hand.
Smith lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Midget is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Smith gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Smith scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Smith.
Midget blocks an uppercut.
Midget is looking to take this one to the mat.
Midget wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Midget. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith lands a hook that snaps the head of Midget backwards.
Smith lands an uppercut.
Smith pushes Midget back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Smith working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Smith lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Smith working aggressively here.
Smith misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Smith scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Midget blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Smith lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Smith stops a takedown attempt from Midget.
Midget blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Smith throws a head punch that misses.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Midget controls his hands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with an elbow over the top.

Smith has picked Midget up - he's going for a ride! Smith dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Midget looking for submissions off his back.
Midget is looking to improve his position.

Midget looking for submissions off his back.
Smith lands with a punch from half guard.

Smith is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Midget has managed to free his arm - good work.

Midget is defending against the submission attempts here by Smith.
Smith works his way into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Smith has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Smith is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Midget is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Smith wants to control but Midget is keeping him busy.
Midget tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Smith wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Midget taking punishment in the form of punches.

Smith looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Midget tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Midget wants to control but Smith postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Midget gets back to half guard.
Smith with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Midget might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Midget is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Smith pulls his head out easily.
Midget trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Smith manages to pass to mount!
Smith has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Midget's face.
Smith working Midget over with strikes here.
Midget can't escape the position.
Midget is squirming around, avoiding Smith's attempts to control the action.
Midget is in all sorts of trouble here.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Midget working to try and regain half guard.
Midget is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodney Smith dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Midget.
Midget feinted with a counter takedown.
A slow jab from Smith misses its intended target.
Midget changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
A jab from Smith does it's job there.
Rodney Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Smith!
Smith throws a head kick that Midget semi-blocks.

Smith gets a clinch.
Smith is pressed up against the cage. Midget has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Smith down to the mat. Smith avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith is looking to slow Midget down with leg kicks.
Nice shot by Smith.
Smith lands a high kick!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith lands with an uppercut that bounces Midget off the cage and back into range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith has Midget up against the cage in a clinch.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Smith. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Smith lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Midget backwards.
Smith lands an uppercut.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Smith decides to pull guard.

Midget drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Midget jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Midget from controlling successfully.

Smith is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Midget defends well.
Midget throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Midget wants to pass the guard but Smith is keeping the position.
Midget wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

Smith looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Midget tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.

Smith has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Midget can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Midget landing with the ground and pound.
Midget postures up in Smith's guard and throws a big left but Smith blocks it.
Midget loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Midget from controlling successfully.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Smith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Midget doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Midget manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Midget.

Smith looking for a guillotine here but Midget defends easily.
Midget forces his way into half guard.
Midget not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Midget looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Smith looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

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

Midget is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Midget is trying to work for a kimura but Smith is defending well.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Midget.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Midget not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Midget seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodney Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Smith throws a lazy head kick

and Midget counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Smith!
Smith is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.

Midget wants to work for an arm triangle but Smith is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
Midget trying to mount his opponent but Smith defends it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Midget trying to control from half guard but Smith is working away.

Midget is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Smith controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Midget is trying to control the action in half guard but Smith is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Midget is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Smith defends it well.
Smith trying to hold on to Midget's head to control him but Midget postures up.
Midget is trying to control the action in half guard but Smith is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Midget seems to be looking for submissions.

Midget is looking for a kimura here.

Midget is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Smith has managed to free his arm - good work.

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 actively working from the bottom here.
Smith gets full guard.

Midget is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Smith is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Smith has escaped and now he's on top!

Smith stands up over Midget, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Midget throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Smith thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Smith wants to control from the top but Midget keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Midget looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.

Midget working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.
Midget manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smith manages to get himself to full guard.

Midget has a momentary lapse of concentration, allowing Smith to throw up a leg and lock on what appears to be a pretty tight triangle! Midget is fighting it off but it's all too little too late - Smith pulls down on the head and he's put Midget to sleep! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Rodney Smith!
Rodney Smith got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'