PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Big J Smiles (ranked 3522 p4p, 0 weight class) and Artem Irhin (ranked 3165 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Smiles might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Smile Like You Mean It. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

J Smiles
vs
Irhin

198 cm
35
197 lbs
17 - 25 - 0

180 cm
33
191 lbs
13 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

King of Clothes

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 17 - 25 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Big J Smiles!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Artem Irhin!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smiles ducks under a wild hook from Irhin.
Irhin keeps the fight on the outside.
Irhin keeps the fight on the outside.
A telegraphed right hand from Irhin misses the target.
Smiles tries to clinch up.
Smiles looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Smiles doesn't manage to clinch there - Irhin circles away.
Smiles tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Irhin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've been informed that Irhin has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.

Smiles forces Irhin back against the cage and clinches.
Smiles tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Smiles prevents a body shot from Irhin.
Smiles trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irhin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Smiles backwards.
Smiles struggles to land a body shot inside as Irhin controls his hands.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Irhin as Smiles tries to tie him up.
Irhin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A short body shot lands from Smiles as the two fighters clinch.
Smiles keeps control of Irhin as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smiles with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Irhin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Smiles looking to throw knees to the head but Irhin is blocking nicely.
Smiles keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Irhin's efforts to push away.

Irhin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smiles is looking to clinch.
Irhin throws a jab but it's blocked by Smiles.
Irhin throws a body shot but no joy.
Irhin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
As Irhin tries to get set, Smiles tries to push him back and clinch up but Irhin manages to avoid the attempt.
Irhin moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Irhin tries to keep at a distance but Smiles has taken the fight into the clinch.
Smiles blocks an uppercut.
Irhin misses with some punches.
Irhin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Irhin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Smiles misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smiles lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Artem Irhin has been cut.
Irhin tries to break free but Smiles pushes him back against the cage.
Irhin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smiles's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smiles.
Irhin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Smiles with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Irhin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Irhin throws a punch but it's blocked by Smiles.
Irhin lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Smiles backwards.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Irhin working aggressively here.
Irhin lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Irhin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Irhin has had enough of the clinch but Smiles keeps him there for the moment.
Smiles tries a knee to the head but Irhin blocks it.
Smiles tries a knee to the head but Irhin blocks it.

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

Smiles has closed the distance and engaged Irhin in a clinch.
Irhin lands a shoulder strike.
Irhin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irhin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A knee to the head by Smiles.
Irhin avoiding damage as Smiles throws knees to the body.
A short body shot lands from Smiles as the two fighters clinch.
Irhin throws a head punch that misses.
Irhin has a couple of punches blocked by Smiles.
Smiles missing with knees to the body.
Smiles landing knees to the head.
Irhin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Irhin misses with a punch on the inside.

Irhin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smiles tries to close the distance and clinch but Irhin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smiles moves in looking to clinch but Irhin pushes him off.
Irhin is looking for the big counter here.
Smiles bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Irhin's head.
Smiles fails in his attempt to clinch.
Smiles closes the distance but Irhin moves to the side
and Irhin counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Smiles is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irhin lands hard precision jab right on the jaw that stiffens Smiles up and sends him tumbling to the mat! The ref grabs Irhin from behind before he can pounce. Some folks in the crowd didn't like that stoppage, but I saw Smiles's eyes roll way back in his head, he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:08 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Artem Irhin!