PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jim Halberg (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jose Smith has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Halberg
vs
Smith

164 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
23
164 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jim Halberg!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jose Smith!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Daniel Franklin and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halberg shoots in looking for a takedown. Smith tries to sprawl out of it but Halberg keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Smith manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Halberg with a hook.

Smith has managed to clinch.
Smith lands a body shot in the clinch.
Smith makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Smith scores with a nice hook to the head.

Smith is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Halberg can't fight it off and eventually Smith manages to take the fight to the floor. Halberg looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Halberg swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halberg keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith landing with the ground and pound.
Halberg is breathing heavily.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith stands and throws Halberg's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Smith is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Halberg has escaped the position, nice work there.
Smith is putting a hurting on Halberg here, landing some big shots from side control.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Halberg is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Smith is putting a hurting on Halberg here, landing some big shots from side control.

Smith stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Halberg tries to clinch

so Smith counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Halberg keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Smith connects with a couple of short punches.
Smith pushes down on Halberg's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Smith working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Smith uses his free foot to push down on Halberg's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Halberg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Smith lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Halberg hang on?
Smith landing shots from mount.
Smith controlling his opponent.
Smith lands with some strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Smith cracks Halberg with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Smith putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Halberg really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
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 Halberg's face.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Smith scoring with strikes but Halberg is staying in there.
Halberg is bucking up trying to escape but Smith cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Smith lands a nice shot to the head.
Smith postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Halberg looks a forlorn figure.
Smith raining down shots from the mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith looking to finish Halberg with some ground and pound. This is bad for Halberg!
Smith looking to control but Halberg is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Smith dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Halberg is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
Jose Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith landing with the ground and pound.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.
Smith is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Smith lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Halberg's head.
Smith slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Smith trying to control but Halberg is having none of it.
Halberg is bucking up trying to escape but Smith cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Halberg working to try and regain half guard.
Smith looking to control and managing it successfully.
Smith working the ground and pound effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halberg is squirming around, avoiding Smith's attempts to control the action.
Smith working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Smith with shots to the head and body - Halberg looks very uncomfortable down there.
Smith landing punches.
Smith can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Halberg is looking to escape.
Smith punishing his opponent with strikes.

Halberg is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith content just to control the position here.
Smith scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Halberg?
Oh Halberg is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Smith landing strikes from the mount and Halberg is in trouble!
Halberg seems to have got his legs back now.
Halberg is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Smith with shots to the head and body - Halberg looks very uncomfortable down there.
Smith lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
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 Halberg's face.

Smith is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Halberg can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith landing shots from mount.
Halberg is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Smith is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Halberg is bucking up trying to escape but Smith cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Smith looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Smith 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Halberg throws a combination that misses
and Smith counters with a right hand to the body.
Jim Halberg is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Smith closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Smith scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Halberg to see if he's OK.
Smith working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Check out the look on Smith's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Halberg tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Smith stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Halberg manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Smith is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Halberg's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Halberg's back!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halberg looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Halberg is really stuck here.
Halberg is covering up but some of the strikes from Smith are getting through and doing damage.
Halberg looking very determined here, making life difficult for Smith.
Halberg is taking damage to the body and head.
Halberg tries to roll but Smith sticks to his back.
Smith lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Halberg.
Smith lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Halberg trying to control the action but Smith just sinks the hooks in.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Smith working from the back looking to end the fight with a rear naked choke. Halberg is doing well to defend. Smith seems to have got his hand under the chin though and he's sunk the choke in! Halberg is forced to tap and this one is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Jose Smith!