PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Smith (ranked 3373 p4p, 346 weight class) and Reggie Braga (ranked 3304 p4p, 336 weight class). Smith comes to the cage accompanied by Lonely Train by Black Stone Cherry. Braga is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Snake Pond. On his way into the cage it seems that Aaron Smith has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Aaron Smith seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Smith
vs
Braga

195 cm
23
280 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

186 cm
23
247 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Aaron Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Reggie Braga!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Taro Takaoka and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Donk. Smith catches Braga right on the button with a cross.
Braga has a takedown stuffed.
Braga shoots in looking for a takedown but Smith manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Braga's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
It looked like Smith wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Smith throws a jab when Braga was well out of range.
Smith lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A jab lands there for Smith.
Braga tries to clinch up.
Smith connects with a nice looking jab.
Braga drops his hands momentarily and Smith takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Smith tries to keep at a distance but Braga has taken the fight into the clinch.
Smith lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Reggie Braga has been cut.
Smith stalling against the cage.
Smith lands an elbow inside that Braga shrugs off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with an elbow strike.
Braga tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Smith smiles and moves away.
Braga has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Aaron Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reggie Braga.
Smith connects with a nice looking jab.
Braga is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smith.
It looked like Smith wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Braga shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Smith sprawls well. Smith wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Braga gets slowly back to his feet.
Braga tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Smith defends well and Braga ends up having to push Smith into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Braga staying out of range there.
Smith rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Braga moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Braga bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Braga slips a jab from Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Braga decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Smith manages to escape and get back to his feet!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith throws a hook but Braga avoids it easily.
Braga is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Smith fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Braga tries to counter by closing the distance.
Braga ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Braga tries to counter with a clinch but Smith shakes him off and moves away.
Smith misses with a wild combination.
Braga moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Braga looks to land a left hand but Smith moved out of range nicely.
Smith throws a lazy right hand but Braga sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Braga is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt.
Braga walks into a stiff left hand from Smith.
Nice defenses there by Braga.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with an uppercut. Braga saw that one coming.
Smith is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Smith is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Smith swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Braga.

Braga moves into the clinch.
Braga fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Braga being controlled against the cage.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Braga fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smith lands a really nice looking cross but Braga seems unphased.
Smith staying out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a straight right.
Braga slips a jab from Smith.
Smith cracks Braga with an open hand slap.
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Braga sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Braga wants to counter with a clinch but Smith pushes him away.
Smith keeps the fight on the outside.
Braga walks into a left hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Smith swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Braga holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Smith throws an elbow but misses.
Smith misses with an elbow strike.
Braga 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. Braga gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Smith dodges the punch combination from Braga.
Smith slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Reggie Braga's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Braga, as that shot connected.
Smith thows a left - swing and a miss!
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Braga moves away and avoids it.
Braga uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Smith.
Smith looks to land a left hand but Braga moved out of range nicely.
Smith throws a hook but Braga blocks it.
Braga uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Smith.
Nice shot by Smith.
Braga shoots in but no luck this time.
Smith throws a series of punches but Braga avoids them all with ease.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some wild striking there from Smith.
Smith misses with a looping left.
Smith moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
Braga slips a straight right by Smith.
Braga scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Braga tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Smith manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Braga avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Braga takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Smith misses the jab.
Nice defenses there by Braga.
Smith is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Braga can do to turn this around?
Braga throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Smith takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Smith misses with an uppercut. Braga saw that one coming.
A swing and a miss from Smith.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Braga tries to counter with a clinch but Smith shakes him off and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braga slips under a jab from Smith.

Braga instigates a clinch.
Braga avoids a wild elbow strike from Smith.
Braga 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. Braga gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Aaron Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reggie Braga.
Braga slips a jab from Smith.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Braga has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Smith finds it's way round the side to connect with Braga's head.
A slow jab from Smith misses its intended target.
Braga avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Braga is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
A jab from Smith misses.
Smith throws a body punch but Braga moves out of range.
Smith misses with a hook.
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A big right from Smith misses.
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Braga sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Smith misses the target.
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Braga is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Aaron Smith is winning the standup battle so far.
Smith jabs Braga right on the nose. Braga blinks but takes it well.
Braga moves forwards but Smith connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Braga.
Braga tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Smith throws a jab but it's blocked by Braga.
Smith throws a jab but it's blocked by Braga.
Smith misses with a lunging right hand

and Braga counters by moving into the clinch.
Braga tries to pull guard but Smith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Braga jumps guard but Smith turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Smith lands an elbow inside that Braga shrugs off.
Braga blocks an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Braga breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith throws a right hand that Braga ducks under and follows up with a left that Braga also avoids with ease.
Aaron Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Braga is looking to clinch.
Smith slips under a jab.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Braga.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Braga has managed to clinch.
Smith creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Smith throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Braga is trying to pull guard but Smith turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Braga blocks an elbow strike from Smith.
Braga dodges an elbow strike from Smith.
Smith swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aaron Smith dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Reggie Braga's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Smith missing with a left hand there. Braga was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Braga doesn't manage to clinch there - Smith circles away.
Braga walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Smith lands a jab to the nose.
Smith scores with a jab.
Braga throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Smith stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Smith misses with an uppercut.
Smith sets himself, and Braga steps forward looking for the clinch! Smith avoids it this time.
Braga displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Smith throws out the jab.
Braga wants to counter the offense by Smith and move into the clinch position.
Jab by Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Braga looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Braga on the side of the head.
Braga slips a straight right by Smith.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga moves forwards but Smith connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Braga bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Braga wants to clinch.
Smith bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Braga's head backwards.
Smith misses with a hook. Braga ducked under it nicely.
Braga tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Smith manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A jab from Smith misses.
Braga steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Smith.
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Aaron Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Braga drives through and clinches with Smith against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braga tries to pull guard but Smith holds him up against the cage and eventually Braga drops back down to his feet.
Braga avoids a wild elbow strike from Smith.
Smith throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Smith is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Braga blocks the elbow strike.
Braga tries to pull guard but Smith won't allow it.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Smith takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Braga jumps guard but Smith stands there with Braga around his waist. Braga gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Aaron Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Reggie Braga.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Braga uses good head movement to avoid it.
Braga letting Smith take a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Braga tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Braga ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Braga no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Braga staying out of range there.
Smith lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt.
Braga fails in his attempt to clinch.
Smith rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Braga counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Smith!
Braga happy to just control the position for now.
Smith is not content to let Braga control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to get back to his feet.
Braga in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Braga works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but Braga drags him back down.
Smith takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Braga wants to control but Smith is keeping him busy.
Smith is trying to buck Braga off.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Reggie Braga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aaron Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Braga is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Smith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aaron Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Smith, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aaron Smith!
An out of breath Aaron Smith thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.