PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hans Richter (ranked 2053 p4p, 210 weight class) and Joe Smith (ranked 1464 p4p, 163 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Richter
vs
Smith

179 cm
21
154 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

166 cm
20
150 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Conviction

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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hans Richter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Smith!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Daniel Blasius and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richter tries to move into range but Smith moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
It looked like Richter wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Richter avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Richter tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Smith has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Richter is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Richter looks for a takedown but Smith sprawls well.
Richter throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Richter tries to clinch but Smith moves out of range.
Richter checks a leg kick.
Richter fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
The crowd cheers as Richter lands an impressive looking overhand right. Smith doesn't seem phased though.
Richter moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Smith circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smith is looking for the big counter here.
Richter with a hook.
Richter tries to bum rush Smith with a series of wild strikes but Smith uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Richter tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
As Richter backs off Smith throws a huge counter combo but Richter manages to avoid it all.
Richter throws a hook but Smith avoids it easily.
Smith lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Richter looks to clinch
letting Smith counter with a right hand.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
It seemed like Smith was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Richter rushes Smith and presses him up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richter misses with the head strike.
Smith lands a right hand.

Richter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Richter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smith swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Richter tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Richter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smith paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Richter tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice uppercut there from Smith.
Sloppy strikes from Smith. Those never looked like landing.

Richter has closed the distance and engaged Smith in a clinch.
Richter lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Richter 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. Richter gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Richter is just out of range.
Richter cracks Smith with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Richter throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
Richter keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Smith stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hans Richter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Richter keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Richter has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Doom's Gym in the buildup to the fight.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richter avoids a punch combination nicely.
Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Richter moves away.
Richter misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Richter tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Richter tries to clinch up.
Smith is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Richter rather than just go for the knockout.
A jab from Smith finds it's way through Richter's defenses.
Richter tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Hans Richter seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Richter uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Smith.
Smith misses the jab.
Richter tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Richter has a takedown stuffed.
Richter is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Richter bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richter scoring well with a low kick there.
Richter connects with a right hand. Smith shakes it off.
Richter throws a right and a left that Smith avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joe Smith will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Richter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Smith lands a jab to the nose.
Richter tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Smith lands a nice shot to the body.
Richter tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Richter's jab looks to have found its range, popping Smith under the eye.
Richter comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Richter throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Smith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Richter throws out the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Richter manages to avoid it.
Richter takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Richter manages to avoid it.
Richter throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Richter scores with a nice strike.
Richter throws a looping overhand right but Smith ducks down to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richter takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Richter is trying hard to land a takedown here. Smith sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Joe Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith throws a leg kick that misses.
Richter keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Smith.
Joe Smith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Richter tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Smith scores with a jab to the head.
Richter displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Smith throws out the jab.
Richter fails to land the takedown.
Smith keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hans Richter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A low kick from Richter is predictable there
and Smith counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Richter moves out of range of the strikes.
Richter throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Smith on the side of the head.
Richter with a nice cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Richter tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.
Richter ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Richter closes the distance and clinches.
Smith lands with a left to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richter doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Smith manages to break the clinch.
Richter is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Smith checks the leg kick.

Richter moves into the clinch.
Richter is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Smith to keep the fight standing.
Smith lands a shoulder strike.
Richter has a couple of punches blocked by Smith.

Richter decides to pull guard.

Smith gets to his feet - Richter follows without any prompting.
Smith misses the shot to the body.

Richter moves into the clinch.
Smith is trying to break the clinch but Richter is controlling him.
Richter blocks an elbow strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Richter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Richter was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Richter.
Richter throws a left and a right that both miss
and Smith makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Smith cracks a nice hook into Richter's ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Richter wants to clinch but Smith slips to the side
and Smith counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Richter thinking.

Richter fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Smith, pushing him back against the cage.
Richter has a couple of punches blocked by Smith.
Smith blocks the elbow strike.
Smith has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Richter uses good head movement to avoid it.
Richter's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Richter breaks the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Richter is defended easily by Smith.
Smith blocks a head kick by Richter.
Richter tries a head kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith scores with a hook.
Smith throws a jab when Richter was well out of range.
Smith moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Richter tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Smith misses with a straight left.
Richter swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Richter tries to clinch there but Smith circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith throws a shot from downtown. Richter moves away and avoids it.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Richter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith takes a swing at Richter's ribcage but misses.

Richter clinches.
Richter 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. Richter gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Smith pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Richter closes the distance and pushes Smith back into the cage.
Hans Richter has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Richter lands a left hand that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from Richter.
Smith tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Smith wants to get back to striking at distance but Richter won't allow it.
Smith tries a body shot but Richter blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Smith.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
Smith dodges an elbow strike from Richter.

Richter breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Richter tries to close the distance and clinch but Smith swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Good exchange - Richter coming out on top.
Smith thuds a left hand into Richter's body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Richter tries to clinch but Smith moves out of range.
Smith is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Richter is looking to counter punch.
Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Richter.
Richter's corner calls for a 1-2. Richter obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Richter throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.
Hans Richter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Richter is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Smith misses the shot to the body.
Smith ducks right into an uppercut from Richter.
Richter looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Smith with a hook.
Richter lands an overhand right.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Richter misses the jab.
Joe Smith is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Richter will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hans Richter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Smith.
I've got Smith winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Smith!
A victorious Joe Smith thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.