PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Li Qiang (ranked 777 p4p, 100 weight class) and John Smith (ranked 1375 p4p, 166 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Qiang
vs
Smith

195 cm
26
273 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

196 cm
26
262 lbs
5 - 0 - 1

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid 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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Li Qiang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 1, fighting out of The Island, John Smith!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Dirk Anderson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith throws a body shot but no joy.
Qiang lands with an overhand left.

It looks like John Smith has been cut.
Qiang throws a jab when Smith was well out of range.
Smith avoids the body shot from Qiang.
A countering left hand to the body from Smith misses.
Qiang ducks under a wild hook from Smith.
A slapping leg kick lands for Smith.

Qiang shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Qiang is just content to waste time from the top position. Smith takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Smith keeping moving, preventing Qiang from controlling successfully.
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but Qiang is proving a slippery customer.
Smith wants to stand but Qiang is controlling the position.
Qiang preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Qiang is controlling him.
Qiang seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Qiang prevents Smith from getting back to his feet.
Smith pulls Qiang in close to prevent any damage.
Qiang scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Qiang not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Qiang forces his way into half guard.
Smith is looking to control Qiang's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Smith avoid being mounted?
Qiang wants to pass to mount but Smith is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Qiang lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Qiang moves nicely into side control.
Smith is trying to buck Qiang off.
Qiang working the head and body with strikes.
Smith is trying to control Qiang's posture but Qiang avoids it.
Qiang in side control lands a decent elbow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Qiang lands a decent elbow from side control.
Qiang slows the pace down.
Smith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Qiang wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Li Qiang dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Smith's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Qiang fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Smith to the ground. Qiang is now in Smith's guard.
Smith is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Qiang dives into side control.

Qiang is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?

Smith bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Smith moves out of range of the strikes.
Qiang tests Smith's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That has opened up John Smith's cut even more.
Smith's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Qiang connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Smith scrambles back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith throws a hook to the side of Qiang's head but Qiang sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Qiang throws a right and a left that both miss.
Qiang is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smith.
Smith scores with a sloppy right hand. Qiang should have avoided that one.
Nice defenses there by Smith.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Qiang is just out of range.
Smith scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Smith scores with a body shot.
Qiang throws a nice looking combination but Smith bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a double jab.
Smith throws a one two combo.
Qiang fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Smith looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Qiang fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Qiang looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Smith controls Qiang momentarily but Qiang frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Qiang looking to pass the guard.
Qiang postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Smith looking to control.
Qiang keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Smith's head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Qiang accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Qiang is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Smith wants to stand up but Qiang is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Qiang trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Qiang tries to free his leg and advance position but Smith is retaining full guard.
Smith looking to control.
Qiang stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith trying to control the position.
Qiang trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Smith manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

Smith breaks from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Qiang cracks Smith with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Li Qiang will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Smith's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Smith throws a leg kick that is checked
and Qiang makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Li Qiang is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Qiang sees it coming and avoids it easily.
John Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Qiang swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Qiang looks to land a right hand but Smith moved out of range.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Smith misses with a two punch combination.
Smith walks into a straight right hand from Qiang.
Smith looks to throw the jab but Qiang is out of range.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Qiang avoids the head kick by Smith.
Qiang's jab looks to have found its range, popping Smith under the eye.
Qiang throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Smith throws a lazy uppercut
and Qiang cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Qiang throws a series of strikes that have Smith backpedaling.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Qiang connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Smith looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A combination from Qiang does no damage.
Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Qiang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Qiang with a hook.
Smith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Qiang closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Qiang lands in his opponent's guard.
Smith doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Smith has momentary wrist control but Qiang slips an elbow through the middle.
Smith seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Qiang content to stall in guard here.
Qiang is looking to work some ground and pound but Smith has wrist control.
Smith looking to control.
Qiang throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Qiang controls from within his opponent's guard.

Smith working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Qiang has passed into half guard!
Smith flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Smith actively working from the bottom here.
Qiang looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Smith is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Qiang scores with a couple of nice shots.

Smith actively working from the bottom here.
Qiang working over Smith with some ground and pound. Smith looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Smith tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Li Qiang showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Qiang has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Peter Branson scores the fight for Li Qiang!
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight for Li Qiang!
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight for Li Qiang!

Li Qiang wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Li Qiang thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.