PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Arnold Smith (ranked 3804 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jean Lucroy (ranked 2650 p4p, 0 weight class). Arnold Smith has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Smith
vs
Lucroy

181 cm
27
214 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

182 cm
20
204 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Arnold Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Jean Lucroy!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Dirk Anderson and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lucroy tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Smith defends well and Lucroy ends up having to push Smith into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lucroy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lucroy uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Smith.
Nice jab there from Smith.

It looks like Jean Lucroy has been cut.
Smith with a nice cross.
Lucroy misses the jab.
Lucroy slips under a jab from Smith.
Lucroy walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Lucroy slips under a jab from Smith.
Smith throws the left hand but Lucroy avoids the punch easily.
Lucroy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Smith.
Lucroy with the counter takedown but Smith avoids it easily.
Lucroy just misses with a punch to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lucroy.
Smith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lucroy throws out the jab.
Smith defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lucroy.
Arnold Smith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jean Lucroy.
Smith misses with a jab, cross combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucroy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Smith avoids it really well and circles away.
Lucroy swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Lucroy shoots in looking for a takedown. Smith tries to sprawl out of it but Lucroy 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.
Smith tries a head kick but it misses.

Lucroy dives in and scores a takedown into Smith's guard.
Smith is pulling down on Lucroy's head to control his posture.
Smith manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Lucroy manages to get himself to full guard.

Lucroy is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Smith is aware though and is defending well.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Lucroy blocks nicely.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Lucroy is working from the bottom.
Lucroy trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.

Lucroy has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lucroy utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Smith throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smith trying to control but Lucroy is working from the bottom.
Smith is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Lucroy is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Lucroy.
Smith looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Smith works over Lucroy with some ground and pound from guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Lucroy can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lucroy bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.

Smith has momentary wrist control but Lucroy slips an elbow through the middle.
Lucroy chips away with some ground and pound.
Lucroy working some strikes from top position.
Lucroy preventing the sweep.
Smith wants to stand and escape but Lucroy is having none of it.
Lucroy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Lucroy has passed into side control.
Smith sneaks back into half guard.
Lucroy scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Smith has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Lucroy connects with a nice short shot to Smith's temple.
Nice strikes from Lucroy there.
Lucroy lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
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!
Smith trying to control but Lucroy postures up.
Lucroy is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arnold Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jean Lucroy's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lucroy.
Nice defenses there by Lucroy.
Smith throws a body punch but Lucroy moves out of range.
Smith smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Lucroy bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Smith throws a hook to the side of Lucroy's head but Lucroy sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Smith misses with a hook. Lucroy ducked under it nicely.
Lucroy has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Lucroy there as he acknowledges the shot.
Lucroy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Smith misses with a series of wild punches.
Lucroy is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Smith is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lucroy can do to turn this around?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lucroy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lucroy is putting a hurting on Smith here, landing some big shots from side control.
Lucroy looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Smith is avoiding damage well.
Smith tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lucroy scores with punches from side control.
Smith is trying to improve his position.
Smith is not content to let Lucroy control the position.
Lucroy lands a decent elbow from side control.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
Lucroy landing a few strikes.
Lucroy is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lucroy working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Lucroy looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Smith is avoiding damage well.
Smith looking for a sweep but Lucroy has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Smith is in a horrible position here. Lucroy smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Lucroy is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Jean Lucroy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lucroy landing strikes from the mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lucroy avoids the attempt from Smith to control.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Lucroy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Smith defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucroy wants to free his trapped foot but Smith is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Smith tries to get to full guard but Lucroy has control of the leg.

Smith is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lucroy pulls his head out easily.
Lucroy working Smith over with strikes.
Smith is trying to maintain the position but Lucroy is very close to passing his half guard.
Smith is trying to stand back up but Lucroy is controlling him
Lucroy is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Smith is trying to maintain the position but Lucroy is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to improve his position but Lucroy is controlling well.
Smith is trying is best to control the position here.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
Lucroy scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Smith is staying active underneath Lucroy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Smith slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lucroy postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jean Lucroy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jean Lucroy's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lucroy throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Smith's waist but Smith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lucroy off to one side.
Lucroy slips a jab from Smith.
Smith's corner calls for a 1-2. Smith obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Lucroy throws a big shot that misses.
Smith with a nice cross.
Lucroy slips a jab from Smith.
Smith thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lucroy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Smith circles away.

Lucroy closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Smith's guard.
Smith working a defensive guard here.
Lucroy preventing the sweep.
Lucroy throws a big right hand that misses.
Smith controls Lucroy momentarily but Lucroy frees himself.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lucroy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith wants to get back to his feet but Lucroy is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Smith throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Lucroy wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Smith drops Lucroy with a beautiful combination! Lucroy stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Smith is looking for the KO!

Lucroy is rocked!
Smith misses with a straight right.
Smith loads up on a big right hand but Lucroy slips the punch.
Lucroy staying out of range there.

Lucroy looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Smith is trying to escape back to his feet but Lucroy uses the scramble to pass into side control.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Lucroy's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Smith tries to bench press Lucroy off him but Lucroy keeps the position.
Lucroy misses with the ground and pound.
Lucroy landing strikes.
Lucroy is chipping away with strikes.
Smith gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Smith pushes Lucroy off looking to stand but Lucroy dives back in and keeps control.
Smith tries to roll over but Lucroy keeps him under control.
Lucroy is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lucroy winds up and cracks Smith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Lucroy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Lucroy slips a nice elbow through Smith's hands, connecting with Smith's forehead.
Lucroy looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Smith with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Lucroy performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Lucroy is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Lucroy 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lucroy prevents Smith from improving his position.
Lucroy scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Lucroy drops an elbow to the side of Smith's head.
Smith is pressing down on Lucroy's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smith managing to control the position.
Lucroy works over Smith with some ground and pound from guard.
Smith working a defensive guard but Lucroy manages to pass into side control anyway.
Smith is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Lucroy is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jean Lucroy.
I think Lucroy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Jean Lucroy!
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight for Jean Lucroy!
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight for Jean Lucroy!

Jean Lucroy wins by unanimous decision!
Our winner, Jean Lucroy, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.