PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James Smith (ranked 665 p4p, 1299 weight class) and Paulo Gentil (ranked 86 p4p, 160 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Smith
vs
Gentil

176 cm
33
164
22 - 12 - 0

177 cm
25
166
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Urban Fighter

****160Q Energy for $150****

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 22 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, James Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Gentil!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Sergei Dronov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smith.
Smith in the domination position with Gentil hanging on.
Gentil dodges the ground and pound from Smith.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Gentil manages to work his way to half guard, despite Smith's best efforts.
Gentil gets full guard.
Gentil looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Gentil working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Smith's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Gentil looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Gentil has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Gentil is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith won't allow Gentil to sweep him here.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Gentil has wrist control.
Smith showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Gentil avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Gentil wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.
Gentil has his hands on Smith's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Smith is in close to Gentil's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Smith lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Gentil utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Gentil's head.
Smith content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gentil avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Smith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Gentil pulls Smith in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gentil looking for a sweep. Not yet Gentil, not yet.
Gentil looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Smith throws a strike but Gentil rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Smith working a defensive guard here.
Smith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Gentil's guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gentil working a defensive guard here.
Gentil looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Smith wants to control from the top but Gentil keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gentil works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gentil wants to hit a sweep here but Smith passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Gentil there!
Gentil regains 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.
Gentil is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gentil has hold of Smith's hands but Smith slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Smith sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gentil defending well though.
Smith missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Smith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gentil but Gentil pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gentil comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Gentil throws a sloppy head kick
and Smith counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gentil scores with a jab. Smith acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Smith misses with a hook.
A jab from Gentil misses.
Smith changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gentil scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Gentil scores with a sloppy right hand. Smith should have avoided that one.
Smith misses with a hook to the body
and Gentil counters with a thumping low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith connects with a body shot.
Gentil lands a nice looking body kick.
Gentil throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Smith fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gentil avoids it really well and circles away.
A shot to the liver by Smith. Beautiful body shot.
Paulo Gentil seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Smith tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Smith checks a leg kick.
A low kick from Gentil is predictable there
and Smith counters with a nice uppercut.
Smith ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Smith throws a body punch but Gentil moves out of range.
Smith moves out of range as Gentil throws a body kick.
Smith throws a right and a left that both miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith lands a jab to the nose.
Paulo Gentil seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith avoids a kick to the body.
Smith drops down looking for a counter takedown but Gentil sprawls and moves away.
Smith swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Gentil makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Smith looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Smith lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Paulo Gentil is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Smith scores with a body shot.
Smith throws a body punch but Gentil moves out of range.
Smith moves out of range as Gentil throws a body kick.
Gentil listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Gentil swings widly with a right hand
and Smith counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Smith misses with a lunging right hand
and Gentil counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Smith thinking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Gentil does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gentil flicks out a counter leg kick but Smith steps away.
Gentil stuffs the takedown attempt from Smith. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gentil throws a looping overhand right but Smith ducks down to avoid it.
Gentil misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
Smith swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Smith shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gentil but Gentil pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gentil uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Gentil just misses with a punch to the body.
Smith tries to counter with a takedown but Gentil is quick to defend against it.
Gentil tries to move into range but Smith moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
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!
Gentil scores with a hook.
Gentil throws a hook but Smith blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Gentil 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!

Smith goes for a double leg but Gentil avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Gentil continues to drive forward.
Smith needs to keep his hands up - Gentil had a free shot at his head there.
Gentil throws the kick towards the body but Smith avoids it.
Jab, jab by Gentil - just one landing.
Gentil tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Smith is looking for a counter combo.
Smith throws an overhand right that lands on Gentil's shoulder, as Gentil tries to avoid the shot.
Gentil scores with a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gentil.
Gentil with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Gentil misses with a low kick.
Smith throws a hook but Gentil avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gentil dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Gentil lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Smith getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gentil takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gentil throws a nice inside leg kick.
Gentil looks for the body kick but Smith saw that one coming.
Smith half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Gentil.
Gentil is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Smith.
Smith takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gentil misses with a right hand
and Smith makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gentil's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Smith connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gentil scrambles back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gentil swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Smith stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gentil.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt.
Smith rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Gentil counters with a body kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gentil.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gentil lands a nice looking kick to the body. Smith takes a step back to recover.
Gentil defending well as Smith loads up on a big left hand.
Gentil throws out a counter right but Smith avoids it with no problem.
Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nice body punch from Smith.
Smith misses with a takedown
and Gentil finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gentil has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Gentil there as he acknowledges the shot.
Gentil misses with a body kick.
Gentil cracks Smith with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

It looks like James Smith has been cut.
Gentil thows a leg kick but Smith checks it

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gentil won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gentil manages to get back to half guard.
Smith not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gentil is refusing to be controlled, as Smith sits in half guard.
Smith works his way into side control.
Gentil manages to work his way to half guard, despite Smith's best efforts.
Ground and pound from Smith.
Smith trying to control the action but Gentil is working from the bottom.
Smith drops an elbow to the side of Gentil's head.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Gentil comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gentil 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Gentil!
Paulo Gentil decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.