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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tshephang Batho (ranked 1996 p4p, 1678 weight class) and Russ Smith (ranked 274 p4p, 240 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.
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| 185 cm
26
172
10 - 1 - 0 |
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180 cm
24
171
5 - 1 - 0 |
Good wrestling
Great low kicks
Cardio machine |
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Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tshephang Batho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Russ Smith!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Kenichi Hosakawa.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Batho misses with a body punch
enabling Smith to counter with a crisp jab.
Smith misses with a body shot
and Batho cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Smith scores with a hook.
Batho ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A little jabbing left from Smith on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Smith uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Batho.
Batho throws a looping overhand right but Smith ducks down to avoid it.
Smith let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Batho was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Batho takes one to the chin there.
Smith takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Batho tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smith's elbow.
Smith manages to break the clinch.
Batho connects with a good right hand that stumbles Smith. Smith circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Russ Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Batho.
Smith dives in and grabs Batho's left leg, looking for a takedown. Batho pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.
Batho waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Smith.
Tshephang Batho is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Batho throws out the jab.
Smith appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
We've been told by Batho's head coaches at Torcida MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Smith misses with a shot to the body
and Batho counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
It looks like Russ Smith has been cut.
Smith thuds a left hand into Batho's body.
Smith connects with a crisp jab.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Smith is looking to advance position but Batho won't allow it.
Batho keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Smith landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Batho blocking the ground and pound attempt from Smith.
Smith prevents Batho from improving his position.
Smith is pressing down on Batho's thigh, looking to free his foot. Batho is holding on for now.
Batho is not content to let Smith control the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batho wants to control but Smith is keeping busy.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Batho does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith slows the pace down in half guard.
Smith is looking to stall here but Batho recovers full guard.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Smith controlling from the top position.
Batho bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Smith's guard.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batho tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.
Batho's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Smith seems keen to control Batho's posture.
Batho tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.
Batho showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Batho trying to stand up but can't free himself from Smith's guard.
The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Russ Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Russ Smith's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Batho connects with a good right hand that stumbles Smith. Smith circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Batho loads up on a big right hand but Smith slips the punch.
Smith lands a nice shot that snaps Batho's head back.
Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Batho.
Smith misses with a body punch
and Batho counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Batho to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Batho at a distance.
Batho throws a poor cross that misses
and Smith counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a wild body shot.
Smith misses with a hook. Batho ducked under it nicely.
Smith lands a nice shot to the body.
Smith misses with a lunging right hand
and Batho counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Smith thinking.
Batho lands with an overhand left.
Smith lands with a hook. Batho tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Batho looks to land a left hand but Smith moved out of range nicely.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Batho was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a body shot but no joy.
Batho swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Smith listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Smith scores with a punch to the head.
Smith swings for the body but Batho moves out of range.
A swing and a miss from Batho.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Batho misses with an uppercut. Smith saw that one coming.
Smith swings widly with a right hand
and Batho counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Batho throws a body shot but no joy.
Batho misses with a hook.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Batho misses with a lunging right hand
and Smith counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Batho bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Smith moves away from the strike by Batho.
Batho looks to throw the jab but Smith is out of range.
Batho fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Batho looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Batho swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Smith.
Batho looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Batho swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Batho with a body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Batho does a little dance to reset his feet.
Smith throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Smith tries to score a power double leg takedown but Batho sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Smith somewhat.
Smith lands a body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close second round but I would say that Tshephang Batho will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Russ Smith's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!
Batho gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Smith to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Batho controlling the position.
Smith postures up in Batho's guard and throws a big left but Batho blocks it.
Smith scoring with punches to the head and body.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Smith landing some decent shots from guard.
Smith looking to sit in guard and control but Batho gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith pulls Batho in close to prevent any damage.
Smith controls Batho momentarily but Batho frees himself.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Batho is looking to stand up but Smith won't let him.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Smith holds on and takes a little breather.
Batho has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Smith is proving hard to escape from.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A telegraphed right hand from Smith misses the target.
Batho swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Smith thows a left - swing and a miss!
Smith misses with a body shot
and Batho counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Batho avoids the body shot from Smith.
It looked like Batho wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Smith steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Batho.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Smith lands with a hook. Batho tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Batho counters with a straight right hand.
Sloppy strikes from Smith. Those never looked like landing.
A telegraphed right hand from Batho misses the target.
Smith throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Batho stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Batho keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Batho walks into a jab.
A slow jab from Batho misses its intended target.
Smith changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Batho lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Batho.
It looked like Batho was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Smith.
A swing and a miss from Smith.
Smith swings widly with a right hand
and Smith takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Smith fails with the takedown.
Batho throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Smith on the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Batho lands a lovely overhand right.
Smith changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Batho looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Russ Smith.
I think Smith 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russ Smith!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
41% |
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