PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Konichiwa Jempsa (ranked 1269 p4p, 1449 weight class) and Russ Smith (ranked 184 p4p, 211 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.

Jempsa
vs
Smith

170 cm
27
170
15 - 8 - 0

180 cm
25
171
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

PWNAGE

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 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Konichiwa Jempsa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Russ Smith!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jempsa lands with a nice body punch.
Jempsa looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Jempsa just misses with a punch to the body.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Jempsa throws a predictable looking body shot
letting Smith counter with a right hand.
Smith throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Smith rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Jempsa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A countering left hand to the body from Smith misses.
Jempsa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Smith.
A punch combination from Jempsa misses.
Jempsa throws a body shot but no joy.

Smith rushes Jempsa and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jempsa goes for a takedown in the clinch but Smith prevents it.
Jempsa is working for takedown but Smith is calmly controlling the position for now.
Jempsa tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Jempsa.
Smith misses with a punch to the body.
Smith misses with a short punch on the inside.

Smith turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Smith manages to end up in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jempsa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Smith trying to control the action but Jempsa is working from the bottom.
Jempsa is looking to reverse the position.
Jempsa has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Smith looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Smith trying to control the action but Jempsa is working from the bottom.
Jempsa sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Jempsa manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Smith with a nice head shot there.
Jempsa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Smith working his ground and pound in the gym.
Smith with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith postures up in Jempsa's guard and throws a big left but Jempsa blocks it.
Jempsa wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.
Jempsa is trying to keep Smith in close.
Smith stays in close to Jempsa's body and controls the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Jempsa closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Smith lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Smith throws a hook but Jempsa blocks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Jempsa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jempsa throws a combination that misses
and Smith counters with a straight right hand.
Jempsa misses with a hook.
Smith changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Jempsa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Jempsa takes a swing at Smith's ribcage but misses.
Jempsa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Smith circles away quickly and effectively.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Jempsa shows good takedown defense.
Jempsa feinted with a counter takedown.
Horrible takedown attempt by Smith or perhaps it was just good defense by Jempsa, which made it look bad.
Jempsa is looking to wear down Smith with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Smith scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Jempsa uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Smith.
Konichiwa Jempsa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Jempsa misses with a wild body shot.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jempsa is defended easily by Smith.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Russ Smith will probably get the nod.
That's time! Jempsa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smith scores with a jab. Jempsa acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Jempsa tests Smith's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Jempsa!
Smith stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Smith wants it to stay on the feet.
Jempsa tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
Jempsa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jempsa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

Jempsa shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jempsa is one step ahead there.
Smith pulls Jempsa in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jempsa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Jempsa.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Smith working a defensive guard here.
Smith pulls Jempsa in close to prevent any damage.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Jempsa misses with a body shot.
Jempsa avoids the body shot from Smith.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Smith takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Jempsa shoots in looking for a takedown but Smith manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Jempsa's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
It seemed like Smith was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jempsa throws an overhand right that lands on Smith's shoulder, as Smith tries to avoid the shot.
Konichiwa Jempsa is winning the standup battle so far.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jempsa scores with a body shot.
Smith uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Jempsa.
A countering left hand to the body from Smith misses.
A big left from Smith misses.
Jempsa changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Jempsa thuds a left hand into Smith's body.
Smith throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa slips a straight right by Smith.

Jempsa drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Smith holds on and takes a little breather.
Smith looking to control.
Jempsa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jempsa trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Jempsa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Smith looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jempsa is one step ahead there.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jempsa misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Smith cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Smith moves out of range as Jempsa strikes.
Jempsa throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Jempsa fails with the takedown
enabling Smith to counter with a crisp jab.

It looks like Konichiwa Jempsa has been cut.
Jempsa misses the shot to the body.
Jempsa moves out of range of the strikes.
Smith lands a body shot.
Smith throws a body punch but Jempsa moves out of range.
Jempsa appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Jempsa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jempsa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Smith counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Konichiwa Jempsa dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Konichiwa Jempsa's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Jempsa with a lazy takedown attempt
and Smith counters with a nice uppercut.
Jempsa looks to score with a jab to the body but Smith is just out of range.
Jempsa misses the body punch
and Smith counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jempsa lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Smith has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Jempsa throws a body shot but no joy.
A countering left hand to the body from Smith misses.
Smith with a hook.
Jempsa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Jempsa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Jempsa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith manages to get to full guard.
Jempsa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Smith works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jempsa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jempsa preventing the sweep.
Jempsa trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith is adopting a defensive guard.
Jempsa won't allow Smith to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jempsa's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Jempsa tries for a takedown but Smith circles away easily
and Smith makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Konichiwa Jempsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Jempsa shoots in and bounces Smith off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Jempsa stopping the sweep attempt from Smith.
Jempsa trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Jempsa with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jempsa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jempsa wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Smith preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith seems keen to control Jempsa's posture.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Smith works Jempsa's body with a nice hook.
Jempsa catches Smith with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Smith scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Jempsa's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Jempsa duly obliges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jempsa slips under a jab from Smith.
Jempsa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Jempsa gets a double leg takedown into Smith's guard.
Jempsa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jempsa stopping the sweep attempt from Smith.
Jempsa is pushing down on Smith's leg trying to pass to half guard. Smith is fighting to maintain full guard but Jempsa has managed to sneak the leg through.
Jempsa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith wants to improve his position but Jempsa is controlling well.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jempsa 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 regain full guard. Not this time though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Konichiwa Jempsa showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Jempsa has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Konichiwa Jempsa!
A relieved looking Konichiwa Jempsa thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.