PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nick Graves (ranked 204 p4p, 626 weight class) and Chad Smith (ranked 34 p4p, 92 weight class). Graves kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Rage Against the Machine - Bulls on Parade. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Graves
vs
Smith

183 cm
36
178
46 - 14 - 0

185 cm
29
178
21 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Brooklyn Apothecary
SynCity Fightwear

FUClothing
Voodoo Nutrition

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 46 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Smith!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Graves ducks under a wild hook from Smith.

Smith forces Graves back against the cage and clinches.
A short left from Graves.
A left hand lands to the body for Graves.
Smith looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
I was talking to Graves's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Graves keeps control of Smith as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Graves throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Smith blocks it with crossed arms.
Graves misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Smith.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Graves controls his hands.
Graves lands a hook that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Graves tries to work over Smith's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Smith blocks a body shot from Graves.
Graves lands an uppercut.
Graves throws a punch but it's blocked by Smith.
Graves swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Graves misses with a punch to the body.
Graves blocks an uppercut.
Graves tries to stall but Smith uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Graves tries to land a knee to the head but Smith blocks with his arms.
A short right from Graves.
Smith tries to throw a body punch but Graves avoids it by throwing Smith back against the cage.
Graves prevents a body shot from Smith.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Graves's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves has a couple of punches blocked by Smith.
Still in the clinch, Smith scores with a nice short uppercut.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Graves.
We've been informed that Smith has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Smith throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Gravess head.
Smith doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Graves tries a body shot but Smith blocks it.
Smith tries a body shot but Graves blocks it.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Graves uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Smith cracks Graves with a nice body shot.
Graves misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
A short uppercut from Graves.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Graves in his tracks for a moment.
Smith misses with a body punch.
Graves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Smith taking a breather.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith prevents a body shot from Graves.
Graves misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith pushes Graves back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
Graves missing with knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short left from Graves.
Graves using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Smith has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Graves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Graves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Graves wants to break free but Smith has control.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smith.
Smith lands with a left to the head.
Graves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Smith lands an elbow just above Graves 's eye.
Smith blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Smith throws an elbow but it misses.
Graves tries to throw a body punch but Smith avoids it by throwing Graves back against the cage.
Graves lands a shoulder strike.
Smith lands a body punch.
Graves blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Smith on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves misses with a knee strike.
Graves tries to work over Smith's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Smith lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Graves misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Graves misses with a hook to the ribs.
Graves goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith lands with a light punch inside.
Smith throws an elbow but it misses.
Graves takes an elbow to the forehead.
Graves misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Graves prevents a body shot from Smith.
Smith digs a right hand underneath Graves's ribcage. Graves let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Smith tries a body shot but Graves blocks it.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Graves controls his hands.
Smith blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Smith tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A body shot lands from Smith.
Graves misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Graves tries to throw a body punch but Smith avoids it by throwing Graves back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
A short uppercut from Smith.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Graves doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Graves misses with a punch to the body.
Graves lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Smith lands with a left to the head.
Graves avoids the elbow strike from Smith, against the cage.
Smith blocking some punches.
Smith can't find room to land a body shot as Graves controls the action.
Graves stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Smith misses with a punch to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Smith.
Smith tries to throw a body punch but Graves avoids it by throwing Smith back against the cage.
Graves is working Smith over against the cage.
Graves avoids the elbow strike from Smith, against the cage.
Graves misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith wants to get back to striking at distance but Graves won't allow it.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Graves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smith's elbow.
Graves makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chad Smith will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Graves takes the fight into the clinch.
Graves stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Graves lands a shot to the body.
Graves tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Smith makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Graves stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Smith working aggressively here.
Chad Smith seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A right hook to the body lands for Graves.
Graves blocks an elbow strike.
Graves can't find room to land a body shot as Smith controls the action.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Graves controls his hands.
Smith pushes Graves back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Smith lands an elbow inside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Smith blocks an uppercut.

Graves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smith cracks Graves with a good jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Graves avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Smith throws a poor cross that misses
and Graves counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Graves.

It looks like Chad Smith has been cut.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Graves circles away.
Graves scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Smith rushes Graves and presses him up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Graves.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Graves.
Smith lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Smith is working Graves over against the cage.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Graves gets through Smith's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Graves lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Smith throws an elbow but it misses.
Graves fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
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!
Graves softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Graves tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.
A right hook to the body lands for Smith.
Graves throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short body shot lands from Graves as the two fighters clinch.
Graves lands with a right to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.
Smith cracks Graves with a nice body shot.
Graves tries to work over Smith's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Smith is trying to break free.
Graves tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Smith misses with an elbow over the top.
Graves can't find room to land a body shot as Smith controls the action.
Smith lands a damaging elbow.
Graves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smith's elbow.
Graves throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Smith.
Graves takes a shot to the head.
Graves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smith's elbow.
A head punch on the inside from Graves fails to land.
Smith misses with a short punch on the inside.
Graves tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Smith's elbow.
Smith blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves misses with some punches.
Smith lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Smith throws an elbow that misses.
Smith swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Graves lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Smith swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Graves lands a right hand.
Smith pushes off an throws an elbow but Graves leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Graves tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Graves lands a left hand that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Graves tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Smith doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Smith working aggressively here.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Graves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graves swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Graves swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Graves on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!

Graves has closed the distance and engaged Smith in a clinch.
Graves goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Graves has a couple of punches blocked by Smith.
Graves throws a head punch that misses.
Graves lands a right hand.
Graves doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Graves tries a body shot but Smith blocks it.
Graves lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
A right hand to the body from Smith.
Graves presses Smith against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Graves misses with a short punch on the inside.
Smith lands a damaging elbow.
Graves tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Smith misses with the head strike.
Smith lands an uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A nice left hand lands by Graves.
Smith lands a right hand.
Graves fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Graves dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chad Smith's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Graves is looking to counter punch.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Smith forces Graves back against the cage and clinches.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
Graves's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Graves working Smith over with knees to the body.
Smith tries to work over Graves's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Graves lands a left hand that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Graves lands a body shot in the clinch.
Graves tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith tries to break free but Graves pushes him back against the cage.
Graves lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Graves tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Graves blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Smith lands with a short punch from the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Smith throws an elbow but misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Graves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith blocking some punches.
Graves lands a hook that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Graves connects with a knee to the head.
Graves works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Graves lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Graves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Graves throws an overhand right from the outside, which connects and sends Smith stumbling backwards into the cage! Smith bounces back off the cage towards Graves, who cracks him with a two punch combination that drops him to his knees! Graves lands two more shots before the referee has chance to intervene - what a finish! Graves celebrates with his corner as the crowd cheer loudly.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:27 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Nick Graves!
A relieved looking Nick Graves thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.