PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Roy Whitaker (ranked 777 p4p, 871 weight class) and James Smith (ranked 111 p4p, 118 weight class). James Smith has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Roy Whitaker 's chin.

Whitaker
vs
Smith

177 cm
37
160
31 - 15 - 0

176 cm
40
164
33 - 21 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Carnage Clothing
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 31 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Roy Whitaker !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Smith!
The judges for this bout are Topper Green, Ben Hemmingworth and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith throws a poor cross that misses
and Whitaker counters with a nice kick to the body.
Smith lands with a right hand.
Smith wants to slow Whitaker down by chopping away at his legs.
Smith misses with a wild body shot.
Smith moves out of range of the body kick from Whitaker .
Smith drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Whitaker defends it well.
Whitaker misses with a straight left.
Smith staying out of range there.
Smith fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Whitaker avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker scores with a body shot.
Smith throws a predictable looking body shot
and Whitaker connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Smith duly obliges.
Smith throws a big shot that misses.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Smith uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Whitaker has time to react.
Whitaker jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Smith jabs at Whitaker 's body.
Nice sprawl there from Whitaker as Smith shoots in.
Roy Whitaker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Smith.
Whitaker scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

It looks like James Smith has been cut.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smith.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Whitaker sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are battling for position here. Whitaker manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Whitaker .
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Whitaker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Whitaker keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Whitaker 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.
Smith throwing strikes but missing.
Smith content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Whitaker is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Smith distracts Whitaker with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Whitaker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smith is one step ahead there.
Smith is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Smith trying to control but Whitaker is working from the bottom.

Whitaker has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Smith off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Smith takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Smith has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Smith fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Roy Whitaker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker with a hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Smith is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Whitaker .
Whitaker fires out a quick counter leg kick but Smith just manages to avoid it.
Smith throws a right hand that misses
and Whitaker counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Whitaker looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Whitaker scores with a jab to the jaw.
Smith slips under a jab.
Smith slips a jab from Whitaker .
Smith throws a body shot but no joy.
Smith keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Whitaker .
Smith will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Whitaker throws a big counter combination but Smith scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Smith misses the shot to the body.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Whitaker was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Smith misses with a jab to the body
and Whitaker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from Whitaker misses.
Whitaker looks to land a left hand but Smith moved out of range nicely.
Smith will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smith dives in and grabs Whitaker 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Whitaker pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.
Smith looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Roy Whitaker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker throws a looping overhand right but Smith ducks down to avoid it.
A nice side step and Smith releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Whitaker misses with a body shot.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.
Whitaker is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
Smith on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Whitaker is just out of range.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Whitaker shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Whitaker is looking to counter punch.
Whitaker missing with a left hand there. Smith was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Smith swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Whitaker counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Smith swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Whitaker was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Whitaker throws a low kick, looking for Smith's leg but Smith calmly moves out of range.
Smith slips under a jab.
Smith looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Whitaker scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Roy Whitaker is winning the standup battle so far.
Smith blocks a jab.
Smith bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Smith doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Whitaker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Smith tries to move into range but Whitaker moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Smith displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Whitaker throws out the jab.
Smith throws a hook but Whitaker blocks it.
Whitaker lands with an overhand left.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Whitaker manages to avoid it.
Smith defending well as Whitaker loads up on a big left hand.
Smith is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Whitaker rather than just go for the knockout.
Smith dives in and grabs Whitaker 's left leg, looking for a takedown. Whitaker pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.
Smith dodges the punch combination from Whitaker .
Smith cracks Whitaker with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Whitaker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Whitaker is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands a body shot.
Whitaker with a hook.
Smith closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Smith tries to move into range but Whitaker moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A good leg kick by Whitaker .
Smith misses with a wild body shot.
Whitaker throws a hook but Smith avoids it easily.
Whitaker swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Smith lands with a nice combination. Whitaker backs away looking to recover.
Whitaker throws an off balance right hand

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.
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 lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Smith preventing the sweep.
Whitaker pulls Smith in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smith is looking to work some ground and pound but Whitaker has wrist control.
Whitaker 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.
Whitaker lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Roy Whitaker overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Whitaker controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Whitaker sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Smith's guard.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Roy Whitaker dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on James Smith's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Whitaker throws a hook to the side of Smith's head but Smith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Smith shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Whitaker 's guard.
Whitaker looking for a sweep. Not yet Whitaker , not yet.
Smith content to stall in guard here.
Whitaker manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smith manages to get himself to full guard.

Smith is trying to keep Whitaker in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whitaker controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Whitaker sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Whitaker has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Smith working a defensive guard here.
Whitaker forces his way into half guard.
Whitaker works his way into full mount!
Whitaker looking to control but Smith is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitaker controlling his opponent.
Smith working to try and regain half guard.
Whitaker sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Smith working to try and regain half guard.
Whitaker tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Whitaker controlling from the full mount.
Smith working to try and regain half guard.
Whitaker controlling from mount.
Smith tries to hold on but Whitaker postures up.
Whitaker controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to escape the mount.
Whitaker controlling the position easily from mount.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Whitaker .
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
James Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Roy Whitaker showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Whitaker has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Topper Green scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roy Whitaker !
After the fight, Roy Whitaker was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.