PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Baker (ranked 427 p4p, 1035 weight class) and Chad Smith (ranked 62 p4p, 145 weight class). Baker comes to the cage accompanied by When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Chad Smith was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Baker
vs
Smith

179 cm
34
180
18 - 15 - 0

185 cm
33
178
27 - 23 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
PWNAGE™

Bondi MMA 🏝️
FUClothing

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 18 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jeff Baker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 23 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Smith!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Topper Green and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Baker circles away from the clinch attempt
and Baker counters with a nice leg kick.
Baker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smith throws a leg kick but Baker sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Baker works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

It looks like Chad Smith has been cut.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
A head kick from Baker lands but Smith takes it in his stride.
Smith misses with a looping left.
Smith defending well as Baker loads up on a big left hand.
A big left from Baker misses.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.
Baker working aggressively here.
Baker tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Smith blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Baker controls his hands.

Smith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Smith tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chad Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith slips a jab from Baker.
Smith darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Baker has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Area 51 MMA in the buildup to the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
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.
A jab from Smith misses.
Smith misses with a jab to the body
and Baker counters with a leg kick.
Smith misses with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Smith misses the target.

Smith rushes Baker and presses him up against the cage.
Baker lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Baker blocks an elbow strike from Smith.
A nice right hand lands inside from Baker.
Baker blocks an elbow strike from Smith.
A nice right hand lands inside from Smith.
Smith lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Smith lands an elbow inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Baker's elbow.
Baker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short uppercut from Smith.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Baker.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Baker.
Knees to the body from Baker.
Smith can't find room to land a body shot as Baker controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker has a couple of punches blocked by Smith.
Smith misses with a punch to the body.
Nice body punch from Smith - that landed with a thud.
Smith lands a damaging elbow.
Smith lands with a light punch inside.
Smith misses with a punch to the body.
Smith has a couple of punches blocked by Baker.
A short uppercut from Baker.
Baker is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Baker lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Baker throws a punch but it's blocked by Smith.
Baker lands a body shot in the clinch.
Smith softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Smith working aggressively here.

Smith breaks the clinch.
The fighters circling - Baker throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Smith tries to clinch but Baker moves away
and Baker counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks to land a right hand but Baker moved out of range.

Baker clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Baker.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baker lands a body shot in the clinch.
Smith working aggressively here.
A nice left hand lands by Baker.
Smith misses with some punches.
Baker avoids a wild elbow strike from Smith.
Smith blocks an uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Baker.
Baker blocks the elbow strike.
Smith tries to throw a body punch but Baker avoids it by throwing Smith back against the cage.
Smith is leaning against Baker and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baker misses with a punch on the inside.
Baker working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Baker lands a hook that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Baker lands with a short punch from the clinch.
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!
Baker avoids the elbow strike from Smith, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to throw a body punch but Baker avoids it by throwing Smith back against the cage.
Baker misses with a punch on the inside.
Baker blocking some punches.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Smith lands a shoulder strike.
Smith misses with some punches.
Smith lands a right hand.
Baker lands an uppercut.
Baker effectively controlling the action here.
Smith misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Smith misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Smith misses with the head strike.
Baker swings wildly with an uppercut but Smith uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Baker in his tracks for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Smith.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Smith misses with an elbow strike.
Smith pushes off an throws an elbow but Baker leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jeff Baker will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Chad Smith's cut.
That's time! Baker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smith moves out of range of the strikes.

Baker tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.
Baker connects with a knee to the head.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Baker's elbow.
Baker stalling in the clinch.
Baker lands with a left to the head.
Smith blocking some punches.
Smith throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Smith pushes off an throws an elbow but Baker leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Baker.
Baker lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Smith or not.
Baker blocks the elbow strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baker throws a head punch that misses.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
Come on Baker - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
A shot in the inside from Smith.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.
Chad Smith seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Baker lands a hook that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Baker scores with a knee to the head.
Baker lands a left hand.
A head punch on the inside from Smith fails to land.
Baker lands a left hand that snaps the head of Smith backwards.
Smith misses with some punches.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short right from Smith.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Baker.
Smith misses with a body punch.

Baker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Baker circles away.
Smith connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith throws a jab when Baker was well out of range.
Baker throws an overhand right that lands on Smith's shoulder, as Smith tries to avoid the shot.
Baker goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Smith tries to clinch but Baker is having none of it.
Baker is looking to counter with head kicks.
Baker checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Smith throws a series of punches but Baker moves out of range.

Baker takes the fight into the clinch.
Baker using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Smith has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Smith throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Baker has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Baker blocking some punches.
Baker working aggressively here.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baker throws a knee to the head but misses.
Smith lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Baker blocks an uppercut.
Baker scores with a nice hook to the head.
Smith lands a shoulder strike.
Smith blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Baker lands a hook to the side of the head.
Nice elbow from Smith.

It looks like Jeff Baker has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands a body punch.
Smith misses with a short punch on the inside.
Smith misses with some punches.
A knee to the head by Baker.
Smith blocks a body shot from Baker.
A left hand lands to the body for Smith.
Baker throws a head punch that misses.
Baker blocks an uppercut.
Still in the clinch, Smith scores with a nice short uppercut.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Baker creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Smith misses with the head strike.
Smith scores with a shoulder strike.
Smith tries to work over Baker's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Baker breaks from the clinch.
Baker slips under a jab.

Baker tries to keep at a distance but Smith has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith lands an uppercut.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Baker misses with the head strike.
Baker misses with a knee to the head.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Baker missing with knees to the body.
Baker fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Smith digs a right hand underneath Baker's ribcage. Baker let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
A short left from Smith.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Baker.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Baker's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Baker misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chad Smith will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Baker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smith steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Baker.
Baker avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Baker keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Smith throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Baker on the side of the head.
Baker scores with a jab to the jaw.
Smith scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Smith lands a slapping body shot.
Baker scores with a crisp jab that stopped Smith in his tracks.
Baker takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Baker.
A countering left hand to the body from Smith misses.
A big left from Smith misses.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Baker tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Smith manages to circle out of the way.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith misses with a low kick.
Baker lands with a slapping head kick.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Baker circles away.
As Smith looks to move away, Baker throws a big counter combo but Smith just gets out of the way.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Smith lands an elbow inside that Baker shrugs off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short uppercut from Smith.
Baker blocking some punches.
Baker throws a punch but it's blocked by Smith.
Smith lands an uppercut.
Baker misses with a knee to the head.
Baker blocks the elbow strike.
Smith working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Baker makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Smith blocking some punches.

Smith's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Smith looks to land a right hand but Baker moved out of range.
Jeff Baker is winning the standup battle so far.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Baker slips under a jab from Smith.
Smith wants to clinch up but Baker keeps it at a distance.
Baker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith gets a clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Baker - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Baker.
Baker throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Smith blocks it with crossed arms.
Smith cracks Baker with a nice body shot.
Baker lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Baker misses with some punches.
Smith lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Baker misses with a hook from the clinch.
Baker misses with some punches.
Baker working aggressively here.
Baker misses with a punch on the inside.
Baker lands a body punch.
A short uppercut from Smith.
Smith tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Baker tries a body shot but Smith blocks it.
Baker swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a punch on the inside.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Baker in his tracks for a moment.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Baker creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Smith misses with the head strike.
Smith throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Baker trying to land knees to the body.
Baker trying to land knees to the body.
Baker lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Smith working aggressively here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Baker.
Smith goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Baker lands a body shot.
Baker is working Smith over against the cage.
Baker misses with a short punch on the inside.
Smith misses with a hook to the ribs.

Baker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Baker gets tackled into the cage by Smith. Smith maintains the clinch.
Smith tries a body shot but Baker blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baker tries to land a knee to the head but Smith blocks with his arms.
Baker misses with some punches.
Baker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Baker prevents a body shot from Smith.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Smith scores with a nice hook to the head.
Smith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Smith wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Baker misses with a hook from the clinch.
Smith pushes off an throws an elbow but Baker leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Baker lands a shoulder strike.
Baker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Baker tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Smith misses with an elbow over the top.
Baker struggles to land a body shot inside as Smith controls his hands.
Smith lands with a left to the head.
Smith swings wildly with an uppercut but Baker uses good head movement to avoid it.
A shot in the inside from Smith.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Chad 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 28:30
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chad Smith!
Chad Smith very nearly forgot to thank FUClothing amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.
Jeff Baker spoke after the fight, saying 'You win some, you lose some. I just hope I treated you fans to a good fight tonight.'.