PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between JR Donaire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Donaire kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Eye of the Tiger. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Donaire
vs
Smith

180 cm
20
203 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, JR Donaire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jason Smith!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith tries to clinch but Donaire moves out of range.
Smith jabs at Donaire's body.
Donaire swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Donaire closes the distance and clinches.
Donaire misses with a knee to the head.
Smith looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Smith throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Smith trying to control the position but instead, Donaire has worked for underhooks and has pushed Smith into the cage.
Smith misses with a knee to the head.

Donaire breaks the clinch.

Smith rushes Donaire and presses him up against the cage.

Donaire has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Smith uses from the top position.

Donaire is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Smith defends well.
Donaire controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Donaire has a closed guard, preventing Smith from standing up.
Donaire wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Donaire has a closed guard, preventing Smith from standing up.

Donaire is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Donaire avoiding damage as Smith throws knees to the body.
Donaire could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Smith looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Smith pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Smith connects with a knee to the head.
Smith lands an elbow that stopped Donaire in his tracks for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to throw knees to the head but Donaire is blocking nicely.
Smith tries for a takedown but Donaire manages to get underhooks.
Donaire blocks an elbow strike from Smith.
Donaire is stalling here.
Smith throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Smith lands an elbow inside that Donaire shrugs off.

Donaire manages to pull guard.
Donaire is wriggling around but Smith manages to pass to half guard.
Donaire is breathing heavily.
Donaire is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Smith's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Smith's back!
Donaire lands a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Donaire missing with strikes.
Even with his hooks in, Donaire manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Donaire avoiding Smith 's attempts to control his hands.
Donaire struggling to land strikes to the head as Smith covers up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jason Smith will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith tries to clinch up

and Donaire counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Donaire gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Donaire shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Smith manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Donaire gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Donaire's calf.
Smith looks to clinch

and Donaire decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Smith's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donaire wants to control from the top but Smith keeps moving.
Donaire not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Smith trying to control the position.

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.
Donaire is stalling in the full guard.
Donaire trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Donaire looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donaire stops Smith from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Donaire circles away from the clinch attempt.
Smith throws a one two combo.

It looks like JR Donaire has been cut.
Smith tries to clinch but Donaire moves away

and Donaire counters with a takedown into side control.

Donaire is trying to get an arm triangle but Smith is defending well.
Donaire trying to control the position but Smith is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
Smith regains half guard there - taking advantage of Donaire's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Donaire seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JR Donaire dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on JR Donaire's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Smith explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Donaire swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jason Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith clinches but Donaire breaks the clinch

and Donaire counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Smith!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith wants to hold on but Donaire pushes him away.
Donaire won't let Smith get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Donaire throws some wild stikes that Smith manages to avoid easily.
Smith is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Donaire is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Smith has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Smith!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donaire 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.
Donaire trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.
Smith has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Donaire is proving hard to escape from.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smith postures up in Donaire's guard and throws a big left but Donaire blocks it.
Smith has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Donaire is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith looking to pass the guard.

Donaire throws his legs up looking for a submission but Smith uses it to pass to side control.
Donaire tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Smith presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Donaire wants to hold on but Smith pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Donaire is wriggling around trying to escape.
Smith can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Donaire is looking to escape.
A nice elbow there by Smith.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jason Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jason Smith!