PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andrzej Strzelba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Smith
vs
Strzelba

160 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andrzej Strzelba!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith lands with a nice body kick.

Strzelba scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smith is trying to stand back up but Strzelba is controlling him
Strzelba sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Smith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Smith trying to control from the bottom.
Smith moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Smith trying to keep a closed guard but Strzelba is proving a slippery customer.
Strzelba preventing the sweep.
Strzelba won't allow Smith to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith controls Strzelba momentarily but Strzelba frees himself.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Strzelba feints and as Smith raises his hands in defense, Strzelba changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith looking to control.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Strzelba stands up over Smith, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Strzelba is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Strzelba gets to his feet - Smith follows without any prompting.

Strzelba feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Strzelba controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Strzelba's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Strzelba passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is looking to regain half guard here but Strzelba keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Strzelba creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Smith sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Strzelba working the head and body with strikes.
Strzelba looks up at the clock and then as Smith takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Strzelba smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Smith is trying to work for a sweep but Strzelba has mounted him!
Strzelba controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to hold on but Strzelba pushes him away.
Strzelba controlling from mount.
Strzelba won't let Smith get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The referee warns Smith that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Strzelba controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Strzelba working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Strzelba sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Strzelba has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Let's hope that Strzelba has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrzej Strzelba dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Strzelba swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Strzelba feints and as Smith raises his hands in defense, Strzelba changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Strzelba with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smith could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Strzelba controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Smith tries for a takedown but Strzelba sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strzelba tries to work over Smith's front leg with a kick but Smith checks it.

Strzelba shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Strzelba decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Strzelba closes the distance and pushes Smith back into the cage.
Strzelba managing to block the knees to the body from Smith.

Strzelba pulls guard.
Andrzej Strzelba has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Strzelba is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Strzelba has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Smith should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Strzelba has tightened it up now! Smith should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:04 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Andrzej Strzelba!