PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Justin Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Romain Martel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Romain Martel looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Smith
vs
Martel

180 cm
20
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
184 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Justin Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Romain Martel!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Daniel Bishop and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Smith has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Martel is in all sorts of trouble here.
Smith landing shots from mount.
Smith tries to control but Martel wriggling away.
Smith controlling his opponent.
Martel is in all sorts of trouble here.
Martel is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Smith with good strikes from the mount here!
Smith controlling from the full mount.
Martel sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Smith lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith lands strikes from half guard.

Smith is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Martel defends it well.
Smith knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Martel on the ground.
Smith with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Smith is looking for a kimura but Martel is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Smith to get the leverage.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Smith tries to pass the half guard into mount. Martel knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Martel looks like he's trying to stand up.
Smith is thwarting Martel's attempts to control the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Smith moves out of range of the strikes.

Smith feints and as Martel raises his hands in defense, Smith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martel wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.

Smith thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Martel wants to sweep but no luck.

Martel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Martel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Martel tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Smith in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Smith working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Martel is looking for a sweep.
Smith working the ground and pound.
Smith trying to control the position but Martel is working away.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Martel manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Smith is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Martel's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Martel's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control momentarily.

Martel preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Smith.
Smith gets his hands free as Martel looks to control.
Smith is trying to stick to Martel's back but Martel is turning into Smith. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Smith's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Martel.
Martel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Smith is controlling Martel's posture.
Martel postures up and lands a big shot to Smith's brow.
Smith has a closed guard, preventing Martel from standing up.
Martel with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Martel wanted to stand there but Smith had control of the position.

Smith has his foot on Martel's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Martel works his way back into a safe position though.
Smith keeping full guard, as Martel tries to pass.
Smith manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martel is trying to escape the mount.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
A nice elbow there by Smith.

Smith looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Martel defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Smith.

Smith working for a submission but Martel is keeping him at bay.
Martel tries to lock up and control but Smith gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Smith with good strikes from the mount here!
Martel tries to reverse the position but Smith maintains control.
Smith controlling from mount.
Smith's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Smith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Smith throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Martel's waist but Martel gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Smith off to one side.

Smith scores with a takedown into Martel's guard.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
Smith trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Smith's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Martel can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smith controls the pace.
Martel throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Martel keeping full guard, as Smith tries to pass.
Martel throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Martel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Smith scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Smith looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Martel is avoiding damage well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Martel manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Martel drops an elbow to the side of Smith's head.
Smith is looking for a sweep. Martel is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Smith's head.

Smith looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Smith trying to control here.
Martel scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Smith trying to hold on to Martel's head to control him but Martel postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A combination from Martel does no damage.

Smith feints and as Martel raises his hands in defense, Smith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Smith slips nicely into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Smith connects with a nice short shot to Martel's temple.
Martel is refusing to be controlled, as Smith sits in half guard.
Smith slows the pace down in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is keen to just control but Martel is a slippery customer.
Martel tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Martel is looking for a sweep. Smith is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Smith slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Martel shoots and misses

and Smith counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Martel!
Martel tries to reverse the position but Smith maintains control.
Martel holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Smith tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Martel tries to hold on but Smith pushes him away.
Martel slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martel wants to get back to his feet.
Smith working over Martel with some ground and pound. Martel looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Smith content to control rather than advance.
Justin Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to pass the guard but Martel defending well.

Smith wants to work for an arm triangle but Martel is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Smith scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Martel is looking to control Smith's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Martel avoid being mounted?
Smith uses his free foot to push down on Martel's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Martel.

Smith working for a submission but Martel is keeping him at bay.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Smith landing punches.
Smith prevents Martel from getting the reversal.
Martel manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Smith takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Smith is thwarting Martel's attempts to control the position.
Martel has hold of Smith's hands but Smith slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith is working for a kimura but Martel is defending it quite comfortably.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smith is keen to just control but Martel is a slippery customer.
Smith lands with a punch from half guard.

Smith wants to work for an arm triangle but Martel is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Smith takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Smith jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Martel manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Smith tries for a kimura but Martel is defending well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith scores with punches from side control.
Smith working the ground and pound.

Smith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Smith is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Martel knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Smith dominated that second round.
That's time! Smith's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Smith will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Romain Martel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Smith decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Smith scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Smith tries to pass to full mount but Martel defends it.
Smith is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Smith looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Smith trying to control from half guard but Martel is working away.
Smith content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Smith is working for a kimura but Martel is defending it quite comfortably.
Martel wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martel wants to improve his position but Smith is controlling well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Martel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Martel lands a nice shot that snaps Smith's head back.
Martel tries to clinch up but Smith circles away and keeps his distance.
Martel has his takedown stuffed

and Smith counters with a shoot takedown. Martel fights it but they end up in guard.
Martel trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.
Smith seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Smith has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Smith trying to control but Martel is working from the bottom.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Martel's head.
Martel can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Smith controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Martel is working from the bottom.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Martel is keeping the position.
Martel strikes from his own guard.
Smith trying to control but Martel is working from the bottom.
Smith postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Smith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Horrible takedown by Smith or perhaps it was just good defense by Martel which made him look bad.
Martel lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Martel.
Martel misses with a takedown attempt

and Smith counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Martel's guard now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Martel wants to stand but Smith is controlling the position.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smith stopping the sweep attempt from Martel.

Smith thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Martel is looking to stand up but Smith isn't so interested in that idea.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Smith is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Smith gets the takedown into side control.

Smith working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Martel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Martel manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Martel sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Smith defending well though.

Martel stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Martel closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith has picked Martel up - he's going for a ride! Smith dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Smith lands strikes from half guard.
Martel flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Smith is looking for a kimura here.
Martel is trying to get back to full guard.
Smith is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Martel has hold of Smith's hands but Smith slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Smith is tying to control. Martel wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Smith lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smith prevents Martel from standing back up.
Romain Martel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

Martel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Smith showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Smith, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27

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