PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ninja Berto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cory Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ninja Berto has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Berto
vs
Smith

173 cm
29
166 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

195 cm
24
163 lbs
12 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ninja Berto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cory Smith!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berto misses with a shot to the body
and Smith counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Smith misses with a body kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Berto.
Nice straight punches there by Smith. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Smith.
Smith swings for the body but Berto moves out of range.
Berto sizes up Smith with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Smith slips under a jab from Berto.
Berto lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Berto's jab looks to have found its range, popping Smith under the eye.
Berto slips a jab from Smith.
Smith checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

Smith darts in and clinches Berto up against the cage.
Berto blocking some punches.
Smith misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berto is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Smith presses Berto against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Berto.
Smith tries to work over Berto's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Berto.
Smith misses with a hook from the clinch.
Berto working hard to break the clinch.
Berto is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Smith tries to throw a body punch but Berto avoids it by throwing Smith back against the cage.

Berto breaks from the clinch.
Berto is looking to score with low kicks.
Smith ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Berto doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Smith cracks Berto with an open hand slap.
Berto throws a leg kick but Smith sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a straight right.
Berto throws a hook to the side of Smith's head but Smith sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Smith lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Berto with a poor takedown
and Smith counters with a low kick, right behind Berto 's knee.
Smith lands with a good body shot.
Berto on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Cory Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith looks to land a body kick but Berto moved away.
Berto slips under a jab from Smith.
Smith throws a hook to the side of Berto's head but Berto sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Berto circles away from the clinch attempt.
Berto has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Berto there as he acknowledges the shot.
Smith thows a body shot but no joy.
Smith swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Berto counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Smith is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berto swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Berto blocks a jab.
Smith looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Smith throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Berto shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Smith as he avoids it easily.
Smith is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Berto is just out of range.
Berto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Berto blocks a jab.
Smith moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Berto misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berto moves out of range of the leg kick from Smith.
Berto misses with a head kick.
Smith cracks Berto with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Smith takes a swing at Berto's ribcage but misses.
Smith takes a swing at Berto's ribcage but misses.
Berto throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A punch combination from Smith misses.
Berto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smith digs a good body shot into Berto's ribs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith takes a swing at Berto's ribcage but misses.
Berto rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Smith makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Berto really felt that one!
Ninja Berto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Berto throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cory Smith dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Smith checks a low kick from Berto.
Smith moves out of range of the body kick from Berto.
Smith checks a leg kick nicely.
Berto tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
Smith misses with a straight left.
Berto throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.
Smith keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Berto on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Berto moves out of range as Smith strikes.
Smith tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Berto throws a body kick that misses.
Berto loads up on a big right hand but Smith slips the punch.
Berto blocks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Berto chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Smith can pounce on him.
Berto lunges at Smith with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Smith's hand.
Smith moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Berto is just out of range.
Smith is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
No luck for Berto with that takedown attempt.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Berto circles away.
A nice combination there by Smith.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berto shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ninja Berto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berto with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Smith to score with a decent uppercut.
Berto keeps Smith at a distance using the push kick.
Smith is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Smith fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Berto manages to avoid it.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Berto. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
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!
Nice defenses there by Smith.
Smith throws a body punch but Berto moves out of range.
Smith throws a leg kick but Berto sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Smith lands with a right hand.
Berto lands with a nice body punch.
A big right from Berto misses.
Berto moves forwards but Smith connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Berto throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Smith's waist but Smith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Berto off to one side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith scores with a jab to the jaw.
Smith has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Smith lands a right hook to the body.
Berto throws a nice inside leg kick.

Berto scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smith is trying to stand up here but Berto is controlling him well.
Berto trying to control from Smith's half guard. Smith has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Smith is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith wants to sweep but no luck.
Berto looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Smith looking for a guillotine here but Berto defends easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Smith escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Berto gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cory Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Berto drops his hands momentarily and Smith takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Berto fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Smith is out of range.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Berto.
Smith throws a looping overhand right but Berto ducks down to avoid it.
Berto connects with a looping right hand.
Smith scores with a nice head shot.
Berto shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Smith defends it nicely.
Smith throws out a loose jab but Berto uses good head movement to avoid it.
Berto looks to throw the jab but Smith is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Berto. That's going to slow Smith down.
Smith slaps away a takedown attempt from Berto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Berto shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ninja Berto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Berto shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Smith as he jumps to the side.
Cory Smith seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Smith goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Smith misses with a body kick.
Smith pushes Berto away with a front kick.
Smith moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A jab from Smith misses.
Ninja Berto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berto tries a low kick but Smith avoids it.
Smith thows a left - swing and a miss!
Berto pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Smith scores with a sloppy right hand. Berto should have avoided that one.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Berto doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Berto throws a big shot that misses.
A slow jab from Smith misses its intended target.
Berto fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Smith on the side of the head.
Smith swings for the body but Berto moves out of range.
Smith scores with a jab to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith ducks under a wild hook from Berto.
Berto ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Smith moves away.
Smith tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smith misses with a straight left.
Berto throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Smith on the side of the head.
Berto shoots for a takedown but Smith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Smith checks a low kick from Berto.
Some wild striking there from Smith.
Berto takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Berto.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A big right from Smith misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith misses with a looping left.
Berto looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Berto lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
A swing and a miss from Berto.
Smith checks a low kick from Berto.
Smith uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Berto.
Berto thows a left - swing and a miss!
Smith rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Berto moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Berto has his takedown stuffed
and Berto takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Berto looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cory Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smith has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Suge Night scores the fight for Cory Smith!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Cory Smith!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Cory Smith!

Cory Smith wins by unanimous decision!