PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stevey Land (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nelson Smrah (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Land
vs
Smrah

183 cm
19
195 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Stevey Land!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nelson Smrah!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Igor Prikhodko and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Land shoots and misses
and Smrah counters with a one-two to the body.
Land fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Land throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Smrah's waist but Smrah gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Land off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stevey Land. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Land shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Smrah defends it nicely.

Smrah moves into the clinch.
Land drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Land is breathing heavily.
Smrah goes for a takedown attempt but Land pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Land misses with a takedown attempt
and Smrah counters with a nice body shot.
A right-left combo lands from Smrah.

It looks like Stevey Land has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Smrah scores a takedown into full mount!
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Land taking shots to the head.
Smrah fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Smrah punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Land is trying desperately to improve position.
Smrah lands a big elbow.
Smrah throwing strikes here but Land is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Smrah with shots to the head and body - Land looks very uncomfortable down there.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Smrah connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Smrah is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Smrah fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Land on the side of the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Smrah clinches with his opponent.

Smrah is trying to trip Land. He has hold of a leg but Land is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Smrah persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Smrah has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Smrah trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smrah throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smrah stands and throws Land's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smrah trying to control the action but Land is working from the bottom.
Smrah lands some shots froms side control.
Land avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Smrah.

Smrah is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Land has escaped the position, nice work there.
Smrah misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smrah landing a few strikes.
Smrah misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Smrah trying to control the position but Land is working away.
Smrah grinds an elbow into Land's temple.
Land managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Smrah.
Land is working to avoid the ground and pound but Smrah connects with a decent elbow.
Smrah is staying tight to Land's torso, preventing him from escaping.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Smrah has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Smrah fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Land sprawls well initially but Smrah persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Land is refusing to be controlled, as Smrah sits in half guard.

Smrah is working for a kimura but Land is defending it quite comfortably.
Land is not content to let Smrah control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nelson Smrah dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stevey Land's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Smrah clinches up against the ropes.
Land can't get the takedown.
Smrah lands an elbow just above Land 's eye.
Smrah prevents a takedown attempt there.
Land looking to slow down the pace here.
Land has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Smrah after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stevey Land. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smrah drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Land gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Land wants a takedown.

Smrah gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Land regains guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smrah wants to control from the top but Land keeps moving.
Smrah throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smrah postures up and lands a big shot to Land's brow.
Smrah lands a couple of digs.
Land preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Land keeping moving, preventing Smrah from controlling successfully.
Smrah working some strikes from top position.
Land utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Land working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smrah.

Smrah 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.
Smrah scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smrah wants to control from the top but Land keeps moving.
Smrah in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Smrah drops back looking for a leg! Land is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Land manages to kick Smrah off! Smrah jumps back into Land's guard.
Smrah throws a big right hand that misses.
Smrah trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Land keeping moving, preventing Smrah from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smrah looking to pass the guard.
Smrah throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smrah tries to stand but Land is controlling from the bottom.
Smrah trying to control but Land is working from the bottom.
Smrah throws a big right hand that misses.
Smrah lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Land keeping moving, preventing Smrah from controlling successfully.
Smrah with a flurry of punches that miss.
Land throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Land preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Smrah landing some decent shots from guard.
Smrah has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Land is proving hard to escape from.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Smrah advances position into side control!

Smrah tries for a kimura but Land is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nelson Smrah showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Stevey Land's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Smrah connects with a crisp jab.
Land shoots in and drives through. Smrah sprawls well.
Stevey Land is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smrah lands with a slapping head kick.
Smrah tries to clinch but Land is having none of it.
Smrah will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Smrah moves into range and clinches up with Land.
Land changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Smrah fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Smrah instigates a clinch.
Smrah goes for a takedown attempt but Land pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Smrah misses with a series of wild punches.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Land looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Smrah actively working from the bottom here.
Land working Smrah over with strikes.

Land is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Smrah manages to get to full guard.

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

Land drops back, looking for a kneebar! Smrah looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Smrah looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Smrah!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smrah working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Smrah is looking to take a break and control but Land is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smrah scoring with punches from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Land is trying to control Smrah's posture but Smrah avoids it.
Smrah has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Land taking shots to the head.
Smrah tries to control but Land wriggling away.
Smrah lands a big elbow.
Nelson Smrah has got the better of the ground game so far.
Smrah with a couple of short strikes.
Smrah tries to control but Land wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smrah working for a submission but Land is keeping him at bay.
Smrah lands a big shot there that rocks Land but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Land is bucking up trying to escape but Smrah cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Smrah dominating with strikes here.
Smrah thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Land is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Stevey Land has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nelson Smrah is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smrah raining down hammerfists from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nelson Smrah comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smrah 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Nelson Smrah!
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight for Nelson Smrah!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Nelson Smrah!

Nelson Smrah wins by unanimous decision!