PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dave Norton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Norton
vs
Smith

191 cm
22
151 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

201 cm
22
145 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Infliction Fight Gear

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dave Norton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Frank Smith!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Steve Erwin and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith fails in his attempt to clinch.
Norton really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Norton closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Norton pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Smith. No joy for Norton on that attempt.
Smith wants to clinch up but Norton keeps it at a distance.
Smith tries to clinch but Norton is having none of it.
Norton shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Norton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Norton fails to land the takedown.
Norton tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.

Norton bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Smith gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Smith tries to roll over but Norton keeps him under control.
Norton wants to lay and pray for a moment but Smith keeps working.
Smith slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Smith 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Norton preventing the sweep.
Norton would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Smith tries to clinch but Norton is having none of it.

Norton looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Smith is trying to get back to full guard.
Norton trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Norton is pressing down on Smith's thigh, looking to free his foot. Smith is holding on for now.
Norton thows a huge punch but Smith dodges it nicely.
Norton is looking to take a break and control but Smith is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Norton is breathing heavily.
Smith landing a few short strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Norton throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Norton seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Smith does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Smith tries to clinch there but Norton circles away.
Norton swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Smith wants to clinch up but Norton keeps it at a distance.
Smith moves in looking to clinch but Norton pushes him off.
Norton tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.

Smith clinches.

Norton is trying to trip Smith. He has hold of a leg but Smith is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Norton persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Norton stopping the sweep attempt from Smith.
Norton trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Smith bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Norton's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Norton manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Smith slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Smith is looking for a sweep. Norton is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Smith landing rabbit punches to the side of Norton's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.
Smith flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Smith flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Smith moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Smith throwing rabbit punches from the bottom - showing the judges that he's keeping busy.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Norton.
A combination from Norton does no damage.
Smith tries to clinch there but Norton circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smith gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Smith manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Norton manages to get himself to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Norton is on top in guard.
Smith throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Norton stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Norton advances position into side control!
Smith regains half guard.

Norton is looking for a kimura but Smith is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Norton to get the leverage.
Smith is pressing down on Norton's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Smith striking off his back but it's not causing Norton any problems.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.
Smith is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Norton looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Dave Norton will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Norton throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.

Norton shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Norton was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Smith bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Norton trying to control the position.
Smith is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Smith postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Smith postures up and lands a big shot to Norton's brow.
Smith makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Dave Norton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Smith with a nice head shot there.
Smith working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Norton looking to control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a big right hand that misses.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Norton's head.
Norton will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Smith content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Smith slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Norton is looking to reverse the position.
Norton takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Norton is looking for a sweep.
Smith lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Norton on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Norton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Smith landing a few strikes.
Norton is trying to control Smith's posture but Smith avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Norton will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Frank Smith is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Norton looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Smith!
Smith is trying to escape the mount but Norton keeps good control and instead manages to take Smith's back.

Norton is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Smith taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Norton.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:42 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dave Norton!