PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Backman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by In The Morning. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Backman
vs
Smith

184 cm
26
220 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

188 cm
29
221 lbs
18 - 16 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Ben Backman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 16 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Smith!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, Steven Brown and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice straight punches there by Backman. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Backman.
Michael Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith throws a right hand that Backman ducks under and follows up with a left that Backman also avoids with ease.

Oooooh!!! Backman has knocked Smith down with a huge combo! Backman steps away and waves a wobbly Smith back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Smith is rocked!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith scores with a jab.
Backman throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Backman takes one on the button.
Backman displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Smith is still on wobbly legs! Can Backman finish him?
Smith dodges the punch combination from Backman.
Backman thows a left - swing and a miss!
Smith seems to have recovered his senses.
Smith missing with a left hand there. Backman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Backman works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Backman tests Smith's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Smith throws a series of punches but Backman moves out of range.
Smith scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith avoids the body shot from Backman.
Backman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Backman just misses with a punch to the body.
Smith misses with a body shot.
Backman connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Smith's hands.
A looping hook to the body misses from Smith. Backman does a little dance to reset his feet.
Backman walks into a stiff left hand from Smith.
Smith clobbers Backman with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Smith ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Backman moves away.
Backman throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Smith on the side of the head.
Smith slips a straight right by Backman.
Backman swings for the body but Smith moves out of range.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice body punch from Backman.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith misses with a straight left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith tries to clinch up but Backman circles away and keeps his distance.
Backman waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Smith.
Backman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Smith throws a looping overhand right but Backman ducks down to avoid it.
Smith is looking to clinch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Smith, as that shot connected.
Backman rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Smith moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Smith comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Backman uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Smith.
Backman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Smith works Backman's body with a nice hook.
Backman slips under a jab from Smith.
Smith swings for the body but Backman moves out of range.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Backman!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Backman slips under a jab from Smith.
Backman tries a head kick but it misses.
Backman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Backman paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Smith throws a body punch but Backman moves out of range.
Smith moves away from the strike by Backman.
Smith scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Smith slips a jab from Backman.
Backman throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Backman misses the jab.
Backman swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Backman lands with a straight right. Smith didn't see that one coming.
Backman throws a right and a left that both miss.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Backman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Backman misses with a right hand
and Smith counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Backman connects with a good right hand that stumbles Smith. Smith circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Backman walks into a jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Backman swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Smith misses the shot to the body.
Backman throws an overhand right that lands on Smith's shoulder, as Smith tries to avoid the shot.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Backman is just out of range.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt - Backman sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A big left from Smith misses.
A cross from Backman lands.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith connects with a body shot that sends Backman's belly button to the back.
Smith misses with a left hand
letting Backman counter with a right hand.
Smith misses with a hook. Backman ducked under it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Backman dominated that round.
That's time! Backman's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Smith throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Smith avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Left hook, right uppercut from Backman.
Backman throws a hook but Smith blocks it.
Backman misses with a wild combination.
Backman throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.
Some wild striking there from Backman.
Smith wants to clinch up but Backman keeps it at a distance.
Smith misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Backman misses with a double jab.
Smith scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Smith swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Smith swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Backman keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Smith.
Ben Backman is winning the standup battle so far.
A left and a right from Smith both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Ben Backman has been cut.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Backman, pushing him back against the cage.
Backman blocks a body shot from Smith.
Backman has had enough of the clinch but Smith keeps him there for the moment.
Smith misses with a body punch.
Smith struggles to land a body shot inside as Backman controls his hands.
Backman has had enough of the clinch but Smith keeps him there for the moment.
Smith tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Backman's elbow.
Smith can't find room to land a body shot as Backman controls the action.
A bit of stalling here from Smith.
Backman prevents a body shot from Smith.
Smith scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Backman is looking to break free of the clinch but Smith has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a punch but it's blocked by Backman.
Backman looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Backman escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Backman takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Backman blocks a jab.
Smith dives in and grabs Backman's left leg, looking for a takedown. Backman pushes down on Smith's head and hops out.
Smith cracks Backman with an open hand slap.
Backman throws a hook but Smith blocks it.
Backman throws a right and a left that Smith avoids nicely.
Smith ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Backman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Smith manages to avoid it.
Backman misses with the combination.
Backman slips under a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Backman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Smith throws out a loose jab but Backman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Backman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Smith misses the shot to the body.
Smith wants to clinch up but Backman keeps it at a distance.
Backman connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Backman swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Smith.
Smith scores with a nice right hand.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
Backman throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Backman swinging wildly here.
Smith catches Backman with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Backman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Backman takes one on the button.

Backman is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith fakes the body blow, causing Backman to drop his hands! Left hook to the temple! Backman goes stiff, and falls face first into the mat. Goodnight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Michael Smith!
Michael Smith decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.