PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between John Werben (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Werben comes to the cage accompanied by Rise and fall. Sam Smith has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with John Werben's chin.

Werben
vs
Smith

188 cm
19
181 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

172 cm
19
178 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Werben!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Smith!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Smith avoids the head kick by Werben.

Werben tries to sprawl but Smith drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Smith decides to return to a standing position.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Smith dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Werben tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Werben tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Smith tries for a takedown. No joy.
Smith is trying to pull guard but Werben has him pressed against the cage.
Werben leaning his opponent against the cage.
Werben trying to control the position but instead, Smith has worked for underhooks and has pushed Werben into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith avoiding damage.
Werben lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Smith tries to circle away but Werben has him pinned against the cage.
Werben is defending well against a takedown attempt.
John Werben has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Smith.

Smith jumps guard and drags Werben to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Smith manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Smith throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Werben tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
John Werben seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Werben throws a head kick that Smith semi-blocks.

It looks like Sam Smith has been cut.
Smith shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Werben pinned against the cage. Werben gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Werben throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Smith blocks a head kick by Werben.
Werben misses with a head kick.

Smith pushes Werben up against the cage in a clinch.
Werben tries to land a knee to the head but Smith blocks with his arms.
Smith can't get the takedown.
Werben tries a knee to the head but Smith blocks it.

Werben breaks from the clinch.
Smith moves out of range of the body kick.
Smith throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Werben stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Werben throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.

Smith manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Werben on his heels. He'll look to pass Werben's guard now, I'm sure.
Smith content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Smith gets to his feet - Werben follows without any prompting.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith avoids the head kick by Werben.

Werben gets caught flat footed, as Smith shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Smith is looking to stand up but Werben won't let him.
Werben looking to control.
Smith is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Werben throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Werben is breathing heavily.
Werben tries to land a body kick

and Smith counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Werben's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Smith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Werben's head.
Werben is trying to keep Smith in close.
Smith sitting in guard here, content to control.

Sam Smith has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Werben tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Werben is looking to clinch.

Smith looking to score a takedown here. Werben is defending well but Smith drives through and ends up in Werben's guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Werben is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Smith is controlling him.
Smith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sam Smith's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Werben drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

Smith dives in and scores a takedown into Werben's guard.
Werben trying to control the position.

Werben is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Smith changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Werben tries to avoid it but Smith manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Werben to the ground. Werben escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Werben throws a head kick that Smith semi-blocks.
Smith shoots for a double leg takedown but Werben sprawls well. He's pushed Smith's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Smith throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Werben was covering up waiting for the punch and Smith finishes the takedown easily into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Smith controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Smith drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Smith jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Werben looking to control.
Werben is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Smith is controlling him.
Smith works over Werben with some ground and pound from guard.
Smith with a nice head shot there.
Smith stands up over Werben, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.
Werben looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Smith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Smith got a little sloppy there for a moment and Werben has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Smith has managed to get both his arms back between Werben's legs - danger averted.
Werben knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Smith advances to half guard.
Smith performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Werben is defending against the submission attempts here by Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Werben gets back to full guard.
Smith controlling from the top position.
Smith throwing strikes from guard but Werben blocks nicely.
Smith cracks Werben with a solid left hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith stays in close to Werben's body and controls the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sam Smith hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Werben connects with a looping right hand.
Werben throws a sloppy head kick and Smith moves out of range easily.
Werben slips a jab and a cross from Smith.
John Werben is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Werben just misses with a punch to the body.
Werben misses with a low kick.
Smith lands a body shot.
Smith blocks a jab.
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!
Smith moves out of range of the body kick from Werben.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Werben gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Werben on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Werben tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smith sitting in guard here, content to control.
Werben will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Smith gets to his feet - Werben follows without any prompting.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sam Smith's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Werben misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Smith just misses with a punch to the body.

Smith looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Smith's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smith is looking to stand up but Werben won't let him.
Smith not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Smith stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Werben throws a head kick that misses

and Smith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Smith.
Werben tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Smith avoids it.
Werben tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A frustrated look appears on Smith's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Werben tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Werben is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smith turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Sam Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
Werben is looking for a sweep.
Smith working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

Smith decides to stand back up. Smith steps back and let's Werben get back to his feet.
Smith avoids the head kick by Werben.

Werben gets caught flat footed, as Smith shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Smith showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Smith decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith is trying to pull guard but Werben has him pressed against the cage.

Smith manages to break the clinch.

Smith moves into range and clinches up with Werben.
Werben wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Werben working Smith over with knees to the body.
Werben taking a breather.
Smith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Werben avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Smith breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Werben throws a head kick that misses.
Smith fails to land with a series of punches.
John Werben is winning the standup battle so far.

Smith closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Werben wants to control the action here but instead Smith manages to pass to full mount!
Werben is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Werben is working hard here to advance position.
Smith controlling from mount.
Smith working Werben over with strikes here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Werben is in all sorts of trouble here.
Smith avoids the attempt from Werben to control.
Smith controlling the pace for now.
John Werben has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Smith looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sam Smith is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
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!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Smith with shots to the head and body - Werben looks very uncomfortable down there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Smith winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

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