PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Horace Ratliff (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ratliff
vs
Smith

150 cm
23
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

198 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Horace Ratliff!
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, Mark Smith!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Konstantin Menshow and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ratliff is looking to clinch but Smith is avoiding it.
Ratliff could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ratliff looks to clinch

and Smith counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ratliff tries to escape but Smith is in control.
Smith misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Smith moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Smith tries to move to mount but Ratliff blocks the move with his legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ratliff wants to control but Smith postures up.
Smith lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Ratliff down.
Smith trying to control the position but Ratliff is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is staying tight to Ratliff's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Smith wants to stand but Ratliff has his arm trapped.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ratliff is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Smith asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Smith is looking to take a break and control but Ratliff is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Smith remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Smith wants to control but Ratliff is keeping him busy.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Ratliff might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Smith tries to pass the half guard into mount. Ratliff knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Ratliff trying to hold on to Smith's head to control him but Smith postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Smith throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ratliff does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith controlling the action here.
Smith wants to take a breather but Ratliff is having none of it.
Smith thows a huge punch but Ratliff dodges it nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Smith is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ratliff's half guard.
Smith is thwarting Ratliff's attempts to control the position.
Ratliff is refusing to be controlled, as Smith sits in half guard.
Smith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Ratliff haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ratliff is trying to maintain the position but Smith is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Smith looking to score a takedown here. Ratliff is defending well but Smith drives through and ends up in Ratliff's guard.
Ratliff has his hands on Smith's head, controlling the position.
Smith is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Ratliff managing to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith wants to control from the top but Ratliff keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ratliff works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mark Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.

Ratliff is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ratliff is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Smith pushing down on Ratliff's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Smith is trying to control the action in half guard but Ratliff is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Smith performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Ratliff gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Smith to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Smith keeps trying to improve his position.
Smith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ratliff's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ratliff working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Ratliff is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Smith trying to control the position from guard on top but Ratliff is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ratliff wants to get back to his feet but Smith is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Ratliff moves out of range of the body kick.
Ratliff tries to counter with a takedown but Smith is quick to defend against it.
Smith throws a nice head kick!

Smith scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Smith throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Smith wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ratliff keeps working.
Ratliff trying to control from the bottom.
Ratliff wants to stand back up but Smith manages to pass into side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ratliff can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Smith showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Smith shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Smith showed some decent athleticism there.
Ratliff is trying to stand up here but Smith is controlling him well.

Smith wants to work for an arm triangle but Ratliff is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ratliff trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ratliff squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ratliff blocking the ground and pound.
Smith tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Smith looking to ground and pound but Ratliff is blocking nicely.
Ratliff is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Ratliff knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Smith on the ground.
Ratliff has given up his back here.

Smith looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Ratliff taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Mark Smith!