PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Payton Strader (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smith is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Dawn of the Angry. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Strader
vs
Smith

180 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Payton Strader!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Smith!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strader fails to land the takedown.
Smith throws a nice looking combination but Strader bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
The fighters circling - Smith throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Smith looks to land a combination but Strader avoids it well.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Strader is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Smith dives into side control.
Smith 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.
Strader is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Smith's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Strader is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Smith lands a nice short elbow.
Smith stops Strader from getting back to his feet.
Smith performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith prevents Strader from improving his position.
Smith with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Strader on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Smith wants to stand up but Strader has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Strader tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Smith is stalling here. Strader is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Smith seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Strader has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Smith can't do much from the bottom here.
Smith is looking for a sweep.
Strader landing strikes.
Smith manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Strader tries to get to full guard but Smith has control of the leg.
Strader is trying to maintain the position but Smith is very close to passing his half guard.
Smith is keen to just control but Strader is a slippery customer.
Smith looks gassed!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Smith in particular looking to stall.

Smith is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strader trying to control but Smith postures up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Strader is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nice cross by Strader.
Strader fails to land the takedown.
Left hook, right uppercut from Smith.
Mark Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith looks frusrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strader throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Strader tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Strader gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Smith counters with a nice leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Payton Strader. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strader fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Smith throws a right and a left that Strader avoids nicely.
Smith throws a right and a left that Strader avoids nicely.
Strader with a lazy takedown attempt

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Smith controlling from the top position.
Smith pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Strader is keeping the position for now.
Strader looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Smith dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Strader.
A punch combination from Smith misses.

Strader scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Smith is not content to let Strader control the position.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Strader trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
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Strader trying to control the position but Smith is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Smith is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smith throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smith is breathing heavily.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Strader circles away.
Strader misses with a takedown attempt - Smith sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Strader clinches up with Smith and pushes him back against the cage.
Strader tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Payton Strader. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strader tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Smith smiles and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Smith darts in trying to clinch

and Strader decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Smith's guard.
Strader stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Smith swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith wants to sweep here but Strader controlling him for the moment.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Strader trying to control but Smith is working from the bottom.
Smith is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Strader controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strader trying to control the position from guard on top but Smith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Smith looking for a sweep. Not yet Smith, not yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Strader connects with a looping right hand.
Strader tries to clinch but Smith is having none of it.
Smith scores with a decent looking hook.
Smith throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Strader counters by clinching up.
A left hand lands to the body for Smith.
Strader fails to pull guard.
Smith blocks a body shot from Strader.
Strader tries to pull guard but Smith holds him up against the cage and eventually Strader drops back down to his feet.
Strader has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Smith is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Strader wants a takedown but no success here.
A right hand to the body from Smith.
Strader goes for a takedown in the clinch but Smith prevents it.
Strader lands a body shot.
Strader is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Strader manages to pull guard.
Strader managing to control the position.
Strader is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Smith is fighting to break Strader's control of his arms but Strader is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Strader working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Smith doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Smith manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Strader working for a triangle but Smith defends it easily.
Smith looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Payton Strader dominated that second round.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Smith tries to move into range but Strader moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Smith closes the distance but Strader moves to the side

and Strader counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Smith trying to control the position.
Smith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Strader is controlling him.
Strader pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Smith is keeping the position for now.
Strader slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Smith struggling a bit here.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Strader trying to control the position but Smith is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is looking to reverse the position.

Strader wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Smith, who protects the arm well.
Strader working away.
Strader controlling the position from side mount.
Strader landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Strader happy to just control the position for now.
The ground and pound from Strader seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
You can see the frustration on Smith's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Strader is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Smith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Smith tries to buck Strader off but Strader is having none of it.
Strader trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.
Strader staying calm.
Strader trying to control the action but Smith is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Strader shoots and misses
and Smith makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Smith swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Strader moves into the clinch.
Smith prevents the takedown attempt.
Smith prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Payton Strader. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Strader tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Strader tries to land knees in the clinch but Smith avoids the damage to the body.

Strader jumps guard.

Strader looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Smith trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Strader wants to sweep here but Smith controlling him for the moment.
Strader has his hands on Smith's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control but Strader is working from the bottom.
Strader controls Smith momentarily but Smith frees himself.
Smith seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Smith wants to control from the top but Strader keeps moving.
Strader trying to keep a closed guard but Smith is proving a slippery customer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Payton Strader showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Strader has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Payton Strader!