PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ogami Itto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Itto comes to the cage accompanied by Lone Wolf and Cub. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Itto
vs
Griffin

198 cm
23
217 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 London, Ogami Itto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tyler Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, James Atkins and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffin moves in looking to clinch but Itto pushes him off.
Griffin tries to work over Itto's front leg with a kick but Itto checks it.
Itto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Griffin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Griffin lands with a nice body punch.
Itto fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Itto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ogami Itto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffin blocks a head kick by Itto.
Griffin throws a half hearted mid kick.
Itto avoids a punch combination nicely.
Griffin moves in looking to clinch but Itto pushes him off.
Griffin throws a right hand that Itto ducks under and follows up with a left that Itto also avoids with ease.
Itto moves out of range as Griffin strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Itto swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Griffin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Itto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffin.
Griffin falls off balance throwing a combination

and Itto counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Griffin can't break the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Itto.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Itto drops down looking for an ankle pick but Griffin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Griffin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Itto counters by clinching up.
Itto goes for a takedown in the clinch but Griffin prevents it.
Griffin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Itto drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Griffin is trying to break the clinch but Itto has him pressed against the cage.

Itto escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No joy there for Griffin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Griffin throws a nice looking combination but Itto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tyler Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

so Itto counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Itto wants to pass the guard but Griffin is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Itto is working hard here to advance position.
Griffin is looking to stand up but Itto isn't so interested in that idea.
Itto stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Itto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Itto's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Griffin throws a right hand that Itto ducks under and follows up with a left that Itto also avoids with ease.
Left hook, right uppercut from Griffin.

Itto moves into range and clinches up with Griffin.

Itto pulls guard successfully.
Itto keeping moving, preventing Griffin from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Itto has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Griffin has passed into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin trying to control the action but Itto is working from the bottom.
Itto is looking to regain half guard here but Griffin keeps moving and retains side control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Itto wants to control but Griffin postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Griffin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Itto moves away.
Nice shot lands for Griffin.
Itto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffin.
Itto has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Itto moves out of range of the body kick.
Griffin gets cracked there but stands up to it.

It looks like Tyler Griffin has been cut.
Griffin misses with a two punch combination.

Itto gets a clinch.

Itto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Griffin stuffs the takedown attempt from Itto. Itto gets slowly back to his feet.
Griffin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Itto counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Griffin tries to break the clinch but Itto is controlling the position.
Griffin being controlled against the cage.
Itto tries for a takedown. No joy.
Griffin wants to break free but Itto has control.
Itto is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ogami Itto. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Itto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Itto tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Itto breaks from the clinch.
Griffin moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Horrible takedown by Itto or perhaps it was just good defense by Griffin which made him look bad.
Griffin wants to clinch

and Itto counters by clinching up.

Itto successfully pulls guard.
Itto trying to control the position.
Griffin wanted to stand there but Itto had control of the position.
Itto tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is looking to stand up but Itto won't let him.

Itto working for a triangle but Griffin defends it easily.
Griffin trying to stand up but can't free himself from Itto's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Itto rushes Griffin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Itto manages to break the clinch.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Itto avoids them all with ease.
Itto misses with a double jab.
Itto shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Griffin as he avoids it easily.
Griffin wants to clinch but Itto slips to the side

and Itto counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Itto.
Itto tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Griffin tries to break the clinch but Itto is controlling the position.
Griffin is trying to break the clinch but Itto has him pressed against the cage.
Itto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Griffin smiles and moves away.
Griffin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Itto moves into the clinch.
Itto changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Griffin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Griffin thuds a left hand into Itto's body.
Griffin misses with a double jab.
Griffin misses with a jab, cross combination.
Itto looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
A head kick misses from Griffin.
Griffin missing with a left hand there. Itto was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Griffin misses with a few strikes there.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Itto moves out of range.
Itto fails with a takedown attempt.
Itto misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ogami Itto will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tyler Griffin's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Griffin throws a leg kick but Itto checks it.
A head kick misses from Griffin.
Griffin is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Itto rather than just go for the knockout.
Griffin tries to clinch

and Itto moves into the clinch.
Itto tries to pull guard but Griffin holds him up against the cage and eventually Itto drops back down to his feet.

Itto breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Itto has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Griffin finds it's way round the side to connect with Itto's head.
Griffin falls off balance throwing a combination

and Itto moves into the clinch.

Itto manages to break the clinch.
Itto slips under a jab from Griffin.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Itto avoids them all with ease.
Itto moves out of range as Griffin strikes.
Itto slips a jab and a cross from Griffin.
Itto is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Griffin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin wants to clinch
and Itto counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Griffin misses with a wild combination.
Some wild striking there from Griffin.
Griffin tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Itto counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Griffin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Itto breaks from the clinch.
Griffin throws a right and a left that Itto avoids nicely.
Itto getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Itto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Itto closes the distance and clinches up with Griffin, looking for a takedown. Itto pushes Griffin against the cage but Griffin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Itto avoids them all with ease.
Griffin falls off balance throwing a combination

and Itto counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Itto breaks the clinch.
Griffin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Itto counters by clinching up.
Itto can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ogami Itto. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Itto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Itto drops down looking for an ankle pick but Griffin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Griffin throws a combination that misses

and Itto holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Griffin wants to break free but Itto has control.
Griffin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Itto's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Itto for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Itto goes for a takedown attempt but Griffin pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Itto is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Griffin.
Griffin misses with a two punch combination.
Good standup being displayed there by Griffin as he connects with a hook.
Itto checks a low kick from Griffin.
Griffin throws a looping overhand right but Itto ducks down to avoid it.
Itto walks into a left hand.
Griffin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Itto counters with a shoot takedown. Griffin fights it but they end up in guard.

Itto stands and steps away. Griffin gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Griffin misses the shot to the body.
Itto shoots for a takedown but Griffin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Itto fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Griffin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Griffin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Itto tries to land a front kick but Griffin steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Griffin clinches but Itto breaks the clinch

and Itto holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Itto manages to break the clinch.
Griffin clinches but Itto breaks the clinch

and Itto counters by moving into the clinch.
Griffin wants to break the clinch but can't.
Itto wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Griffin has him pressed against the cage.
Tyler Griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Itto has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Griffin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Griffin is trying to break free.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffin is trying to break the clinch but Itto has him pressed against the cage.
Griffin tries to break the clinch but Itto is controlling the position.
Ogami Itto is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Griffin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ogami Itto showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Itto, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ogami Itto!