PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chris Griffin (ranked 24597 p4p, 2387 weight class) and Sato Sayama (ranked 497 p4p, 297 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Griffin
vs
Sayama

173 cm
19
165
0 - 1 - 0

168 cm
19
159
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris Griffin!
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, Sato Sayama!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sayama scores with a jab to the head.
A punch lands to the side of Sayama 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Sayama fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Griffin tries to land a body kick
and Sayama counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Griffin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sayama, pushing him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Sayama.
Sayama dodges an elbow strike from Griffin.
Griffin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Sayamas head.
Our sources have told us that Griffin has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Sayama working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Sayama fails to land.
Griffin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sayama has him pressed against the cage.
Sayama taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Griffin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sayama pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Sayama lands with a right to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Griffin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sayama's brow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Sayama.
Sayama lands a right hand.
A right hook to the body lands for Sayama.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sayama taking a breather.
Sayama missing with knees to the body.
Come on Griffin - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sayama holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Griffin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Griffin is looking to land body kicks.
Griffin misses with a double jab.
Griffin scores with a jab to the body.
Sayama takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A big left from Griffin misses.
Griffin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sayama steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Griffin.
Jab from Sayama.
Griffin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sayama fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Griffin has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Sayama jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Sayama tests Griffin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
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!
Sayama with the inside leg kick.
Nice defenses there by Sayama.
Sayama looks for the body kick but Griffin saw that one coming.
Griffin appears to be looking for a big counter.
Sayama throws the kick towards the body but Griffin avoids it.
Sayama bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sayama lands a leg kick that knocks Griffin off balance momentarily.
Sayama tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Griffin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Griffin throws a head kick but Sayama moves out of range.
Griffin is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Sayama stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sayama takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Sayama cracks Griffin with a good jab.
Sato Sayama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sayama scores with a nice body kick.
Sato Sayama is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sayama connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sayama takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Griffin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sayama thumps Griffin with a low kick.
Griffin misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Sayama counters by moving into the clinch.
Sayama has a couple of punches blocked by Griffin.
Griffin is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sayama is keeping busy.
Sayama lands with a light punch inside.
Sayama lands a knee to the head.
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!
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Sayama.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Griffin just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sayama's brow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Griffin.
Sayama works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Sayama landing knees to the head.
Sayama digs a right hand into Griffin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Griffin's gas tank.
Sayama lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Sayama tries a knee to the head but Griffin blocks it.
Griffin takes a shot to the head.
Sayama lands a shot to the body.
Sayama goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sayama keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Griffin's efforts to push away.
Sayama lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Griffin.
Sayama lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Sayama working some nice short punches in the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Griffin takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Griffin scores with a hook to the body. Sayama takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Griffin moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Sayama throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sayama.
Sayama connects with an inside leg kick.
Griffin is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Griffin misses with a two punch combination.
Sayama throws a push kick but Griffin slaps the foot to one side.
A low kick from Sayama misses

so Griffin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Sayama manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sayama scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sayama scores with a hook to the body.
Sayama is working Griffin over against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sayama lands with a short shot to the head.
Sayama doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Griffin tries to break the clinch but Sayama is controlling the position.
Sayama is struggling to control the position.
Sayama tries to work over Griffin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Sayama tries to land knees in the clinch but Griffin avoids the damage to the body.
Sayama tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Griffin avoids it.
Griffin throws an elbow but it misses.
Sayama blocks a body shot from Griffin.
Griffin is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Sayama lands a left hand.
Sayama digs a right hand underneath Griffin's ribcage. Griffin let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Sayama goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sayama tries a knee to the head but Griffin blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sayama avoids the elbow strike from Griffin, against the cage.
Griffin stalling in the clinch.
Sayama can't find room to land a body shot as Griffin controls the action.
Sayama effectively controlling the action here.
Sayama tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Griffin avoids it.
Griffin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Sayama scores with a nice hook to the head.
Sayama can't find room to land a body shot as Griffin controls the action.
Sayama works on Griffin's body with a couple of short punches.
Griffin blocking some punches.
Sayama lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Griffin misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sayama tries to throw a body punch but Griffin avoids it by throwing Sayama back against the cage.
Sayama takes an elbow to the forehead.
Griffin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Sato Sayama seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Sayama trying to stall but Griffin improves his position.
Griffin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sayama backwards.
Come on Griffin - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sayama working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Sayama stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Griffin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Sayama lands a hook to the side of the head.
Sayama stalling in the clinch but Griffin improves position.
Sayama is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Griffin is defending well for now.
Sayama misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sayama prevents a body shot from Griffin.
Griffin is trying to drag Sayama to the mat but Sayama just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Sayama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Sayama.
Griffin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
A short body shot lands from Sayama as the two fighters clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sayama displaying some good clinch control by pressing Griffin up against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Griffin creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Griffin softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Sayama scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Sayama struggles to land a body shot inside as Griffin controls his hands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sato Sayama showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Sayama lands a nice looking body kick.
Griffin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sayama dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Sayama connects with a solid leg kick.
Sayama slips a straight right by Griffin.
Sayama has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sayama lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Griffin misses with a looping right.
Sayama scores with a jab to the head.
Sayama throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Sayama lands with a good body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sayama connects with a nice looking jab.

Sayama clinches up against the cage.
Sayama lands a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffin manages to break the clinch.
Good leg kick by Sayama.
Griffin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sayama.
Sayama scores with a leg kick.
Sayama throws a front kick that sends Griffin stumbling back into the cage.
Sayama connects with a looping right hand.
Griffin will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Sayama lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Griffin at a distance.
Sayama goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Sayama moves into range and connects with a jab.
Griffin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Griffin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sayama tries a quick counter leg kick but Griffin is wise to it.
Sayama avoids the head kick by Griffin.
Griffin looks for the body kick but Sayama saw that one coming.
Sayama tries a quick counter leg kick but Griffin is wise to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin scores with a jab. Sayama acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
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!
A slapping leg kick lands for Sayama.
Sayama scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Griffin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Griffin walks into a straight right hand from Sayama.
Griffin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Sayama moves out of range of the body kick.

Griffin closes the distance and clinches.
Sato Sayama is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sayama keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Griffin's efforts to push away.
Griffin swings wildly with an uppercut but Sayama uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sayama tries to throw a body punch but Griffin avoids it by throwing Sayama back against the cage.
Griffin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Griffin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sayama gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sayama lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Griffin taking a breather.
Griffin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Griffin misses with a hook to the ribs.
Sayama tries to land a knee to the head but Griffin blocks with his arms.
Sayama works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Griffin has Sayama pressed against the cage.
Griffin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Chris Griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The referee calls for Sayama to work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sato Sayama comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sayama has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sato Sayama!