PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Frankie Griggs (ranked 3216 p4p, 2953 weight class) and Alexander Vij (ranked 357 p4p, 330 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Griggs
vs
Vij

185 cm
33
193
23 - 21 - 0

187 cm
22
201
3 - 1 - 0

Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Frankie Griggs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexander Vij!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vij fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Griggs looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Vij with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Griggs to score with a decent uppercut.
Griggs moves out of range of the strikes.
Vij lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Griggs misses with a hook.
Vij blocks a head kick by Griggs.
Griggs throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Vij sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Frankie Griggs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griggs throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vij throws out a counter right but Griggs avoids it with no problem.
Griggs falls off balance throwing a combination
and Vij counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Vij keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Griggs.
Vij misses with a series of wild punches.
Vij's corner calls for a 1-2. Vij obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Griggs drops his hands momentarily and Vij takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Griggs throws a lazy uppercut
and Vij counters with a solid body kick.
Griggs stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Vij.
Griggs tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griggs swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vij has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Vij fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Griggs, pushing him back against the ropes.
Vij gets through Griggs's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Vij looking to slow down the pace here.
Griggs takes a knee to the side of the body.
Griggs wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Griggs is trying to break free.
Vij scores with a shot to the side of Griggs's head.
Vij lands a right hand that snaps the head of Griggs backwards.
Vij lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Vij landing knees to the body.
Vij stalling.
Vij lands a nice knee to the body.
Vij stalling against the ropes.
Vij has Griggs pressed against the ropes, preventing Griggs from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A frustrated look appears on Griggs's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Vij scores with a shot to the side of Griggs's head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A right hand to the body from Vij.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Vij creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Knees to the body from Vij.
Vij lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Griggs takes a shot to the head.
Griggs has had enough of the clinch but Vij keeps him there for the moment.
A right hook to the body lands for Vij.

Griggs breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Griggs takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Vij bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vij throws out a counter right but Griggs avoids it with no problem.
Griggs throws an off balance right hand
and Vij counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Griggs walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

Vij rushes Griggs and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
A hook to the body from Vij.
Griggs wants to break free but Vij has control.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griggs is trying to force a seperation but Vij has the dominant position.
A nice left hand lands by Vij.
Griggs wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Vij has him pressed against the ropes.

Griggs breaks the clinch.
Vij wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Vij dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Griggs lands a head kick. Vij smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Vij lunges at Griggs with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Griggs's hand.
Griggs pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Griggs throws a lazy right hand but Vij sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Griggs takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Griggs throws a hook but Vij blocks it.
Vij explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Griggs throws a right hand that misses
and Vij counters with a straight right hand.
Griggs rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Vij counters with a stiff right hand.
A cross from Vij lands.

Griggs is rocked!
A big right followed by a crushing left from Vij knocks Griggs out cold! Ouch - that one's going to be featured in highlight reels for years to come!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Alexander Vij!
A relieved looking Alexander Vij thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.