PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Todd Grosh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Levens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Grosh
vs
Levens

195 cm
18
200 lbs
1 - 7 - 0

190 cm
22
207 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 1 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Todd Grosh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Levens!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Levens blocks a jab.
Grosh shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Levens as he avoids it easily.
Levens wants to clinch up but Grosh keeps it at a distance.
Grosh closes the distance looking to clinch

and Levens counters with a takedown into side control.

Levens stands up and beckons Grosh to his feet.
Grosh doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Levens counters with a shoot takedown. Grosh fights it but they end up in guard.
Grosh tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Levens is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Levens's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grosh wants to stand and escape but Levens is having none of it.
Levens is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Grosh is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Levens sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Grosh's guard.

Levens escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Levens rushes Grosh and presses him up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Grosh's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Levens tries to pull guard but Grosh holds him up against the cage and eventually Levens drops back down to his feet.

Levens turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Levens manages to end up in side control.
You can see the frustration on Grosh's face as Levens controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grosh wants to control but Levens postures up.
Grosh bucks up and tries to throw Levens off but instead Levens has got his back!
What can Grosh do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Grosh tries to roll but Levens sticks to his back.
Grosh is breathing heavily.
Levens is riding his opponent, not letting Grosh buck him off.

Despite being in the dominant position, Justin Levens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Grosh with a lazy takedown attempt

and Levens counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Todd Grosh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Levens jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Grosh walks away with a smile on his face. Levens gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Grosh misses with a straight left.
Levens doesn't manage to clinch there - Grosh circles away.
Danga de danga de dang - Grosh scores with a four punch combination!
Grosh doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Levens moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Levens dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Grosh clinches but Levens breaks the clinch

and Levens counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Grosh can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Levens controls the pace.
Grosh wants to stand but Levens is controlling the position.
Levens controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Levens stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grosh swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Levens gets to his feet. Grosh looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Levens looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Grosh!
Levens controlling from mount.
Justin Levens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Grosh tries to lock up and control but Levens gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Levens sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Grosh is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Grosh keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Levens content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grosh wants to control but Levens is having none of it.
Levens controlling his opponent.

Despite being in the dominant position, Justin Levens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Grosh misses with a takedown attempt

and Levens counters with a single leg into guard. Grosh didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grosh is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Levens 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.
Levens passes Grosh's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Grosh is trying to control but Levens manages to pass to mount!
Levens controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Levens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Levens fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Grosh, pushing him back against the cage.
Levens tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Grosh smiles and moves away.
Grosh with a lazy takedown attempt

and Levens counters with a single leg into guard. Grosh didn't expect that.
Levens content to stall in guard here.
Grosh wants to stand but Levens is controlling the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Levens gets to his feet. Grosh looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Todd Grosh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Levens clinches up with Grosh and pushes him back against the cage.
Levens jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Grosh walks away with a smile on his face. Levens gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Levens on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Levens scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Levens looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Grosh with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Levens looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Levens stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Grosh looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Grosh tries to clinch but Levens moves away

and Levens counters with a shoot takedown. Grosh fights it but they end up in guard.
Levens not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Levens advances to half guard.
Levens controlling the action here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Levens trying to pass the guard but Grosh defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Levens controlling the action here.

Levens gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
A leg kick checked by Levens.

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

Levens looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Todd Grosh has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Levens passes to full mount!
Levens controlling from the full mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Levens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Levens winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Levens!