PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Charles Darwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Les Grossman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Grossman is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur.... Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Darwin
vs
Grossman

180 cm
21
210 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

190 cm
19
217 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Behold The Beast
Behold The Beast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Charles Darwin!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Les Grossman!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Darwin rushes Grossman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Darwin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Darwin landing knees to the head.

It looks like Les Grossman has been cut.
Grossman manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Darwin swings wildly with an uppercut but Grossman uses good head movement to avoid it.
Darwin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Grossman is defending well for now.
Darwin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A bit of stalling here from Darwin.
A nice right hand lands inside from Darwin.
A frustrated look appears on Grossman's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Grossman blocks an elbow strike from Darwin.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Darwin.
Darwin misses with the head strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Darwin.
Grossman has Darwin pushed against the cage.
Darwin misses with a punch on the inside.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Darwin misses with the head strike.
Darwin is trying to maintain a safe position but Grossman gets an underhook and turns Darwin into the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Darwin.
Darwin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Grossman takes a knee to the side of the body.
Darwin lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Darwin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Grossman leaning against his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darwin misses with some punches.
Darwin lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Darwin cracks Grossman with a nice body shot.
Darwin digs a right hand into Grossman's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Grossman's gas tank.
Grossman looks gassed!
Darwin lands a nice elbow.
Grossman blocks a body shot from Darwin.
Darwin lands an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Darwin with a knee to the head.
Darwin just leaning against Grossman, taking a breather.
Darwin gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Still in the clinch, Darwin scores with a nice short uppercut.
Darwin lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Grossman backwards.
Grossman changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Darwin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Darwin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Grossman.
Grossman checks a leg kick nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Grossman shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Darwin manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Darwin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
It looks like Darwin is going to stand back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darwin trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Grossman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Still in half guard, Darwin seems content to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darwin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Grossman wants to control but Darwin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Grossman gets back to full guard.
Grossman wants to sweep but no luck.
Grossman has a closed guard, preventing Darwin from standing up.
Grossman wants to sweep here but Darwin controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Grossman pulls Darwin in close to his closed guard and prevents Darwin from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Darwin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Les Grossman's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Darwin scores with a crisp jab that stopped Grossman in his tracks.
Darwin doesn't manage to clinch there - Grossman circles away.
Darwin defending well as Grossman loads up on a big left hand.
Darwin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Darwin throws a wild body kick that Grossman sees coming a mile off.

Darwin has closed the distance and engaged Grossman in a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A hook to the body from Darwin.
Darwin working aggressively here.
Grossman on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Grossman is trying to break the clinch but Darwin is controlling him.
Darwin misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darwin lands an elbow inside that Grossman shrugs off.
Grossman manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Darwin pressing his opponent against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Darwin lands with a left to the head.
Darwin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Darwin throws a head punch that misses.
Grossman taking a breather.
Darwin trying to land knees to the body.
Darwin lands a body shot in the clinch.
Grossman is breathing heavily.
Darwin stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Darwin.
Darwin stalling in the clinch but Grossman improves position.
Darwin working aggressively here.
Grossman manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Darwin taking a breather.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Darwin creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Darwin has a couple of punches blocked by Grossman.
Darwin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Darwin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Darwin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Grossman.
Grossman blocks a body shot from Darwin.
Darwin is pushing Grossman up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darwin misses with the head strike.
Darwin putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grossman in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Darwin lands an uppercut.
Darwin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Darwin has a couple of punches blocked by Grossman.
Darwin lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Grossman.
Darwin lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Grossman.
Darwin unloads a knee to the mid-section. Grossman lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Darwin lands with a left to the head.
Charles Darwin has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Grossman takes a knee to the side of the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Darwin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Darwin lands a shot to the body.
Darwin holding his opponent close, against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Darwin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Darwin.
Darwin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Darwin displaying some good clinch control by pressing Grossman up against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Darwin.
Darwin stalling against the cage.
Darwin lands with a light punch inside.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A right hand to the body from Darwin.
Darwin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A right hand to the body from Darwin.
Darwin lands with a right to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Charles Darwin dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Les Grossman's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Grossman closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Grossman swats away the attempt to clinch by Darwin.
Darwin is looking to clinch but Grossman is avoiding it.
Grossman shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Darwin but Darwin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Darwin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grossman was well out of range. Poor timing from Darwin.
Grossman ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Darwin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Grossman can do to turn this around?
Darwin misses with a low kick.
Darwin looks for the body kick but Grossman saw that one coming.
Darwin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Decent striking displayed by Grossman there.
Grossman avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Darwin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Darwin misses with a low kick.
Darwin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Darwin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Decent striking displayed by Darwin there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darwin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Darwin misses with a few strikes there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A big left from Darwin misses.
Charles Darwin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Darwin is looking to clinch but Grossman is avoiding it.
Nice sprawl there from Darwin as Grossman shoots in.

Grossman shoots in and bounces Darwin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Grossman missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Grossman is pushing down on Darwin's leg trying to pass to half guard. Darwin is fighting to maintain full guard but Grossman has managed to sneak the leg through.
Grossman working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Darwin trying to hold on to Grossman's head to control him but Grossman postures up.
Grossman missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grossman prevents Darwin from improving his position.
Grossman misses with a head shot. Darwin uses the momentum to regain guard.
Darwin wants to sweep here but Grossman controlling him for the moment.
Darwin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Darwin tries to get out of the position.
Grossman thows a big elbow that misses.
Grossman wants to control from the top but Darwin keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Grossman accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Darwin fails with an attempt to clinch.
Darwin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Grossman uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Darwin.
Darwin misses with a low kick.
Darwin misses with a looping left.
Darwin doesn't manage to clinch there - Grossman circles away.
A big left from Grossman misses.
Darwin misses with a low kick.
Charles Darwin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Darwin misses with an uppercut. Grossman saw that one coming.
Grossman lands a nice hook to Darwin's body. Darwin takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Grossman scores a takedown into full mount!
Grossman thowing shots but they're missing.
Grossman with a couple of short strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darwin really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Grossman raining down shots from the mount!
Darwin is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Grossman is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Grossman putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Grossman dominating with strikes here.
Grossman sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Les Grossman really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Les Grossman's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Darwin wants to clinch.
Darwin throws a looping overhand right but Grossman ducks down to avoid it.

Grossman shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Darwin can't escape the position.
Grossman lands a big elbow.
Darwin is looking to improve his position but Grossman isn't that keen on the idea.
Grossman thowing shots but they're missing.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Darwin is trying to escape the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darwin tries to hold on but Grossman pushes him away.
Grossman landing strikes from the mount.
Darwin is bucking up trying to escape but Grossman cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Grossman thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Grossman dominating with strikes here.
Grossman trying to control but Darwin is having none of it.
Grossman with good strikes from the mount here!
Darwin tries to hold on but Grossman postures up.
Grossman has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grossman with the ground and pound from mount.
Grossman misses with a head shot.
Grossman lands with some strikes.
Grossman looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Grossman misses with a head shot.
Darwin wants to hold on but Grossman pushes him away.
Darwin tries to reverse the position but Grossman maintains control.
Grossman controlling the position easily from mount.
Grossman putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grossman cracks Darwin with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Grossman avoids the attempt from Darwin to control.
Grossman landing strikes, looking to finish!
Grossman unloads with some shots from mount but Darwin bucks and avoids them well.
Grossman scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Darwin?
A nice elbow there by Grossman.
Grossman unloading with bombs!
Grossman trying to control but Darwin is having none of it.
Grossman thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grossman scoring with strikes but Darwin is staying in there.
Darwin is desperately trying to improve his position but Grossman has a good base and remains in mount.
Grossman can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Darwin is looking to escape.
Grossman takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darwin tries to lock up and control but Grossman gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Les Grossman dominated that fourth round.
The cut man is working on Les Grossman's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Darwin tries to clinch up.
Darwin moves out of range as Grossman throws a body kick.
Darwin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Darwin tries to clinch but Grossman is having none of it.
Darwin jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Grossman checks the leg kick nicely there.
Darwin fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Grossman checks it well.
Darwin swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Darwin cracks the inside of Grossman's front leg.
Darwin misses the body punch

and Grossman counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Grossman landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Darwin regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Grossman.
Darwin keeping moving, preventing Grossman from controlling successfully.
Grossman working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darwin keeping full guard, as Grossman tries to pass.
Darwin is trying to hold Grossman in close to prevent damage but Grossman has managed to pass into half guard.
Darwin tries to get to full guard but Grossman has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Grossman lands a nice short elbow.
Grossman wants to pass the guard but Darwin is defending well.
Darwin is pressing down on Grossman's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

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.
Darwin wants to get back to his feet but Grossman is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Darwin keeping moving, preventing Grossman from controlling successfully.
Grossman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Darwin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Grossman.
Grossman wants to control from the top but Darwin keeps moving.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Jab, jab by Darwin - just one landing.
Grossman shoots for a takedown but Darwin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Grossman shoots in and drives through. Darwin sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darwin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Grossman.
Darwin throws and low kick but Grossman moves out of range easily.
Darwin jabs at Grossman's body.
Grossman slips under a jab.
Grossman circles away from the clinch attempt
and Grossman counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Darwin thinking.
Darwin throws a looping overhand right but Grossman ducks down to avoid it.
A leg kick checked by Grossman.
Darwin throws the left hand but Grossman avoids the punch easily.
Darwin misses with a looping left.
Darwin scores with a decent looking hook.
Grossman moves out of range of the strikes.
Darwin throws a looping overhand right but Grossman ducks down to avoid it.
Grossman uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Darwin.
Horrible takedown by Grossman or perhaps it was just good defense by Darwin which made him look bad.
Charles Darwin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Les Grossman.
Darwin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Grossman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darwin is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Grossman.
Darwin on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Grossman slips under a jab from Darwin.
Darwin keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Grossman throws a hook but Darwin blocks it.
Darwin defending well as Grossman loads up on a big left hand.
Grossman shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Darwin as he avoids it easily.
Grossman fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Darwin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Grossman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Darwin missing with a left hand there. Grossman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Darwin tries to clinch but Grossman is having none of it.
Darwin throws a series of punches but Grossman moves out of range.
Darwin misses with an uppercut. Grossman saw that one coming.
Grossman uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Darwin.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Charles Darwin.
I think Darwin 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 47:46
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 47:46
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 47:46

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Charles Darwin!
Charles Darwin is the new light heavyweight champion!