PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Colton Cannon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Griffin Retkovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Cannon might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to No Hands. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cannon
vs
Retkovic

180 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

192 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 Los Angeles, Colton Cannon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Griffin Retkovic!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cannon is trying hard to land a takedown here. Retkovic sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Retkovic shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Retkovic trying to mount his opponent but Cannon defends it.
Cannon is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Retkovic trying to control from half guard but Cannon is working away.
Cannon moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Retkovic with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Retkovic is looking to work some ground and pound but Cannon has wrist control.
Retkovic with a flurry of punches that miss.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Retkovic accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cannon pushes Retkovic off and gets back to his feet.

Retkovic shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Cannon napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cannon is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Cannon is not content to let Retkovic control the position.
Retkovic scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Cannon to see if he's OK.
Retkovic looking to control but instead Cannon has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Retkovic is keen to just control but Cannon is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cannon gets back to full guard.
Retkovic looking to sit in guard and control but Cannon gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Cannon lands a couple of digs.
Retkovic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Retkovic working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cannon.
Cannon postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Retkovic working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cannon.
Cannon with a flurry of punches that miss.
Cannon has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Retkovic working a defensive guard here.
Cannon thows a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cannon working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Retkovic's head.
Cannon thows a big elbow that misses.
Cannon is breathing heavily.
Cannon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Retkovic preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Cannon postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cannon landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Retkovic controlling Cannon's posture.
Cannon throwing strikes but missing.
Cannon throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

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

and Retkovic counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cannon won't be happy with that.
Cannon is not content to let Retkovic control the position.

Retkovic decides to stand up, so the ref orders Cannon to his feet.

Retkovic gets a clinch.
Retkovic has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Cannon is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Cannon has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Retkovic avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colton Cannon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Retkovic wants a takedown but no success here.
Retkovic drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Cannon ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Cannon no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Retkovic must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cannon can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Retkovic controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Griffin Retkovic dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Cannon gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Retkovic to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Retkovic is looking to work some ground and pound but Cannon has wrist control.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Retkovic's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Cannon wants to sweep but no luck.
Retkovic is looking to work some ground and pound but Cannon has wrist control.
Cannon keeping moving, preventing Retkovic from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cannon is on top in guard.
Cannon postures up in Retkovic's guard and throws a big left but Retkovic blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cannon tries to free his leg and advance position but Retkovic is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Cannon stands and throws Retkovic's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cannon looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Retkovic is avoiding damage well.
Cannon postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cannon tries to score with some ground and pound. Retkovic controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cannon in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Retkovic is looking for a sweep.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Retkovic misses with a takedown attempt

and Cannon counters with a takedown into side control.
Cannon with the ground and pound but Retkovic regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Cannon throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cannon winds up and cracks Retkovic with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Retkovic keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Cannon throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Retkovic holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Cannon thows a huge punch but Retkovic dodges it nicely.
Retkovic keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Retkovic has taken the fight to the clinch.
Retkovic gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Cannon.
Retkovic tries for a takedown. No joy.

Retkovic is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Cannon can't fight it off and eventually Retkovic manages to take the fight to the floor. Cannon looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
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!
Cannon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Retkovic is looking to work some ground and pound but Cannon has wrist control.
Retkovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Cannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Retkovic working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cannon's head.
Retkovic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cannon on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cannon tries to get out of the position.
Retkovic loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Cannon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Retkovic defends it easily.
Retkovic looking to sit in guard and control but Cannon gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Retkovic is looking to stand up but Cannon isn't so interested in that idea.
Cannon working some strikes from top position.
Cannon throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Retkovic works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Cannon throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cannon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cannon working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cannon postures up and lands a big shot to Retkovic's brow.
Retkovic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Retkovic fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cannon avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Cannon stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cannon wants it to stay on the feet.
Cannon changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Retkovic tries to avoid it but Cannon manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Retkovic to the ground. Retkovic escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cannon misses with a kick to the body.
Cannon throws a combination that misses

and Retkovic counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Retkovic throwing shots but Cannon is blocking nicely.
Retkovic is just content to waste time from the top position. Cannon takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Retkovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Cannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Retkovic throwing strikes from guard but Cannon blocks nicely.
Retkovic is in close to Cannon's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Retkovic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Retkovic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Retkovic trying to control the position from guard on top but Cannon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Retkovic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cannon pinned against the cage. Cannon gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Cannon with a poor takedown

and Retkovic counters by moving into the clinch.
Cannon tries to circle away but Retkovic has him pinned against the cage.
Retkovic drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cannon pulls his leg out and moves away.
Colton Cannon has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Griffin Retkovic.
Retkovic clinches but Cannon breaks the clinch

and Cannon counters by clinching up.
Cannon pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Retkovic can't get the takedown.

Cannon decides to pull guard.
Retkovic slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Retkovic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cannon trying to control the position.
Retkovic trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Retkovic won't allow Cannon to get back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Retkovic accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Retkovic stopping the sweep attempt from Cannon.
Retkovic wants to control from the top but Cannon keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cannon closes the distance but Retkovic moves to the side

and Retkovic counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cannon won't be happy with that.
Cannon is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Retkovic is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Cannon's shoulder. That is not cool.
Cannon gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Retkovic 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.
Cannon trying to hold on to Retkovic's head to control him but Retkovic postures up.
Cannon is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Retkovic throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Retkovic is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Cannon is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Cannon might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Retkovic content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Cannon avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Retkovic.

And that's the end of the fight!
Griffin Retkovic comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Retkovic has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Griffin Retkovic!