PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Beno Gruffo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Lam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Beno Gruffo has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Beno Gruffo seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Gruffo
vs
Lam

192 cm
27
250 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

190 cm
24
265 lbs
11 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

FULL METAL GEAR
FULL METAL GEAR

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Beno Gruffo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, John Lam!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gruffo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Lam manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Lam takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gruffo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lam. Gruffo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Lam ducks under a wild hook from Gruffo.
Lam misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gruffo.
Lam looks to land a right hand but Gruffo moved out of range.
Lam lands a jab.
Gruffo connects with a body shot that sends Lam's belly button to the back.
Lam dips to his left and cracks Gruffo with an uppercut!
Gruffo misses with a body punch
enabling Lam to counter with a crisp jab.
Gruffo throws a jab when Lam was well out of range.
Lam throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gruffo defending well as Lam loads up on a big left hand.
Lam waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Gruffo.
Gruffo moves away from the strike by Lam.
Gruffo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gruffo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gruffo keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gruffo tries to clinch but Lam moves away
and Lam counters with a straight right hand.
Gruffo looks to score with a jab to the body but Lam is just out of range.
Lam thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lam throws a predictable looking body shot
and Gruffo counters with a right hand to the body.
Gruffo scores with a jab. Lam acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Lam throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Gruffo moves into the clinch.
Lam takes a knee to the side of the body.
Lam looks gassed!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gruffo landing knees to the body.
Gruffo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gruffo landing knees to the head.

It looks like John Lam has been cut.
Lam tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gruffo smiles and moves away.
A nice leg kick lands there from Gruffo.
Gruffo scores with a jab. Lam acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Gruffo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo lands a nice shot to the body.
Gruffo scores with a leg kick.
Gruffo misses with a hook.
Gruffo scores with a nice strike.
Gruffo throws a jab but it's blocked by Lam.

Gruffo forces Lam back against the cage and clinches.
Gruffo scores a nice knee to the body.
Gruffo lands a body shot.
Gruffo lands a nice knee to the body.
Gruffo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lam.
Gruffo tries to land knees in the clinch but Lam avoids the damage to the body.
Knees to the body from Gruffo.
Gruffo lands a nice shot to the body.
Gruffo connects with a knee to the head.
Gruffo scores with a knee to the head.
Gruffo lands a good knee to the midsection. Lam won't want to take too many of those.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lam takes a knee to the side of the body.
Gruffo lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lam takes a knee right on the jaw!
Gruffo misses with a knee strike.

Gruffo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gruffo throws a looping overhand right but Lam ducks down to avoid it.
Gruffo misses with a hook to the body
and Lam counters with a left to the body.
Beno Gruffo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gruffo.
Lam ducks right into an uppercut from Gruffo.
Lam throws a hook but Gruffo blocks it.
Gruffo ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gruffo misses with a double jab
and Lam counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Gruffo pushes Lam up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo gets underhooks to prevent Lam's takedown attempt.
Gruffo using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Lam tries for a takedown. No joy.
Beno Gruffo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Lam.
Gruffo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lam.
Gruffo missing with knees to the body.
Gruffo connects with a knee to the head.
Lam wants a takedown.
Gruffo is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Gruffo connects with a knee to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gruffo scores with a hook to the body.
Gruffo connects with a knee to the head.

That has opened up John Lam's cut even more.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A left hand lands to the body for Gruffo.
Gruffo is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Gruffo working Lam over with knees to the body.
Gruffo tries to land a knee to the head but Lam blocks with his arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Beno Gruffo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Lam's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lam throws a predictable looking body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Nice straight punches there by Gruffo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Gruffo.
Lam scores with a jab. Gruffo acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Gruffo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gruffo lands a leg kick that knocks Lam off balance momentarily.
Gruffo scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Gruffo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Lam moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Lam defending well as Gruffo loads up on a big left hand.
Lam takes one to the side of the head.
Gruffo misses with a looping right.
Lam throws out a loose jab but Gruffo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gruffo thows a body shot but no joy.
Lam is breathing heavily.
Some wild striking there from Gruffo.
Lam misses with a left hand
and Gruffo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gruffo tries to close the distance and clinch but Lam swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gruffo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Gruffo scores with a sloppy right hand. Lam should have avoided that one.
Gruffo lands with an uppercut that bounces Lam off the cage and back into rage.
Gruffo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A nice inside leg kick there by Gruffo. That's going to slow Lam down.
Gruffo looks to land a right hand but Lam moved out of range.
Beno Gruffo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gruffo throws a shot from downtown. Lam moves away and avoids it.
Gruffo misses with a straight right.
Gruffo misses the jab.

Lam tries to keep at a distance but Gruffo has taken the fight into the clinch.
Gruffo scores with a knee to the head.
Gruffo lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gruffo tries to land a knee to the head but Lam blocks with his arms.
Gruffo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lam can do to turn this around?
Gruffo stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Gruffo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The fighters circling - Lam throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gruffo throws out a loose jab but Lam uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lam uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gruffo.
Gruffo misses with a leg kick.
Gruffo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Lam swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gruffo throws a head kick that misses
and Lam counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Lam scores with a jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gruffo wants to clinch up but Lam keeps it at a distance.
Gruffo ducks under a wild hook from Lam.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lam misses with a body punch
and Gruffo counters with a series of strikes. Lam will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lam throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Gruffo on the side of the head.
Lam throws a hook but Gruffo blocks it.
Gruffo throws a lazy uppercut
and Lam counters with a nice uppercut.
Lam misses with a right hand
and Gruffo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Gruffo misses with a wild combination.
A big right from Lam misses.
Gruffo fails to land with a series of punches.
Jab by Lam.
Gruffo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lam digs a good hook to Gruffo's body.
Gruffo looks to clinch
enabling Lam to counter with a crisp jab.
Gruffo fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo throws a poor cross that misses
and Lam counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gruffo swings for the body but Lam moves out of range.
Gruffo wants to clinch but Lam slips to the side
and Lam counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Gruffo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gruffo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lam throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Lam takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Lam throws a lazy uppercut

and Gruffo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Gruffo.
Beno Gruffo has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Lam blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lam blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gruffo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lam.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lam wants a takedown.
Gruffo connects with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Beno Gruffo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Lam'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.

Good exchange - Gruffo coming out on top.
Gruffo cracks Lam with a good jab.
Gruffo connects with an inside leg kick.
Gruffo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gruffo throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Gruffo throws an off balance right hand
and Lam connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lam misses with a body shot.
Gruffo swings widly with a right hand

and Lam counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lam trying to control the position from guard on top but Gruffo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gruffo controls Lam momentarily but Lam frees himself.
Gruffo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Lam!
Lam takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lam manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lam on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Gruffo blocks the strikes from Lam.
Gruffo prevents Lam from improving his position.

Lam pushes Gruffo off and gets back to his feet.
Gruffo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lam misses with a wild body shot.
Gruffo rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lam counters with a straight right hand.
Lam looks to score with a jab to the body but Gruffo is just out of range.
Gruffo throws a poor cross that misses
and Lam counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gruffo thinking.
Lam stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Gruffo throws an off balance right hand
and Lam makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gruffo fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Gruffo misses with a jab to the body
and Lam makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gruffo attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Lam bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Lam takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Lam takes a swing at Gruffo's ribcage but misses.
Gruffo misses with a left hand

so Lam counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lam trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lam postures up in Gruffo's guard and throws a big left but Gruffo blocks it.
Gruffo wants to get back to his feet but Lam passes into half guard.
Gruffo is trying to get back to full guard.
Lam missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lam not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Lam prevents Gruffo from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gruffo wants to get back to his feet.
Gruffo trying to control from the bottom.
Gruffo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gruffo tries to kick Lam off in order to stand up. Lam Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Lam lands an elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gruffo tries to improve position but can't.
Lam grinds an elbow into Gruffo's temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Lam really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on John Lam's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Lam misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gruffo.
Lam misses with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Lam just misses with a punch to the body.
Gruffo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lam moves away.
Nice defenses there by Gruffo.

Lam shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Lam wants to pass the guard but Gruffo is defending well.
Gruffo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lam.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gruffo moves into full guard.
Gruffo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lam's guard.

Lam wriggles free and stands up.
Gruffo lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gruffo.
Gruffo is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Gruffo throws a lazy uppercut

and Lam counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Gruffo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lam is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Lam stands up from half guard.
Gruffo throws a low kick, looking for Lam's leg but Lam calmly moves out of range.
Lam throws a predictable looking body shot

and Gruffo counters by moving into the clinch.
Gruffo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gruffo misses with a knee strike.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Gruffo lands a nice shot to the body.
Lam has Gruffo pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gruffo manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gruffo landing knees to the head.
Gruffo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lam's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Gruffo misses with a punch on the inside.
Gruffo connects with a knee to the head.
Gruffo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lam has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lam prevents a body shot from Gruffo.
Gruffo missing with knees to the body.
Lam is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Gruffo tries to land a knee to the head but Lam blocks with his arms.
Lam avoiding damage as Gruffo throws knees to the body.
Gruffo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Gruffo using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lam has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Gruffo is pressed up against the cage. Lam has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Gruffo down to the mat. Gruffo avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Beno Gruffo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Lam.
Gruffo throws a looping overhand right but Lam ducks down to avoid it.
Good standup being displayed there by Lam as he connects with a hook.
Lam swings away with a body shot that misses
and Gruffo counters with an outside leg kick.
Gruffo is looking to clinch.
Gruffo throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gruffo lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lam checks the leg kick nicely there.
Lam getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gruffo tries to close the distance and clinch but Lam swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gruffo walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Lam throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Gruffo misses the jab.
Gruffo swings away with a body shot that misses
and Lam counters with a nice uppercut.
Lam throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lam misses with a body shot
and Gruffo counters with a nice uppercut.
Lam tests Gruffo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lam cracks Gruffo with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Lam lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Gruffo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lam paws at him with a jab and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close fourth round but I would say that Beno Gruffo will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Lam's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A decent looking cross lands there for Gruffo.
Gruffo missing with a left hand there. Lam was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gruffo wants to clinch but Lam slips to the side

and Lam counters with a shoot takedown. Gruffo fights it but they end up in guard.
Lam thows a big elbow that misses.
Gruffo keeping moving, preventing Lam from controlling successfully.
Lam working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Gruffo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lam.
Gruffo looking for a sweep. Not yet Gruffo, not yet.
Lam trying to control the position from guard on top but Gruffo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gruffo wants to hit a switch here but Lam passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Gruffo there!
Gruffo sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Gruffo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two 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.
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.
Lam looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gruffo with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Gruffo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lam lands with a punch from half guard.
Lam drops an elbow to the side of Gruffo's head.
Lam looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gruffo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lam.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gruffo moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gruffo keeping moving, preventing Lam from controlling successfully.
Gruffo wants to sweep here but Lam controlling him for the moment.
Lam throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lam stopping the sweep attempt from Gruffo.

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.
Gruffo has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Lam has passed into side control.
Lam landing a few strikes.
Lam tries to move into full mount but can't pass Gruffo's legs.
Lam with the ground and pound but Gruffo regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
John Lam has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gruffo wants to improve his position but Lam is controlling well.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Lam comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Gruffo 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 48:47
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 48:47
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 47:47

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Beno Gruffo!