PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lyman Horseflesh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Grello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Will Grello looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Horseflesh
vs
Grello

160 cm
19
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
142 lbs
6 - 1 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lyman Horseflesh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 1, fighting out of New York, Will Grello!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Steve Montenegro and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grello fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Horseflesh looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
The fight stays on the outside here - Horseflesh looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Grello pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Horseflesh fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Grello avoids it really well and circles away.

Horseflesh closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Grello did well to prevent Horseflesh getting side control.
Grello trying to hold on to Horseflesh's head to control him but Horseflesh postures up.

Grello is defending against the submission attempts here by Horseflesh.
Horseflesh trying to control the action but Grello is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grello wants to improve his position but Horseflesh is controlling well.
Horseflesh thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Grello's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horseflesh looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Horseflesh is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Grello defends it well.
Grello is holding on to half guard well.
Horseflesh working the head and body with strikes.
Grello is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Grello works his way to full guard. Good work.
Grello looks gassed!
Horseflesh advances to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Grello can do anything to dispel that myth.
Horseflesh seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Grello does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Grello won't allow Horseflesh to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Horseflesh is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Horseflesh trying to pass the guard but Grello defending well.
Horseflesh thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Grello is trying to maintain the position but Horseflesh is very close to passing his half guard.
Horseflesh looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Grello keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Horseflesh controlling the action here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grello tries to get to full guard but Horseflesh has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horseflesh wants to control but Grello is keeping him busy.

We're going to have a standup here because Lyman Horseflesh wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Horseflesh misses with a double jab
enabling Grello to counter with a crisp jab.
Grello lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
A nice inside leg kick there by Grello. That's going to slow Horseflesh down.

Horseflesh shoots in and gets a takedown into Grello's guard.
Horseflesh trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Grello manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Horseflesh is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horseflesh tries to hold on but Grello pushes him away.
Horseflesh is looking to get to half guard.
Horseflesh tries to hold on but Grello pushes him away.
Grello trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Grello thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Horseflesh is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Horseflesh is trying to stand up.
Horseflesh is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyman Horseflesh dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Horseflesh gets a double leg takedown into Grello's guard.
Horseflesh advances position into side control!
Grello can't do much from the bottom here.
Grello prevents Horseflesh from moving into mount.
Horseflesh wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grello keeps working.
Grello is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Grello tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Horseflesh wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The strikes coming from Horseflesh are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Grello dodges the ground and pound from Horseflesh.
Horseflesh tries to move to mount but Grello blocks the move with his legs.
Grello is trying to get back to half guard.

Horseflesh working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Grello is not content to let Horseflesh control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Grello avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Horseflesh.
Grello is not content to let Horseflesh control the position.
Sloppy strikes there by Horseflesh.
Horseflesh is looking to take a break and control but Grello is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Horseflesh tries for a kimura but Grello is defending well.
Grello is not content to let Horseflesh control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grello is trying to get back to half guard.
Horseflesh tries to advance to mount but can't.
Grello is trying to improve his position.
An elbow from Horseflesh crashes against the mat.
Grello is not content to let Horseflesh control the position.
Grello managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Horseflesh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Grello is trying to get back to half guard.
Horseflesh is looking to take a break and control but Grello is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Grello stops Horseflesh from passing to mount.
Horseflesh trying to control the action but Grello is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sloppy strikes there by Horseflesh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lyman Horseflesh dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Grello slaps away a takedown attempt from Horseflesh, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Horseflesh shoots in for a takedown but Grello shows good takedown defense.
Grello throws a quick inside leg kick.
Grello jabs Horseflesh to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Horseflesh avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Horseflesh just misses with a punch to the body.

Horseflesh gets a clinch.
Horseflesh fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lyman Horseflesh. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Horseflesh tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Grello just stands there and leans against the cage.
Grello controlling the action here for a moment.
Grello stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Grello takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Horseflesh wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Grello working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Horseflesh fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Grello breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Horseflesh fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horseflesh shoots in looking for a takedown. Grello tries to sprawl out of it but Horseflesh keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Grello manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horseflesh closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Grello to the mat! Grello manages to get full guard.
Horseflesh trying to control but Grello is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Lyman Horseflesh.
Horseflesh tries to clinch but Grello moves out of range.
Horseflesh shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Grello pinned against the cage. Grello gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horseflesh fails to land the takedown.
Will Grello has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Horseflesh swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Grello counters with a left to the body.
Grello lands a jab to Horseflesh's midsection.
Horseflesh takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Grello comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Grello slaps away a takedown attempt from Horseflesh, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Grello loads up on a big right hand but Horseflesh slips the punch.
Will Grello is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Horseflesh tries to clinch up.
Grello slips under a jab from Horseflesh.
Horseflesh tries to close the distance and clinch up but Grello swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Horseflesh fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grello misses with a jab to the body

and Horseflesh counters with a takedown into side control.
Grello being controlled for a moment.
Horseflesh is looking to take a break and control but Grello is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Horseflesh is trying to move to mount but Grello reverses beautifully and ends up in Horseflesh's guard.

Horseflesh is looking for a triangle but Grello pushes his legs off easily.
Grello trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Horseflesh is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Horseflesh working for submissions but it's allowed Grello to get to half guard.
Grello sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Horseflesh defending well though.
Grello controlling the action here.
Horseflesh trying to control but Grello postures up.

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 Lyman Horseflesh.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Horseflesh, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lyman Horseflesh!