PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Mitrione (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Gronholm (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gronholm has chosen Eeppinen biisi as his entrance music. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Marcus Gronholm enters the cage!

Mitrione
vs
Gronholm

191 cm
28
275 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

188 cm
32
280 lbs
12 - 12 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good low kicks
Granite chin

Untouchable Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matt Mitrione!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Marcus Gronholm!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gronholm misses with the combination.
Gronholm misses with a straight right.
Gronholm misses with a few strikes there.
Mitrione will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gronholm will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gronholm fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mitrione manages to avoid it.
Mitrione avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gronholm falls off balance throwing a combination
and Mitrione counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gronholm misses with a two punch combination.
Marcus Gronholm seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mitrione connects with a right hand. Gronholm shakes it off.
Gronholm throws a nice looking combination but Mitrione bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gronholm fails to land with a series of punches.
Gronholm throws a right and a left that Mitrione avoids nicely.
Gronholm tries to bum rush Mitrione with a series of wild strikes but Mitrione uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gronholm scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Mitrione shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Gronholm slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gronholm moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gronholm tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mitrione throws a strike but Gronholm rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Gronholm stands and steps away. Mitrione gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Gronholm throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gronholm throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gronholm swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Mitrione counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Mitrione keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gronholm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gronholm swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mitrione gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Mitrione shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Gronholm eats them both and turns towards Mitrione to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Mitrione rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gronholm moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gronholm fails to land with a series of punches.
Mitrione has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Mitrione there as he acknowledges the shot.
Mitrione throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mitrione fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gronholm misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gronholm swings widly with a right hand
and Mitrione counters with a left and a right that stings Gronholm.

It looks like Marcus Gronholm has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gronholm takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Marcus Gronholm is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Mitrione slips a jab and a cross from Gronholm.
Horrible takedown by Mitrione or perhaps it was just good defense by Gronholm which made him look bad.
Gronholm misses with a two punch combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gronholm is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

No joy there for Gronholm, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Mitrione showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gronholm.
Gronholm will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Gronholm fails to land with a series of punches.
Mitrione misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gronholm fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gronholm looks to land a combination but Mitrione avoids it well.
Gronholm showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Mitrione.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gronholm jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Gronholm with a jab.
Gronholm swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mitrione looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Gronholm will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mitrione shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gronholm as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitrione uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gronholm.
Gronholm misses with a series of wild punches.
Gronholm throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gronholm jabs Mitrione to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Mitrione gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gronholm displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mitrione.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Mitrione. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gronholm throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gronholm uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A punch combination from Gronholm misses.
Mitrione needs to keep his hands up - Gronholm had a free shot at his head there.
Mitrione misses with the combination.
Mitrione misses with a double jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gronholm misses with a wild body shot.
Mitrione with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gronholm to score with a decent uppercut.
Gronholm misses with a few strikes there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gronholm throws a series of strikes that have Mitrione backpedaling.
Mitrione connects with a body shot that sends Gronholm's belly button to the back.
Mitrione shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Gronholm pinned against the cage. Gronholm gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mitrione takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Gronholm showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Marcus Gronholm's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Gronholm throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gronholm throws a shot from downtown. Mitrione moves away and avoids it.
Gronholm looks to land a combination but Mitrione avoids it well.
Mitrione misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Mitrione avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Marcus Gronholm seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Gronholm throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gronholm will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Mitrione ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gronholm misses with a body shot
and Mitrione counters with a three punch combo that has Gronholm backing up. Gronholm nods at Mitrione to acknowledge the strikes.
Mitrione throws a right and a left that Gronholm avoids nicely.
Gronholm digs a good hook to Mitrione's body.
Gronholm misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Gronholm throws a one two combo.
Gronholm throws a combination that misses
and Mitrione counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Gronholm swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mitrione counters with a nice body shot.
Mitrione slips a jab and a cross from Gronholm.
Mitrione looks to land a combination but Gronholm avoids it well.
Marcus Gronholm is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gronholm pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Mitrione back to the cage. Gronholm follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice defenses there by Mitrione.
Gronholm throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mitrione sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mitrione uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Gronholm.

Mitrione looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Gronholm!
Gronholm is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Mitrione throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Gronholm because Mitrione loaded up on that one.
Gronholm tries to hold on but Mitrione postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mitrione throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Mitrione throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Gronholm slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Mitrione wants to work for an arm triangle but Gronholm is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Mitrione thows a huge punch but Gronholm dodges it nicely.
Gronholm holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Gronholm trying to control here.
Mitrione misses with a head shot. Gronholm uses the momentum to regain guard.
Gronholm looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gronholm pulls Mitrione in close to his closed guard and prevents Mitrione from doing any damage or advancing position.

Gronholm is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mitrione defends well.
Mitrione throws a big right hand that misses.
Mitrione postures up in Gronholm's guard and throws a big left but Gronholm blocks it.
Matt Mitrione has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gronholm controlling the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mitrione loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Gronholm comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gronholm has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Gronholm!
Marcus Gronholm got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'