PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rob McKenzie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McKenzie comes to the ring accompanied by Flower Of Scotland. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

McKenzie
vs
Grant

175 cm
28
182 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

184 cm
33
195 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rob McKenzie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Brandon Grant!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Albert Achterberg and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McKenzie uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Grant.
McKenzie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
McKenzie swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Grant closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
McKenzie is trying to break the clinch but Grant is controlling him.

Grant breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Grant scores with a one two! McKenzie had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Grant slips a jab and a cross from McKenzie.
McKenzie looks to score with a jab to the body but Grant is just out of range.
Decent striking displayed by McKenzie there.
McKenzie misses with a looping right.
McKenzie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Grant.
McKenzie waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Grant.
McKenzie throws a right hand that misses

and Grant counters with a single leg into guard. McKenzie didn't expect that.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
McKenzie is trying to keep Grant in close.
Grant throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Grant with a nice head shot there.
McKenzie controls Grant momentarily but Grant frees himself.
McKenzie is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Soul Supremacy Fight Club - ELITE TRAINERS----$580 that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Grant wants to control from the top but McKenzie keeps moving.
Grant throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McKenzie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
McKenzie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Grant wants to pass the guard but McKenzie is keeping the position.
Grant throwing strikes from guard but McKenzie blocks nicely.
Grant trying to control the position from guard on top but McKenzie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
McKenzie looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grant is one step ahead there.
Grant throwing strikes from guard but McKenzie blocks nicely.
McKenzie trying to control the position here.
McKenzie trying to keep a closed guard but Grant is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Grant landing with the ground and pound.
McKenzie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Grant.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
McKenzie keeping full guard, as Grant tries to pass.
McKenzie seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Grant scoring with some ground and pound.

Grant postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! McKenzie is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Grant, into his guard.
McKenzie cracks Grant with a solid left hand.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grant looking for a sweep. Not yet Grant, not yet.
McKenzie controls from within his opponent's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Grant is looking to sweep but instead, McKenzie has passed into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McKenzie is figuring out what he wants to do next.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

McKenzie misses the shot to the body.
McKenzie misses with an uppercut.
McKenzie swings for the body but Grant moves out of range.
Grant checks the leg kick.
McKenzie throws out a loose jab but Grant uses good head movement to avoid it.
McKenzie misses the jab.
Brandon Grant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grant slips under a jab.
Grant tries to clinch but McKenzie is having none of it.
Grant moves out of range as McKenzie strikes.
McKenzie throws a head kick but Grant moves out of range.
Rob McKenzie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Grant moves into the clinch successfully.

Grant wants the takedown. McKenzie is fighting it off but Grant persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in McKenzie's guard against the ropes.
McKenzie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Grant.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
McKenzie looking for a sweep. Not yet McKenzie, not yet.
McKenzie throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant throwing strikes from guard but McKenzie blocks nicely.
McKenzie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Grant trying to control the position from guard on top but McKenzie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McKenzie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Grant missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Grant throws a big elbow that misses.
McKenzie working a defensive guard here.
Grant wants to control from the top but McKenzie keeps moving.
Grant pushing down on McKenzie's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but McKenzie does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
McKenzie trying to control from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Grant takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Grant missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
McKenzie tries to get to full guard but Grant has control of the leg.
McKenzie is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Grant scores with a couple of nice shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grant working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on McKenzie's thigh. McKenzie counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Grant accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
McKenzie doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Grant is working McKenzie over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Grant has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Grant stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. McKenzie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grant lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Grant sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed McKenzie's guard.
McKenzie tries to get to full guard but Grant has control of the leg.
Grant scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie is trying is best to control the position here.
McKenzie regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Grant.
Grant postures up in McKenzie's guard and throws a big left but McKenzie blocks it.
McKenzie keeping moving, preventing Grant from controlling successfully.
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!
Grant trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Grant throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as McKenzie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Grant scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McKenzie avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Grant tries to free his leg and advance position but McKenzie is retaining full guard.
Grant postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Grant showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

McKenzie throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grant lands with a shot to the body.
McKenzie looks to land a right hand but Grant moved out of range.
Grant's coach down at Team Finland was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Grant's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
McKenzie swings for the body but Grant moves out of range.
McKenzie looks to land a right hand but Grant moved out of range.
McKenzie looks to score with a jab to the body but Grant is just out of range.
McKenzie misses with an attempted mid kick.
Grant wants to land a leg kick but McKenzie is out of range.
Grant swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Grant moves out of range of the strikes.
Grant bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
McKenzie is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Grant's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
McKenzie avoids a punch combination nicely.
McKenzie misses with a combination
and Grant counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
McKenzie misses the shot to the body.
Grant misses with a few strikes there.
McKenzie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant slips under a jab from McKenzie.
McKenzie throws a low kick but Grant avoids it.
McKenzie misses with a looping right.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Grant!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Grant.
McKenzie swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Grant moves out of range of the strikes.
Grant lands a jab to the nose.
Grant uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McKenzie.
McKenzie loads up on a big right hand but Grant slips the punch.
McKenzie changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
McKenzie throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McKenzie connects with a single shot there.
Grant steps to the side to avoid the strikes from McKenzie.
McKenzie looks to score with a jab to the body but Grant is just out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
McKenzie throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
McKenzie ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Grant moves away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
McKenzie jabs at Grant's body.
Grant swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rob McKenzie is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McKenzie misses with a few strikes there.
A slow jab from Grant misses its intended target.
Grant keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Grant moves into the clinch.
Grant is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables McKenzie to keep the fight standing.

Grant has clasped his hands together around McKenzie's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
McKenzie prevents Grant from improving position.
McKenzie is trying to control Grant's posture but Grant avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant grinds an elbow into McKenzie's temple.
Grant tries to score with some ground and pound. McKenzie controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Grant in side control lands a decent elbow.
Grant working the ground and pound.
McKenzie wants to control but Grant postures up.
McKenzie tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Grant trying to control the position but McKenzie is working away.
Grant working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McKenzie can't do much from the bottom here.
Brandon Grant has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Brandon Grant is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
McKenzie is looking for a sweep.
Rob McKenzie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
McKenzie prevents Grant from moving into mount.

Grant tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Grant working the body and head with strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Grant comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Grant winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Grant!