PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Matt Grunterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bashar Essassani (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Matt Grunterson has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Grunterson
vs
Essassani

167 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

172 cm
18
153 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Grunterson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bashar Essassani!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Essassani pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Grunterson scores with a nice head shot.
Essassani drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Matt Grunterson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grunterson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Good standup being displayed there by Grunterson as he connects with a hook.
Essassani ducks right into an uppercut from Grunterson.
A decent looking cross lands there for Grunterson.
Grunterson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Essassani circles away quickly and effectively.
Grunterson scores with a body shot.
Essassani takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Essassani moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Essassani looks for the body kick but Grunterson saw that one coming.
Grunterson misses with a wild body shot.
Grunterson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Grunterson moves out of range of the body kick from Essassani.
Grunterson throws a series of punches but Essassani avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grunterson connects with a good right hand that stumbles Essassani. Essassani circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Grunterson is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Essassani bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Grunterson throws a hook but Essassani blocks it.

Essassani closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Essassani fails to land.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Essassani obliges.
Essassani doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Essassani unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Essassani putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grunterson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Essassani misses with a hook to the ribs.
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!
Essassani using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Grunterson is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grunterson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Essassani misses with a hook from the clinch.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Essassani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Grunterson blocks it with crossed arms.
Essassani working aggressively here.
Essassani lands a nice knee to the body.
Essassani tries to work over Grunterson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Grunterson tries to pull guard but Essassani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Grunterson tries to pull guard but Essassani won't allow it.
Essassani stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Grunterson letting Essassani take a breather here.
Essassani landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Essassani dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Grunterson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Essassani lands a nice knee to the body.
Essassani misses with some punches.
Essassani tries to land knees in the clinch but Grunterson avoids the damage to the body.
Grunterson misses with a punch to the body.
Grunterson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Essassani crunches a lovely knee into Grunterson's ribcage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Essassani misses with a hook to the ribs.
Essassani using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Grunterson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Essassani tries a body shot but Grunterson blocks it.
Essassani is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Grunterson is defending well for now.
Grunterson is trying to stall.
Essassani lands a knee to the head.
Essassani misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Essassani slowing the pace effectively.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Knees in the clinch landing for Essassani.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Essassani stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bashar Essassani dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Essassani moves into range and clinches up with Grunterson.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Essassani in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Essassani as Grunterson tries to tie him up.
Essassani scores a nice knee to the body.
Essassani has Grunterson pressed against the cage.
Grunterson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Essassani misses with a knee to the head.
Essassani connects with a nasty looking knee right to Grunterson's face.
Grunterson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Essassani walks away with a smile on his face. Grunterson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grunterson throws a body punch but Essassani moves out of range.

Essassani moves into the clinch successfully.
Essassani missing with knees to the body.
Essassani has Grunterson pushed against the cage.
Grunterson wants to stall.
Essassani landing knees to the body.
Essassani trying to land knees to the body.
Grunterson avoids the elbow strike from Essassani, against the cage.
Grunterson is looking to control Essassani's arms but Essassani gets an underhook and turns him. Now Grunterson has his back to the cage.
Grunterson takes a knee right on the jaw!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Essassani taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Essassani lands a knee to the head.
Grunterson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Grunterson stalling in the clinch but Essassani improves position.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Matt Grunterson.
Grunterson looks to land a right hand but Essassani moved out of range.
Grunterson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grunterson throws a leg kick

and Essassani holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Essassani obliges.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Grunterson tries to pull guard but Essassani forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Essassani stops a takedown attempt from Grunterson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Grunterson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Essassani can't find room to land a body shot as Grunterson controls the action.
Essassani tries to land knees in the clinch but Grunterson avoids the damage to the body.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Essassani tries to work over Grunterson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Essassani tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Essassani putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grunterson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Essassani using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Grunterson is trying to break free.
Essassani lands a nice knee to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Essassani takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Essassani putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grunterson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Essassani utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Grunterson blocks the elbow strike.
Grunterson tries to stall but Essassani uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Grunterson tries to pull guard but Essassani holds him up against the cage and eventually Grunterson drops back down to his feet.
Essassani is stalling here.
Essassani unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Bashar Essassani seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Essassani throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Essassani connects with a nasty looking knee right to Grunterson's face.
Essassani is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bashar Essassani showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Essassani fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Grunterson, pushing him back against the cage.
Essassani has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Essassani fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Essassani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Grunterson blocks it with crossed arms.
Essassani throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Grunterson blocks it with crossed arms.
Grunterson dodges an elbow strike from Essassani.
Grunterson tries to stall but Essassani uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Essassani tries to land a knee to the head but Grunterson blocks with his arms.
A head punch on the inside from Essassani fails to land.
Essassani missing with knees to the body.
Essassani with a knee to the head.
Grunterson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Essassani unloads a knee to the mid-section. Grunterson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Grunterson taking a breather.
Maybe Grunterson would be better served going for some more strikes rather than trying to control so much.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Essassani's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Grunterson avoids a wild elbow strike from Essassani.
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Essassani.
Grunterson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Grunterson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The referee calls for Essassani to work.
Grunterson throws a punch but it's blocked by Essassani.
Essassani has Grunterson pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grunterson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Come on Essassani - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Essassani looking to throw knees to the head but Grunterson is blocking nicely.
Essassani throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Essassani obliges.
Essassani with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Essassani unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Grunterson taking a breather.
Essassani tries to throw a body punch but Grunterson avoids it by throwing Essassani back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Essassani throws a punch but it's blocked by Grunterson.
Essassani is pushing Grunterson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Essassani misses with some punches.
Essassani tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Essassani using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Essassani using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Essassani misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Essassani swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Essassani unloads a knee to the mid-section. Grunterson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Knees in the clinch landing for Essassani.
Matt Grunterson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Essassani misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Grunterson.
Essassani misses with a knee to the head.
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Essassani misses with the head strike.
Essassani putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grunterson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Essassani landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Essassani putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Grunterson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Essassani lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Essassani swings away with an uppercut that misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Bashar Essassani is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Grunterson struggles to land a body shot inside as Essassani controls his hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bashar Essassani comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Essassani 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight for Bashar Essassani!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Bashar Essassani!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Bashar Essassani!

Bashar Essassani wins by unanimous decision!
Post fight, Bashar Essassani stared into the camera and said 'Excitement is the physical translation of the vibrational resonance that is your true, core natural being. Follow your excitement!'.