PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Forrest Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Brandon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Griffin might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Forrest Griffin . Brandon has chosen Life Is Beautiful as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Junior Brandon has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Forrest Griffin's chin.

Griffin
vs
Brandon

191 cm
21
205 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

178 cm
28
215 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Forrest Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Junior Brandon!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brandon has his takedown stuffed
and Griffin counters with a straight right hand.
Brandon with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Brandon shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Griffin as he jumps to the side.
Brandon closes this distance looking for a takedown but Griffin circles away.
Forrest Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Brandon.
Griffin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Brandon's coach down at Diamond In The Rough Training Facility was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Brandon's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Brandon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Brandon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Brandon with a poor takedown
and Griffin counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Junior Brandon has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin throws a right hand that Brandon ducks under and follows up with a left that Brandon also avoids with ease.
Griffin lands with a good body shot.
Brandon shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Griffin is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Brandon checks a low kick from Griffin.
Junior Brandon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Brandon closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Brandon is working for a kimura but Griffin is defending it quite comfortably.
Brandon wants to get back to his feet.
Griffin is looking to escape.
Brandon is trying to control the action in half guard but Griffin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is trying to stand.

Brandon is looking for a kimura here.
Brandon stops Griffin from getting back to his feet.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Griffin is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Brandon scores with a couple of nice shots.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.
Brandon wants to take a breather but Griffin is having none of it.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.
Brandon wants to take a breather but Griffin is having none of it.
Griffin tries to kick Brandon off but Brandon keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Brandon decides to stand up.
Brandon looks for a takedown but Griffin sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Brandon fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Griffin, pushing him back against the cage.
Griffin is trying to pull guard but Brandon turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Griffin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Griffin tries to break free but Brandon pushes him back against the cage.
A short uppercut from Griffin.
Griffin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Brandon has him pressed against the cage.
Griffin tries to circle away but Brandon has him pinned against the cage.
Griffin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Griffin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Brandon tightens his grip and picks Griffin up, before dumping him to the ground. Griffin manages to land in guard.
Brandon stands and throws Griffin's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Brandon trying to control the position but Griffin is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffin is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Brandon has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Griffin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Brandon on the ground.
Griffin is not content to let Brandon control the position.
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!
Griffin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Brandon wants to control but Griffin is keeping him busy.
Griffin is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Brandon wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Griffin, who protects the arm well.
Griffin tries to escape but Brandon is in control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Forrest Griffin will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Junior Brandon'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.

Brandon fails to land the takedown.
Nice cross by Griffin.
Griffin with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Brandon dives in for a single leg takedown but Griffin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Griffin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Griffin breaks the clinch.
Brandon takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Griffin cracks a nice hook into Brandon's ribs.
Brandon fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Griffin avoids it really well and circles away.
Forrest Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Junior Brandon.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon throws a jab but it's blocked by Griffin.
Griffin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Brandon on the side of the head.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Griffin!
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!
Brandon fails to land the takedown.

Brandon closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Griffin quickly recovers to half guard.

Griffin is defending against the submission attempts here by Brandon.
Griffin is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Brandon is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Brandon stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Brandon fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Griffin gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Brandon to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Brandon trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Brandon defends it easily.
Brandon trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Griffin wants to stand and escape but Brandon is having none of it.
Brandon is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Brandon's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Brandon advances to half guard.

Brandon has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Griffin defend it? Brandon steps over the head and cranks it - Griffin is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Brandon!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Junior Brandon!
Junior Brandon took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Zombie Nutrition for their support in the buildup to the fight.