PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jack Ross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forest Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Griffin is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by The Ultimate Fighter. Jack Ross has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ross
vs
Griffin

182 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

191 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jack Ross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Forest Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffin scores a takedown into full mount!
Griffin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Griffin looking to control but Ross is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Griffin is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Ross can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

Griffin gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Ross is breathing heavily.
Ross swats away the attempt to clinch by Griffin.
Griffin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Griffin closes the distance and clinches up with Ross, looking for a takedown. Griffin pushes Ross against the cage but Ross circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Griffin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin tries for a takedown but Ross sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Jack Ross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forest Griffin.
Griffin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Griffin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Ross's waist but Ross gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Griffin off to one side.

Griffin feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Griffin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Griffin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Griffin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffin trying to control but Ross is working from the bottom.
Griffin wants to stand but Ross has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ross tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Ross keeping moving, preventing Griffin from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Griffin scores with a takedown into Ross's guard.
Griffin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ross wants to sweep here but Griffin controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin trying to control the position from guard on top but Ross is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Griffin is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Griffin postures up in Ross's guard and throws a big left but Ross blocks it.

Ross had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Griffin is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Ross Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Griffin's back instead.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ross is trying to stick to Griffin's back but Griffin is turning into Ross. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Ross's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Griffin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Griffin passes Ross's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Ross is trying to control but can't.
Ross tries to roll over but Griffin keeps him under control.
Griffin trying to control from half guard but Ross is working away.
Ross is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Forest Griffin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Griffin shoots in and drives through. Ross sprawls well.
Griffin changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Ross tries to avoid it but Griffin manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Ross to the ground. Ross escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Griffin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ross swats away the attempt to clinch by Griffin.
Griffin looks for a takedown but Ross sprawls well.
Jack Ross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forest Griffin.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ross stuffs the takedown.
Griffin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Ross swivels and escapes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Griffin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Ross circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ross drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Ross stalls from top position.
Griffin is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Griffin is looking to control Ross's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Griffin avoid being mounted?

Ross is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Griffin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ross is working away from the top position though.
Griffin is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Ross is staying active.
Ross wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.
Griffin wants to control but Ross is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ross is looking to stall here but Griffin recovers full guard.
Griffin is trying to control the position but Ross postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Griffin shoots and misses

and Ross counters by clinching up.
Griffin manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Ross breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Griffin rushes Ross and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Griffin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Ross has him pressed against the cage.

Griffin decides to pull guard.
Griffin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ross avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Griffin.
Ross trying to control but Griffin postures up.
Ross tries to roll over but Griffin keeps him under control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ground and pound from Griffin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Ross dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Griffin.
Ross takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Nice takedown defense from Ross. No joy for Griffin on that attempt.
Griffin misses with a takedown attempt - Ross sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jack Ross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forest Griffin.
Ross lands a body shot.

Ross looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Griffin!
Griffin is working to get back to half guard.

Ross swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Griffin is now in Ross's guard. A big mistake from Ross there, giving up the dominant position!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ross scrambles and gets back to his feet.
A chopping leg kick lands by Griffin.
Griffin lets loose with a powerful body kick. Ross will feel that in the morning.
Griffin tries to clinch there but Ross circles away.
Griffin thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ross if he has to take too many more of those.
Ross is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffin gets a takedown into half guard.
Ross is refusing to be controlled, as Griffin sits in half guard.
Ross wants to improve his position but Griffin is controlling well.

Griffin decides to return to a standing position.
Ross tries for a takedown but Griffin circles away easily

and Griffin counters with a takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Griffin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Griffin wants to control but Ross is keeping him busy.

Griffin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Ross to his feet.
Griffin misses with a takedown

and Ross counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Ross decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Griffin gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Ross counters with a single leg into guard. Griffin didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ross won't allow Griffin to sweep him here.
Ross trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.

Ross avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Forest Griffin has got the better of the ground game so far.

Griffin looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Ross passes into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
You can see the frustration on Griffin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

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 Jack Ross.
I think Ross has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jack Ross!