PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Caleb Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Nielsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Griffin
vs
Nielsen

205 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Caleb Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brian Nielsen!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Jorge Garcia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nielsen avoids the head kick by Griffin.
Nielsen throws a lazy head kick

and Griffin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Griffin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Griffin gets caught napping as Nielsen dives in and scores a takedown. Griffin manages to retain guard.
Nielsen is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Griffin throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Nielsen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Griffin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nielsen has managed to get both his arms back between Griffin's legs - danger averted.
Nielsen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Griffin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nielsen looking to sit in guard and control but Griffin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Griffin lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Griffin wants to stand and escape but instead Nielsen has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Griffin has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Nielsen is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Griffin.
Nielsen controlling the position.
Griffin tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Nielsen tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Griffin is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Nielsen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen working the body and head with strikes.
Nielsen with the ground and pound but Griffin regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Nielsen wants to take a breather but Griffin is having none of it.
Nielsen is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Nielsen with the ground and pound but Griffin uses the opportunity to regain guard.

Griffin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nielsen is aware though and is defending well.

Nielsen drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Griffin dives on top into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Griffin is looking to work some ground and pound but Nielsen has wrist control.
Griffin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Nielsen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Griffin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nielsen has momentary wrist control but Griffin slips an elbow through the middle.
Nielsen wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffin scoring with some ground and pound.
Griffin is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nielsen preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Griffin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Griffin throwing strikes from guard but Nielsen blocks nicely.
Griffin landing with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caleb Griffin dominated that round.
That's time! Griffin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Nielsen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Griffin counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Griffin.
Nielsen fails to pull guard.
Nielsen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Griffin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Caleb Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Nielsen.
Nielsen is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Griffin is defending well.
Nielsen changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Griffin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Brian Nielsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffin jabs Nielsen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nielsen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Griffin defends it nicely.
Nielsen is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen shoots and misses

and Griffin counters by clinching up.

Griffin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Griffin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nielsen dives in and grabs Griffin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Griffin pushes down on Nielsen's head and hops out.
Griffin looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Griffin stuffs the takedown.
Griffin attempts a counter takedown but Nielsen avoids it well and moves away.
Griffin misses with a double jab.
Nielsen is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Griffin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Nielsen can do to turn this around?
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Griffin!
Nielsen defending well as Griffin loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Griffin.
Nielsen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Nielsen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Griffin counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Nielsen!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Griffin working the ground and pound.
Griffin in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Griffin lands some shots froms side control.
Griffin working the ground and pound from side control.
Griffin works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Nielsen takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Griffin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Griffin lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Nielsen takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Nielsen taking punishment in the form of punches.
Griffin working the head with strikes.

Griffin stands up and beckons Nielsen to his feet.

Griffin moves into the clinch.

Griffin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nielsen misses with a low kick.
Griffin is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Nielsen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nielsen gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nielsen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Griffin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Griffin is pressed up against the cage. Nielsen has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Griffin down to the mat. Griffin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Caleb Griffin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Griffin tries to land a front kick but Nielsen steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Nielsen drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Griffin defends it well.
A punch combination from Griffin misses.
Nielsen misses with a takedown attempt - Griffin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Nielsen moves out of range.
Griffin sets himself, and Nielsen steps forward looking for the clinch! Griffin avoids it this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caleb Griffin dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Nielsen is looking to clinch but Griffin is avoiding it.
Nielsen blocks a jab.
Nielsen tries to clinch but Griffin moves out of range.
Griffin feinted with a counter takedown.
Nielsen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nielsen fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Griffin avoids it really well and circles away.
Nielsen takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Nielsen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Griffin but Griffin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Caleb Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brian Nielsen.
Nielsen misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nielsen throws a shot from downtown. Griffin moves away and avoids it.
Griffin tries a head kick but it misses.
Caleb Griffin is winning the standup battle so far.
Nielsen goes for a double leg but Griffin avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Griffin continues to drive forward.
Griffin tries a head kick but it misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Griffin. Those never looked like landing.
Nielsen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nielsen slips a jab and a cross from Griffin.
Nielsen moves in looking to clinch but Griffin pushes him off.
Griffin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Griffin throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Nielsen gets tackled into the cage by Griffin. Griffin maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin breaks from the clinch.
Griffin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Griffin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Griffin wants it to stay on the feet.
Nielsen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Griffin sprawls well. Griffin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Nielsen gets slowly back to his feet.

Griffin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nielsen tries to clinch up but Griffin circles away and keeps his distance.
Griffin seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Nielsen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nielsen moves in looking to clinch but Griffin pushes him off.
Nielsen shoots and misses

and Griffin counters by clinching up.
Nielsen tries to pull guard but Griffin won't allow it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffin throws a head punch that misses.
Brian Nielsen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Caleb Griffin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nielsen tries to stall but Griffin uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Caleb Griffin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Griffin has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Caleb Griffin!