PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Chris Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Ciz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Griffin
vs
Ciz

172 cm
27
149 lbs
13 - 14 - 0

170 cm
33
145 lbs
11 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, George Ciz!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Eddie Farnsworth and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ciz pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Griffin changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Griffin scores with a leg kick.
Ciz throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Ciz pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Ciz instigates a clinch.

Griffin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Griffin has closed the distance and engaged Ciz in a clinch.
Ciz blocks an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ciz pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Griffin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Griffin dives in and scores a takedown into Ciz's guard.
Griffin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ciz is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Griffin preventing the sweep.
Griffin engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Griffin slips nicely into half guard.
Ciz trying to control but Griffin postures up.
Ciz looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Griffin slows the pace down in half guard.
Griffin prevents Ciz from improving his position.
Griffin is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Ciz checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
And Ciz tries to counter it with a takedown but Griffin pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Ciz defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Griffin.
Ciz misses with a wild body shot.
Griffin changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Ciz fails to land the takedown.
Griffin darts in trying to clinch
letting Ciz counter with a right hand.
A head kick misses from Ciz.

Griffin pushes Ciz up against the cage in a clinch.

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

Ciz scores with a takedown into Griffin's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Griffin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Griffin is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Griffin continues to stall.
Griffin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Griffin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ciz.
Griffin working a defensive guard here.
Ciz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ciz preventing the sweep.
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 Chris Griffin will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Griffin throws a push kick but Ciz slaps the foot to one side.
Ciz lunges at Griffin with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Griffin's hand.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Griffin.
Griffin shoots in but Ciz avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Griffin misses with a takedown attempt
and Ciz counters with a one-two to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Griffin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffin leaves Ciz with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ciz displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Griffin.
Ciz moves in looking to clinch but Griffin pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin's corner calls for a 1-2. Griffin obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Ciz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Griffin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Griffin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Griffin is looking for a takedown.
Griffin has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Ciz after a bit of a struggle.
Griffin can't get the takedown.
Griffin prevents the takedown attempt.
Ciz is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Griffin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ciz jumps guard but Griffin turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Ciz blocks an uppercut.
Ciz avoids a wild elbow strike from Griffin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin stops a takedown attempt from Ciz.
Griffin looking for a takedown.
Griffin working hard to break the clinch.
Griffin is pressed up against the cage. Ciz 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.
Ciz stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Ciz wants it to stay on the feet.
Ciz with the counter takedown but Griffin avoids it easily.
Griffin with a poor takedown
and Ciz makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Ciz fails with the takedown.
Griffin goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Griffin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin tries to sprawl but Ciz drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Griffin wants to get back to full guard.
Griffin is in trouble now - Ciz has advanced to mount!

Ciz working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Ciz prevents Griffin from getting the reversal.
Ciz with a couple of short strikes.
Ciz lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Griffin hang on?
Griffin wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ciz.
Ciz landing strikes, looking to finish!
George Ciz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ciz trying to control but Griffin is having none of it.
Griffin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin wants to hold on but Ciz pushes him away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Griffin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Ciz controlling the pace for now.
Ciz has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Ciz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Griffin tries to hold on but Ciz postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ciz is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Griffin has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Griffin is squirming around, avoiding Ciz's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Ciz showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Griffin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ciz misses with a kick to the body

and Griffin counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ciz won't be happy with that.
Ciz bucks up and tries to throw Griffin off but instead Griffin has got his back!
Ciz tries to escape the position.
Griffin is trying to stick to Ciz's back but Ciz is turning into Griffin. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Griffin's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Ciz.
Griffin seems keen to control Ciz's posture.
Ciz wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.
Ciz preventing the sweep.
Ciz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Griffin wants to sweep here but Ciz controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ciz trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Ciz must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Ciz is stalling in the full guard.
Griffin has Ciz pulled in close to control his posture.
Griffin keeping full guard, as Ciz tries to pass.
Ciz wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.
Ciz stopping the sweep attempt from Griffin.
Ciz trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ciz distracts Griffin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ciz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ciz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Griffin keeping full guard, as Ciz tries to pass.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Griffin has a takedown stuffed.
George Ciz seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Griffin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Ciz's head.

Griffin gets a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin breaks from the clinch.
Ciz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Griffin manages to avoid it.
Ciz takes a swing at Griffin's ribcage but misses.
Griffin feinted with a counter takedown.

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.
Ciz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Griffin controls the pace.
Griffin is fighting to break Ciz's control of his arms but Ciz is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Griffin trying to control but Ciz is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Griffin shoots in looking for a takedown but Ciz manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Griffin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
A little jabbing left from Ciz on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Griffin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Griffin wants it to stay on the feet.
A swing and a miss from Griffin.

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 Chris Griffin.
I think Griffin 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:29
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30

The fight is ruled a draw!