PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Subject Fourteen (ranked 4231 p4p, 5881 weight class) and Luke Griffin (ranked 395 p4p, 448 weight class). Fourteen comes to the cage accompanied by Nicky Jam & Post Malone Sunflower. The crowd seem to be enjoying Griffin's choice of entrance music: Lil Loaded - Gang Unit. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Fourteen
vs
Griffin

173 cm
20
155
2 - 3 - 0

178 cm
23
148
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Subject Fourteen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Luke Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fourteen ducks under a wild hook from Griffin.
Griffin shoots in for a takedown but Fourteen shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Fourteen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Griffin wants to counter the offense by Fourteen and move into the clinch position.
Griffin looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Griffin tries to close the distance and clinch but Fourteen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Griffin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fourteen tries to counter with a takedown but Griffin is quick to defend against it.
Griffin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Fourteen tries to counter with a takedown but Griffin is quick to defend against it.
Griffin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Fourteen counters by clinching up.

Fourteen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Griffin throws a right and a left that Fourteen avoids nicely.
Fourteen shoots in but Griffin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffin looks to land a combination but Fourteen avoids it well.
A big right from Griffin misses.
Fourteen half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Griffin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Fourteen is able to avoid easily.
Fourteen checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Horrible takedown attempt by Fourteen or perhaps it was just good defense by Griffin, which made it look bad.
Griffin wants to counter with a clinch but Fourteen pushes him away.
A head kick misses from Griffin.
Fourteen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Fourteen fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Subject Fourteen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffin tries to bum rush Fourteen with a series of wild strikes but Fourteen uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fourteen tries to counter with a takedown but Griffin is quick to defend against it.
Luke Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffin throws a right and a left that Fourteen avoids nicely.
Fourteen slips a straight right by Griffin.
Fourteen darts in looking for a takedown but Griffin gets double underhooks and turns Fourteen into the cage.
Griffin is trying to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fourteen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Griffin misses with a jab, cross combination.
No joy there for Griffin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fourteen swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Griffin tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Fourteen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Fourteen is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.
Fourteen slips a nice elbow through Griffin's hands, connecting with Griffin's forehead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fourteen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Griffin is trying to maintain the position but Fourteen is very close to passing his half guard.
Fourteen winds up and cracks Griffin with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffin is not content to let Fourteen control the position.
Fourteen is taking a breather. Griffin says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Fourteen slips a nice elbow through Griffin's hands, connecting with Griffin's forehead.

That's four 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.
Fourteen wants to pass to mount but Griffin is defending the position.
Fourteen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Griffin tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Fourteen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Griffin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Griffin trying to get back to full guard but Fourteen takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fourteen pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Subject Fourteen will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Griffin misses with a few strikes there.
No luck for Griffin with that takedown attempt.
Griffin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fourteen.
A punch combination from Griffin misses.
Fourteen shoots for a takedown but Griffin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Griffin looks to land a body kick but Fourteen moved away.
Griffin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Subject Fourteen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Fourteen sprawls well initially but Griffin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Fourteen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Fourteen.
Fourteen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin stopping the sweep attempt from Fourteen.
Fourteen seems keen to control Griffin's posture.
Griffin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Griffin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fourteen works some decent striking defense 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.
Griffin throws an elbow that misses. Fourteen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Griffin's guard. Nice move by Fourteen!

Fourteen is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Griffin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Griffin has escaped and now he's on top!

Griffin won't allow Fourteen to sweep him here.
Griffin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fourteen wants to stand but Griffin is controlling the position.
Griffin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Griffin being controlled here momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fourteen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Griffin.
Fourteen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Fourteen with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Griffin is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fourteen is aware though and is defending well.
Fourteen won't allow Griffin to get back to his feet.
Griffin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Fourteen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Fourteen engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fourteen trying to stand up but can't free himself from Griffin's guard.
Fourteen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Griffin's head.
Griffin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Fourteen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Fourteen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Luke Griffin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffin throws a series of punches but Fourteen avoids them all with ease.
Luke Griffin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Griffin fails with a takedown attempt.
Griffin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fourteen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Griffin tries to avoid it but Fourteen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Griffin to the ground. Griffin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Griffin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Fourteen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A punch combination from Griffin misses.
Fourteen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Griffin. That did some damage!
Fourteen keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffin misses with a series of wild punches.
Fourteen tries to counter with a takedown but Griffin is quick to defend against it.
Griffin lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Fourteen paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fourteen avoids a punch combination nicely.
Griffin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Griffin stuffs the takedown attempt from Fourteen. Fourteen gets slowly back to his feet.
Fourteen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Subject Fourteen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffin lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Griffin misses with a series of wild punches.
Griffin lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin throws a head kick that Fourteen semi-blocks.
Griffin swings for the body but Fourteen moves out of range.
Griffin misses with a series of wild punches.
Griffin is looking to score with low kicks.
Griffin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Griffin throws a head kick that half lands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fourteen looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Fourteen misses with a series of wild punches.
Griffin throws a right and a left that Fourteen avoids nicely.
Griffin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Fourteen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fourteen fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fourteen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Griffin defends it nicely.
Griffin misses with a few strikes there.
It looked like Fourteen was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Griffin throws a big shot that misses.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Griffin enables Fourteen to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Griffin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Griffin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Griffin trying to control the position.
Fourteen showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fourteen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Fourteen landing some decent shots from guard.

Griffin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fourteen stays in close to Griffin's body and controls the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Griffin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Griffin has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Luke Griffin!
A pretty intense looking Luke Griffin took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.