PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Serra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and fred griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Serra
vs
griffin

185 cm
22
176 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

185 cm
23
170 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt Serra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, fred griffin!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Andrew Berry and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Serra throws a series of punches but griffin avoids them all with ease.
Serra fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
griffin dodges the punch combination from Serra.
griffin throws a right and a left that both miss.
griffin walks into a stiff left hand from Serra.

It looks like fred griffin has been cut.
Serra slips a jab and a cross from griffin.
griffin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Serra looks to land a combination but griffin avoids it well.
griffin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Serra has a takedown stuffed.
griffin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Serra paws at him with a jab and circles away.
griffin fails to land with a series of punches.
griffin moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
griffin fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Serra on the side of the head.
Serra throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
griffin ducks under a wild hook from Serra.
griffin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Serra keeps the fight on the outside.
Serra slips a jab and a cross from griffin.

griffin has closed the distance and engaged Serra in a clinch.
griffin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Serra has him pressed against the cage.

Serra breaks the clinch.
griffin scores with a shot to the body.
Serra misses with an uppercut. griffin saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Serra on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Serra scores with a takedown into griffin's guard.
Serra is breathing heavily.
Serra wanted to stand there but griffin had control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
griffin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Serra is controlling him.

griffin pushes Serra off and gets back to his feet.
griffin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Serra throws out the jab.

griffin takes the fight into the clinch.
griffin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Serra breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
griffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Serra circles away.
griffin moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Serra scores with a takedown into griffin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

griffin kicks Serra off and gets to his feet.
Serra misses with a double jab.
Serra avoids a punch combination nicely.
Serra throws a jab but it's blocked by griffin.
griffin throws a combination. Serra tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
griffin throws a nice looking combination but Serra bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
fred griffin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Serra keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from griffin.
Serra fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but griffin avoids it really well and circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Serra. That's going to take a lot out of him.
griffin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Serra moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Serra closes the distance and clinches up with griffin, looking for a takedown. Serra pushes griffin against the cage but griffin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
griffin scores with a three punch combo!
Serra showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from griffin.
griffin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Serra avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by griffin.
Serra fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
griffin with a hook.
griffin misses with a wild body shot.
griffin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Serra.
griffin wants to clinch up but Serra keeps it at a distance.
A combination from griffin does no damage.
Serra fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A left lands for griffin.
griffin tries to clinch but Serra is having none of it.
Serra shoots in for a takedown but griffin shows good takedown defense.
griffin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Serra.
Serra walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
griffin looks to land a combination. Serra sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
griffin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Serra swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Serra feints and as griffin raises his hands in defense, Serra changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Serra would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Serra prevents griffin from getting back to his feet.

griffin wriggles free and stands up.
griffin misses with a few strikes there.

Serra feints and as griffin raises his hands in defense, Serra changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

griffin kicks Serra off and gets to his feet.
griffin is looking to clinch but Serra is avoiding it.
Serra misses with a wild combination.
griffin tries to clinch up but Serra circles away and keeps his distance.
griffin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Serra swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Serra looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Serra prevents griffin from standing back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Serra is pressing down on griffin's thigh, looking to free his foot. griffin is holding on for now.
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 Matt Serra will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on fred griffin's cut.
That's time! Serra's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Serra walks into a straight right hand from griffin.

Serra 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.

Serra stands up from guard. Let's bang!
griffin dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Serra showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from griffin.
Serra walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
A decent looking cross lands there for Serra.
griffin throws a nice looking combination but Serra bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A nice combination there by Serra.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts griffin, as that shot connected.

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

griffin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Serra fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Good shot there by griffin.
A punch combination from griffin misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
griffin thows a body shot but no joy.
Serra throws a lazy right hand but griffin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A jab from griffin finds it's way through Serra's defenses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from griffin.
griffin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
griffin tries to clinch up.

griffin clinches.
griffin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Serra has him pressed against the cage.
griffin is looking to break free of the clinch but Serra has double underhooks.
griffin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Serra has griffin pressed against the cage, preventing griffin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
griffin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
griffin can't break the clinch.
griffin tries to pull guard but Serra won't allow it.
griffin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Serra breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Serra shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says griffin as he avoids it easily.
Serra looks for a takedown but griffin sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Serra. That's going to take a lot out of him.
griffin connects with a good right hand that stumbles Serra. Serra circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Serra slips a jab and a cross from griffin.
griffin moves in looking to clinch but Serra pushes him off.
Serra tests griffin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
griffin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Serra defending well as griffin loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serra misses with a takedown attempt - griffin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
griffin lands a really nice looking cross but Serra seems unphased.
Serra looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
A punch combination from Serra misses.
griffin throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Serra jabbing away but nothing is landing.
griffin wants to clinch up but Serra keeps it at a distance.
Serra's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Serra duly obliges.
griffin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
griffin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Serra.
griffin scores with a hook to the body. Serra takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
A punch combination from griffin misses.
Serra looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
griffin displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
griffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Serra circles away.

griffin pushes Serra up against the cage in a clinch.
griffin tries to circle away but Serra has him pinned against the cage.

Serra pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
griffin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
griffin scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
griffin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Serra is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
griffin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nice uppercut lands for griffin. That snapped Serra's head back.
Serra's corner calls for a 1-2. Serra obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
griffin misses with a double jab.
griffin staying out of range there.
Serra misses the shot to the body.
Serra circles away from the clinch attempt.
griffin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and griffin wants it to stay on the feet.

griffin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if griffin can do anything to dispel that myth.

griffin has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Serra off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Serra is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
griffin with a jab.
Serra shoots in looking for a takedown. griffin tries to sprawl out of it but Serra keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. griffin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
griffin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
griffin looks to land a combination but Serra avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Serra misses with a two punch combination.
griffin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
No joy there for Serra, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Serra drives through with a takedown into guard.

griffin has his feet on Serra's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
griffin moves out of range of the strikes.
griffin lands with a good body shot.
griffin stuns Serra with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
griffin tries to clinch but Serra moves out of range.
griffin rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Serra moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Serra bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
griffin pushes Serra away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Serra gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Check out the look on Serra's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
griffin regains half guard, as Serra was trying to land strikes.
griffin tries to kick Serra off but Serra keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Serra dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on fred griffin's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

griffin tries to clinch but Serra moves out of range.
griffin throws a right hand that Serra ducks under and follows up with a left that Serra also avoids with ease.
griffin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Serra.
Jab from griffin.
Serra looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
griffin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Serra avoids a punch combination nicely.
griffin misses with a double jab.

Serra gets the takedown into side control.
griffin is trying to get back to his feet.
griffin trying to control but Serra flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Serra looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
griffin has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Serra is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften griffin up.
Serra is striking from the back but griffin escapes and manages to recover to half guard.

griffin makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Serra misses with a looping left.
Serra walks into a jab.
griffin scores with a three punch combo!
griffin leaves Serra with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Serra thuds a left hand into griffin's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Serra swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Some wild striking there from griffin.
griffin moves out of range of the strikes.
Serra looks to land a combination. griffin sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Serra throws an overhand right that lands on griffin's shoulder, as griffin tries to avoid the shot.
griffin lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
griffin lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Serra circles away quickly and effectively.
Nice uppercut there from griffin.
griffin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Serra jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
griffin throws a series of punches but Serra avoids them all with ease.
griffin lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Serra at a distance.
No joy there for Serra, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
griffin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
griffin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
griffin lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Serra takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
griffin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Serra.

Serra closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. griffin did well to prevent Serra getting side control.
Serra lands strikes from half guard.
Matt Serra overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

griffin manages to escape and get back to his feet!
griffin scores with a nice strike.
Some wild striking there from griffin.
griffin walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Serra misses with an uppercut. griffin saw that one coming.
griffin scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
griffin misses with a body kick.
fred griffin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Serra throws a right and a left that griffin avoids nicely.

griffin clinches up against the cage.
griffin wants to get back to striking at distance but Serra won't allow it.

Serra escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Danga de danga de dang - griffin scores with a four punch combination!
fred griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
griffin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Serra shoots in but griffin avoids the takedown attempt easily.
griffin lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Matt Serra is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Serra walks into a stiff left hand from griffin.
griffin looks to land a combination but Serra avoids it well.
griffin cracks Serra with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Serra throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around griffin's waist but griffin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Serra off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Serra. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
griffin clobbers Serra with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
griffin slips under a jab.
A combination from griffin does no damage.

Serra scores a takedown into full mount!
griffin wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Serra landing strikes, looking to finish!
griffin is trying to stand up.
Serra working the ground and pound effectively.
griffin flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Serra showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Serra, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Serra!