PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Stew Grif (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronaldo Elliente (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Grif
vs
Elliente

198 cm
21
181 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

182 cm
23
171 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Stew Grif!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldo Elliente!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Alexandre Firmino and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grif closes this distance looking for a takedown but Elliente circles away.
Elliente scores with a punch to the head.
Elliente lands with a shot to the body.
Elliente tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grif was well out of range. Poor timing from Elliente.
Elliente stuffs the takedown.
Elliente keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stew Grif. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grif uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Elliente.

Grif shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Grif being controlled here momentarily.

Elliente has his foot on Grif's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Grif works his way back into a safe position though.
Grif is fighting to break Elliente's control of his arms but Elliente is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grif would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Grif really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Elliente working a defensive guard here.
Grif trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Grif will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Elliente pulls Grif in close to prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ronaldo Elliente just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Elliente shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Grif working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Elliente has passed into half guard!
Grif is pressing down on Elliente's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Elliente controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Grif wants to sweep here but Elliente controlling him for the moment.

Grif has his foot on Elliente's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Elliente works his way back into a safe position though.
Elliente looking to pass the guard.
Elliente trying to control the position from guard on top but Grif is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Elliente showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Elliente passes Grif's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Grif tries to get to full guard but Elliente has control of the leg.
Elliente trying to control from half guard but Grif is working away.
Elliente looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Elliente trying to pass the guard but Grif defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Elliente sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Grif wants to improve his position but Elliente is controlling well.
Elliente controlling the action here.
Grif throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Elliente dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Elliente throws a good cross that connects.

Grif closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
You can see the frustration on Elliente's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Grif misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Grif throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Elliente works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Elliente gets full guard.
Elliente bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Grif's guard.

Elliente got a little sloppy there for a moment and Grif has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Elliente has managed to get both his arms back between Grif's legs - danger averted.
Grif keeping full guard, as Elliente tries to pass.
Elliente trying to control but Grif is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grif wants to stand up but Elliente is controlling him.
Elliente controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Elliente looking to pass the guard.
Elliente controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Elliente stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grif swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grif wants to get back to his feet but Elliente is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Grif working a defensive guard here.
Elliente sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Grif's guard.
Grif tries to get to full guard but Elliente has control of the leg.

Grif is defending against the submission attempts here by Elliente.
Elliente controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Elliente wants to work for an arm triangle but Grif is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Grif is refusing to be controlled, as Elliente sits in half guard.
Elliente might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Grif kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Elliente is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Elliente is working for a guillotine from mount but Grif frees his head quite easily.
Elliente is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Grif is looking to improve his position but Elliente isn't that keen on the idea.
Grif is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Elliente looking to control but Grif is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Grif is desperately trying to improve his position but Elliente has a good base and remains in mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Elliente has control of Grif's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Grif regains control of the situation pretty easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Elliente showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Grif's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Elliente misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Grif.
A looping hook to the body misses from Elliente. Grif does a little dance to reset his feet.
Elliente throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Elliente throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Grif shoots in and bounces Elliente off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Elliente wants to sweep but no luck.
Grif wants to stand but Elliente has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Grif wants to control from the top but Elliente keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grif throws and elbow that misses. Elliente uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Grif's guard. Nice move by Elliente!
Elliente trying to control but Grif is working from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Elliente thows a body shot but no joy.
Grif shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Elliente counters with a single leg into guard. Grif didn't expect that.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grif is trying to keep Elliente in close.
Elliente trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Elliente is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Grif wants to sweep here but Elliente controlling him for the moment.
Elliente trying to control but Grif is working from the bottom.
Grif wants to sweep but no luck.
Elliente forces his way into half guard.
Elliente trying to control from half guard but Grif is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Grif wants to clinch.
Elliente throws a hook but Grif avoids it easily.
Elliente swings for the body but Grif moves out of range.
Elliente throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grif keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Grif keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Elliente tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Grif was well out of range. Poor timing from Elliente.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Grif.
Elliente tries to buck Grif off but Grif is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Elliente takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Grif misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Elliente is trying to get back to half guard.
Grif lands a nice forearm strike.
Elliente struggling a bit here.
Grif misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Stew Grif has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ronaldo Elliente is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Grif tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Grif has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

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 Stew Grif.
Well Elliente has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronaldo Elliente!