PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Chris Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bordj Dela Paz (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.

Grant
vs
Dela Paz

200 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
20
290 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chris Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bordj Dela Paz!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Grant, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Dela Paz moves into the clinch.
Dela Paz tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Dela Paz has a couple of punches blocked by Grant.
Dela Paz keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Grant's efforts to push away.
Grant is working for takedown but Dela Paz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Grant tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Dela Paz smiles and moves away.
Grant tries to close the distance and clinch but Dela Paz swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Grant tries to clinch but Dela Paz moves out of range.

Grant gets caught flat footed, as Dela Paz shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Dela Paz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Grant has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Dela Paz has managed to get both his arms back between Grant's legs - danger averted.
Grant looking for a sweep. Not yet Grant, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dela Paz wants to control from the top but Grant keeps moving.
Dela Paz postures up in Grant's guard and throws a big left but Grant blocks it.
Dela Paz wants to control from the top but Grant keeps moving.
Dela Paz has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dela Paz works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Well, if Dela Paz is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Dela Paz postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Grant to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant with a poor takedown

and Dela Paz counters with a single leg into guard. Grant didn't expect that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chris Grant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grant trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Grant is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Dela Paz wants to get up but he can't break Grant's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Grant could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Dela Paz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Bordj Dela Paz.
Grant misses with a takedown

and Dela Paz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Grant is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dela Paz wants to free his trapped foot but Grant is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Dela Paz stalling.
Dela Paz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Grant trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dela Paz content to control rather than advance.

Bordj Dela Paz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
No luck for Grant with that takedown attempt.

Dela Paz changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Grant looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Grant on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Grant tries to get out of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dela Paz wants to control but Grant is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bordj Dela Paz dominated that round.
That's time! Grant's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Grant wants to clinch up but Dela Paz keeps it at a distance.
Dela Paz misses with a takedown
and Grant counters with a right hand to the body.
Dela Paz looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Grant is fending him off so far but Dela Paz persists. Nope, Grant circles away and we're back to standing.

Grant shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Dela Paz is trying to defend but Grant finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Dela Paz looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Grant is trying to control the action in half guard but Dela Paz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dela Paz is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant wants to stand up but Dela Paz has a hold of him and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dela Paz pushes Grant off looking to stand but Grant dives back in and keeps control.
Dela Paz is trying to control but can't.
Dela Paz tries to kick Grant off but Grant keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Chris Grant has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Grant clinches up with Dela Paz and pushes him back against the cage.

Dela Paz gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Grant regains guard.
Grant looking for a sweep. Not yet Grant, not yet.
Dela Paz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant looking to control.

Grant is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Grant tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Grant has a closed guard, preventing Dela Paz from standing up.
Dela Paz's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Bordj Dela Paz has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Grant feints and as Dela Paz raises his hands in defense, Grant changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Grant looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dela Paz looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Grant is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Dela Paz wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Grant trying to control the position from guard on top but Dela Paz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

We're going to have a standup here because Chris Grant wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Dela Paz tries a low kick but Grant avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grant tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Grant tries to clinch there but Dela Paz circles away.
Dela Paz throws a body kick that misses.

Grant gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Dela Paz to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Grant keeping moving, preventing Dela Paz from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dela Paz has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Grant is proving hard to escape from.

Grant is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Chris Grant will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Dela Paz closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Grant to the mat! Grant manages to get full guard.

Grant looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Grant keeping full guard, as Dela Paz tries to pass.
Dela Paz wants to control from the top but Grant keeps moving.
Dela Paz controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Bordj Dela Paz has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dela Paz throws and elbow that misses. Grant uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dela Paz's guard. Nice move by Grant!
Dela Paz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grant got a little sloppy there for a moment and Dela Paz has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Grant has managed to get both his arms back between Dela Paz's legs - danger averted.
Dela Paz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Dela Paz trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Grant wants to control from the top but Dela Paz keeps moving.
Dela Paz is trying to keep Grant in close.
Grant throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dela Paz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Dela Paz is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dela Paz manages to break the clinch.
Grant tries to clinch up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dela Paz.
Grant tries to clinch up.
Grant tries a head kick but it misses.
Grant is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Grant tries to close the distance and clinch up but Dela Paz swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Dela Paz shoots in looking for a takedown. Grant tries to sprawl out of it but Dela Paz keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Grant manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Grant changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Dela Paz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Grant slows the pace down.
Grant seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Dela Paz for as long as he can get away with.
Grant trying to control the position but Dela Paz is working away.
Dela Paz is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dela Paz defending against the ground and pound.
Grant wants to lay and pray for a moment but Dela Paz keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Chris Grant.
Grant is looking to clinch.

Grant shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Dela Paz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Dela Paz is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Grant's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Grant is trying to control the action in half guard but Dela Paz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Dela Paz makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Dela Paz.

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 Grant.
I think Grant 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Grant!