PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Joe Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jules Neil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Griffin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is Fort Minor - Remember the name. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Griffin
vs
Neil

170 cm
22
171 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

178 cm
23
170 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joe Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jules Neil!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Matheus Silva and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neil tries to clinch but Griffin is having none of it.
Neil looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Griffin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Griffin gets a takedown into half guard.
Griffin prevents Neil from standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffin trying to control from half guard but Neil is working away.
Neil trying to control from the bottom.
Neil tries to kick Griffin off but Griffin keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Griffin is keen to just control but Neil is a slippery customer.

Griffin is working for a kimura but Neil is defending it quite comfortably.
Griffin prevents Neil from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Neil fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Griffin throws a shot to the body.
Griffin scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Neil moves in looking to clinch but Griffin pushes him off.
Griffin throws a good cross that connects.
Neil takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Griffin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Griffin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Neil to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good work by Neil as he checks the leg kick.
Neil tries to close the distance and clinch up but Griffin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Griffin connects with a good right hand that stumbles Neil. Neil circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

Griffin scores with a takedown into Neil's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Neil seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Griffin wants to control from the top but Neil keeps moving.
Griffin wants to pass the guard but Neil is keeping the position.
Griffin preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Griffin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Neil is pulling down on Griffin's head to control his posture.
Neil looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Griffin drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neil is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Griffin is controlling him.
Griffin has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Neil is proving hard to escape from.
Griffin stops Neil from standing up.

Griffin decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Neil, up you get!
Griffin keeps the fight on the outside.

Griffin tries to keep at a distance but Neil has taken the fight into the clinch.

Griffin manages to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Griffin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Neil tries to close the distance and clinch but Griffin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Griffin circles away from the clinch attempt.

Neil has Griffin up against the cage in a clinch.
Griffin avoiding damage as Neil throws knees to the body.
Griffin is trying to break free.
Griffin blocks an elbow strike from Neil.
Neil trying to land knees to the body.

Griffin jumps guard.

Griffin looking for a guillotine here but Neil defends easily.

Griffin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Neil doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Neil manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin 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.
Griffin seems keen to control Neil's posture.

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.
Griffin trying to keep a closed guard but Neil is proving a slippery customer.
Neil must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Neil wants to stand but Griffin has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Neil trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Neil trying to stand up but can't free himself from Griffin's guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Griffin gets the takedown into side control.
Neil sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neil wants to get back to his feet.
Griffin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Griffin is thwarting Neil's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Neil tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Griffin manages to move to mount!
Griffin scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Neil?
Neil's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Neil is desperately trying to improve his position but Griffin has a good base and remains in mount.
You get the feeling that Neil really doesn't like being in this position too much.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neil wants to hold on but Griffin pushes him away.
You get the feeling that Neil really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Griffin trying to control but Neil is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Griffin dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Griffin shoots in but Neil avoids the takedown attempt easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Neil looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Neil has closed the distance and engaged Griffin in a clinch.
Neil with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Griffin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Griffin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Neil pushes off an throws an elbow but Griffin leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Neil with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Griffin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Neil just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Griffin. 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.
Neil slows down the pace here.
Griffin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neil with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Neil has hold of one of Griffin's legs. Griffin is fighting the takedown attempt but Neil gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neil is looking to stand up but Griffin won't let him.

Neil decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Neil doesn't manage to clinch there - Griffin circles away.
Griffin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Danga de danga de dang - Griffin scores with a four punch combination!
A jab from Neil finds it's way through Griffin's defenses.
A shot to de liver by Griffin. Beautiful body shot.
Griffin keeps the fight on the outside.
Neil throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Neil takes a shot right to the bread basket.
A clash of legs there as Neil blocks the low kick.

Griffin gets the takedown into side control.
Neil wants to get back to his feet but Griffin is dominant here and he's now got Neil's back!
Neil wants to control but Griffin is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neil is trying to stand but he's just given Griffin his back.
Neil trying to get back to his feet but Griffin is in full control for now.
Neil trying to control the hands but Griffin won't let him.
Neil is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Griffin is staying active.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neil is in bad spot here.
Griffin not allowing Neil to control his hands.
Neil is trying to get back to his feet but Griffin has full control of the position and if anything, Neil has just worked his way into a worse spot.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neil looking very determined here, making life difficult for Griffin.
Griffin is not going to allow Neil to sit and survive in this position.

Griffin is cranking Neil's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Neil! He's tightened the choke and Neil is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Joe Griffin!