PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kieth Grimes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Pettis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony Pettis has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Kieth Grimes's chin.

Grimes
vs
Pettis

218 cm
21
151 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kieth Grimes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Pettis!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Franklyn Lucas and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Grimes tries to sprawl but Pettis drives through with a takedown into half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Grimes is looking to control Pettis's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Grimes avoid being mounted?
Pettis is trying to control. Grimes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Grimes moves into full guard.
Grimes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pettis is one step ahead there.
Grimes is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Pettis won't allow Grimes to get back to his feet.

Grimes manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Pettis stalling against the cage.
Grimes with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Grimes jumps guard and drags Pettis to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grimes pulls Pettis in close to his closed guard and prevents Pettis from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pettis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grimes is keeping the position for now.
Pettis wants to control from the top but Grimes keeps moving.
Pettis looking to pass the guard.
Pettis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Grimes seems keen to control Pettis's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Pettis shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pettis showed some decent athleticism there.
Pettis is looking to take a break and control but Grimes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pettis is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Grimes has managed to free his arm - good work.
Grimes makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Grimes.
Grimes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Grimes controlling the pace for now.

Grimes working for a guillotine from mount but Pettis is in no mood to give up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pettis really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grimes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Pettis wants to hold on but Grimes pushes him away.

Grimes with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Pettis tries to hold on but Grimes postures up.
Grimes wants to control the pace but Pettis is squirming around nicely.
Grimes content just to control the position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grimes working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Pettis swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pettis is working to get back to half guard.
Grimes working the ground and pound effectively.
Pettis tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Grimes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Grimes get's back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A combination from Pettis does no damage.
Grimes avoids the head kick by Pettis.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kieth Grimes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pettis tries to clinch up
and Grimes counters with a head kick.
Pettis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Grimes keeps the fight on the outside.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Grimes.
Pettis will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pettis wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pettis dives in for a single leg takedown but Grimes sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Grimes gets control of Pettis's arms and successfully pulls guard. Grimes will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Grimes trying to control the position.
Grimes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pettis!

Grimes is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pettis keeps control of Grimes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Grimes wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pettis tries for a takedown but Grimes manages to get underhooks.
Grimes tries for a takedown but Pettis manages to get underhooks.
Pettis wants to stall.
Grimes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Pettis.
Kieth Grimes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Pettis.
Pettis tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pettis is breathing heavily.
Grimes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Grimes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grimes tries to throw a body punch but Pettis avoids it by throwing Grimes back against the cage.
Pettis tries to pull guard but Grimes won't allow it.
Grimes looking to stall.
Grimes is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Grimes scores with a knee to the head.

Pettis breaks from the clinch.
Pettis shoots in but Grimes avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pettis tries to clinch up but Grimes circles away and keeps his distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pettis gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pettis keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Grimes's efforts to push away.
Grimes is pushing Pettis up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Pettis is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Grimes to keep the fight standing.
Pettis just leaning against Grimes, taking a breather.

Grimes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pettis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Grimes looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Anthony Pettis will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pettis will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Pettis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pettis tries a head kick but it misses.

Pettis rushes Grimes and presses him up against the cage.
Pettis has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Grimes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Pettis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pettis misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Pettis forces Grimes back against the cage and clinches.
Pettis is stalling here.
Pettis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Grimes has had enough of the clinch but Pettis keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pettis slows down the pace here.
Pettis is trying to pull guard but Grimes turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Kieth Grimes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Pettis.
Pettis keeps control of Grimes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Grimes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Grimes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pettis tries to close the distance and clinch up but Grimes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Grimes stuffs the takedown attempt from Pettis. Pettis gets slowly back to his feet.
Grimes fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pettis tries to clinch there but Grimes circles away.
Grimes tries to clinch but Pettis moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pettis. Grimes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pettis doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Grimes counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Grimes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Grimes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Grimes wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grimes is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pettis sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Grimes has closed the distance and engaged Pettis in a clinch.
Pettis looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Grimes jumps guard and drags Pettis to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Grimes pulls Pettis in to control the position.
Pettis throwing strikes from guard but Grimes blocks nicely.
Grimes looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Pettis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grimes is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Grimes holds on and takes a little breather.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kieth Grimes wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Grimes tries to clinch up.
Pettis closes the distance but Grimes moves to the side
and Grimes counters with a series of strikes. Pettis will be more careful next time no doubt.
Pettis tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pettis fails with the takedown.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Grimes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pettis sprawls well. Pettis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Grimes gets slowly back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Anthony Pettis.
I think Pettis 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Anthony Pettis!