PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Griffiths (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Angel Toney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Toney has chosen Korn - Twisted Transistor as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Griffiths
vs
Toney

170 cm
27
175 lbs
25 - 8 - 1

185 cm
28
188 lbs
13 - 17 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Machiavelli Boutique
FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

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 25 - 8 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Stephen Griffiths!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 17 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Angel Toney!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Vladimir Khabensky and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffiths shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Toney napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Griffiths is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Toney is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Toney is trying to get back to half guard.
Toney is still trying to improve position.
Griffiths wants to lay and pray for a moment but Toney keeps working.

Griffiths tries for a kimura but Toney is defending well.
Toney tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Griffiths looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Toney is avoiding damage well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toney tries to improve position but can't.

Griffiths wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Toney, who protects the arm well.
Toney tries to bench press Griffiths off him but Griffiths keeps the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Griffiths tries for a kimura but Toney is defending well.
Griffiths is looking to take a break and control but Toney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Toney gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Griffiths prevents Toney from improving his position.
Toney is in trouble now - Griffiths has advanced to mount!
Griffiths lands a nice shot to the head.
Toney is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths wants to control the pace but Toney is squirming around nicely.
Toney sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Toney actively working from the bottom here.
Toney regains full guard. Nicely done.
Toney is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Griffiths looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Toney is looking for a kimura but Griffiths is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Toney to get the leverage.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Griffiths is looking for a sweep. Toney is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Griffiths trying to control here.
Toney throwing shots but Griffiths is blocking nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Toney is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths trying to control from the bottom.
Griffiths is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Toney is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Toney is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Griffiths sees it coming and defends easily.

Toney looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Toney wants to pass to mount but Griffiths is defending the position.
Griffiths is pressing down on Toney's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Griffiths seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

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.
Griffiths utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Griffiths has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Toney can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Toney drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Griffiths manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Toney has Griffiths in his guard.
Toney is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Griffiths looking for submissions off his back.

Toney is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Griffiths trying to control here.
Griffiths might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Griffiths slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
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 Stephen Griffiths will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Griffiths tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Toney throws a counter combo.
Griffiths fakes the leg kick and cracks Toney in the body.
Griffiths throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Toney's head.
Toney is looking to clinch but Griffiths is avoiding it.
Griffiths tries to counter with a takedown but Toney is quick to defend against it.
Griffiths goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Griffiths moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Toney is rocked!

Griffiths changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Toney looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Toney is still in real trouble! Can Griffiths finish him?
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Toney is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Toney seems to have recovered his senses.
Toney felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Griffiths connects with a nice short shot to Toney's temple.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Toney wants to get back to full guard but Griffiths has passed into side control.
Toney is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Toney is not content to let Griffiths control the position.
Toney is trying to get back to half guard.

Griffiths is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Toney is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Griffiths tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toney is looking for a sweep.
Griffiths is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Toney can do to turn this around?

Griffiths tries for a kimura but Toney is defending well.
Toney manages to work his way to half guard, despite Griffiths's best efforts.
Griffiths wants to control but Toney is keeping him busy.
Nice strikes from Griffiths there.
Toney is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Griffiths's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Griffiths's back!
Toney missing with punches from the back.

Toney is looking for the choke from the back position but Griffiths is controlling his hands well.

Toney working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Griffiths trying to control the hands but Toney won't let him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths manages to reverse the position and now he's in Toney's guard. Nice work there by Griffiths.
Griffiths works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Toney is looking to improve his position.
Stephen Griffiths overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Griffiths is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Toney regains full guard. Nicely done.
Griffiths stopping the sweep attempt from Toney.
Griffiths wants to control from the top but Toney keeps moving.
Toney bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Griffiths's guard.

Griffiths wants to sweep but no luck.

Griffiths looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toney connects with a couple of short punches.
Griffiths 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.
Toney throws a big right hand that misses.
Toney with a nice head shot there.

Griffiths looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Griffiths is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Toney is looking to work some ground and pound but Griffiths has wrist control.
Toney passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Toney is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Griffiths has escaped the position, nice work there.
Toney lands a nice forearm strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Griffiths dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Toney takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Griffiths's jab looks to have found its range, popping Toney under the eye.
Griffiths throws a series of punches but Toney moves out of range.
Griffiths avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Griffiths fires out a quick counter leg kick but Toney just manages to avoid it.
Griffiths misses with a double jab.
Toney misses with a body shot
and Griffiths counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffiths feints and as Toney raises his hands in defense, Griffiths changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Toney lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Griffiths had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Toney defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Griffiths is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Toney is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Toney is pressing down on Griffiths's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Griffiths stopping the sweep attempt from Toney.
Toney keeps trying to improve his position.
Griffiths passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Toney tries to bench press Griffiths off him but Griffiths keeps the position.
The referee asks Griffiths politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Griffiths prefers to stall for the moment though.
Toney tries to improve position but can't.
Check out the look on Griffiths's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Griffiths tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Griffiths has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Angel Toney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Toney is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Griffiths wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Toney, who protects the arm well.
Toney is not content to let Griffiths control the position.
Toney takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Griffiths looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Griffiths tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths is looking to take a break and control but Toney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Toney tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Griffiths wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Griffiths is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Toney is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Toney is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Griffiths's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Toney blocking the ground and pound attempt from Griffiths.
Griffiths content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Toney tries to get to full guard but Griffiths has control of the leg.

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.
Griffiths wants to take a breather but Toney is having none of it.
Griffiths controlling the action here.

Griffiths is looking for a kimura but Toney is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Griffiths to get the leverage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Toney slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Griffiths trying to control the position from guard on top but Toney is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Toney looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Griffiths passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stephen Griffiths showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Griffiths has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stephen Griffiths!
Stephen Griffiths seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.