PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rickson Ottesen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Griffin
vs
Ottesen

178 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

185 cm
23
212 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Syndicate Drugs

Mundi Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Thiago Griffin !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rickson Ottesen!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Yves DeLean and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ottesen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ottesen shoots in but no luck this time.
A nice combination there by Griffin .

It looks like Rickson Ottesen has been cut.
Ottesen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ottesen shoots for a double leg takedown but Griffin sprawls well. He's pushed Ottesen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Thiago Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rickson Ottesen.
Ottesen shoots for a takedown but Griffin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ottesen keeps the fight on the outside.
Ottesen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Ottesen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Griffin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Ottesen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ottesen is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin is trying to ground and pound but Ottesen uses the momentary lack of control by Griffin to regain half guard.
Ottesen wants to control but Griffin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Griffin is looking to take a break and control but Ottesen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Griffin tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Ottesen.
Ottesen is looking for a sweep. Griffin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

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

Ottesen gets the takedown into side control.
Ottesen looks gassed!
Ottesen trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.

Ottesen is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Griffin knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin sneaks back into half guard.
Ottesen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Ottesen passes to full mount!
Griffin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ottesen on the ground.
Ottesen sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Griffin tries to reverse the position but Ottesen maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ottesen lands a heavy elbow.
Ottesen tries to control but Griffin wriggling away.
Griffin is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Griffin is squirming around, avoiding Ottesen's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ottesen is going olschool here, as he tries to force Griffin to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Griffin shrugs it off.

Ottesen wants to finish this one by submission but Griffin is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Ottesen.
Ottesen prevents Griffin from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ottesen lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Ottesen with the ground and pound from mount.

Ottesen working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Ottesen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Ottesen has control of Griffin 's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Griffin regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Ottesen breaks from Griffin 's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rickson Ottesen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rickson Ottesen's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ottesen misses with a takedown attempt
and Griffin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Ottesen tries for a takedown but Griffin circles away easily

and Griffin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ottesen is trying to maintain the position but Griffin is very close to passing his half guard.
Griffin throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Griffin sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Griffin trying to control from half guard but Ottesen is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ottesen gets full guard.
Ottesen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Griffin manages to get himself to full guard.
Ottesen is stalling in the full guard.
Griffin on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Griffin tries to get out of the position.
Ottesen tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.
Ottesen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Ottesen from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Ottesen controlling from the top position.

Ottesen avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Ottesen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ottesen has his takedown stuffed

and Griffin counters with a shoot takedown. Ottesen fights it but they end up in guard.
Thiago Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rickson Ottesen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin tries to stand but Ottesen is controlling from the bottom.
Griffin trying to control but Ottesen is working from the bottom.

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

Ottesen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Ottesen wants to stand but Griffin is controlling the position.
Griffin wants to control from the top but Ottesen keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ottesen trying to keep a closed guard but Griffin is proving a slippery customer.

Ottesen looking for a guillotine here but Griffin defends easily.

Ottesen looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Griffin passes into side control.
Ottesen is trying to get back to half guard.
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 Thiago Griffin will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rickson Ottesen's cut.
That's time! Griffin 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Ottesen shoots in for a double leg but Griffin sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ottesen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Griffin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Griffin won't allow Ottesen to sweep him here.
Griffin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Ottesen working for a triangle but Griffin defends it easily.
Griffin stopping the sweep attempt from Ottesen.
Griffin trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ottesen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Griffin manages to get himself to full guard.

Ottesen is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Ottesen from controlling successfully.
Griffin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Ottesen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Ottesen throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Griffin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ottesen working some strikes from top position.
Griffin thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Ottesen cracks Griffin with a solid left hand.
Griffin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Griffin is trying to hold Ottesen in close to prevent damage but Ottesen has managed to pass into half guard.
Ottesen wants to take a breather but Griffin is having none of it.

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

Ottesen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Rickson Ottesen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ottesen trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is trying to improve his position.
Griffin is pushing Ottesen's head away, looking to escape. Ottesen manages to hold on to the position though.
Ottesen scores with punches from side control.

Ottesen looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Griffin managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Ottesen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ottesen trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Griffin dodges the ground and pound from Ottesen.
Griffin is looking to regain half guard here but Ottesen keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Griffin 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Ottesen tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Ottesen misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rickson Ottesen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ottesen 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rickson Ottesen!