PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rome Sparco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Griffin
vs
Sparco

225 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

178 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rome Sparco!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparco circles away from the clinch attempt.
Horrible takedown by Sparco or perhaps it was just good defense by Griffin which made him look bad.
Sparco shoots for a double leg takedown but Griffin sprawls well. He's pushed Sparco's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Griffin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Griffin tries for a kimura but Sparco is defending well.
Griffin misses with the ground and pound.
Griffin throws a strike aimed at the side of Sparco's head but Sparco avoids it well.
Sparco is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Sparco wants to control but Griffin postures up.
Sparco manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Griffin looking for submissions off his back.
Griffin gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Griffin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Griffin throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Sparco lands a couple of digs.
Sparco looking to pass the guard.
Griffin striking off his back but it's not causing Sparco any problems.
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.
Sparco works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Griffin flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Griffin is breathing heavily.

That's two 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.
Sparco is looking to take a break and control but Griffin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Griffin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Sparco wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.

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

Sparco closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Griffin to the mat! Griffin manages to get full guard.

Griffin looking for a guillotine here but Sparco defends easily.
Sparco passes into half guard.
Sparco working the head and body with strikes.
Sparco is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is looking to improve his position.

Sparco seems to be looking for submissions.

Sparco moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Griffin.

Sparco thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Griffin misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Griffin throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Griffin throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Griffin wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.

Sparco stands up and beckons Griffin to his feet.
Griffin shoots in and drives through. Sparco sprawls well.
Sparco tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Griffin swivels and escapes.
Mike Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rome Sparco.
Sparco buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Griffin has a takedown stuffed.
Sparco shoots and misses

and Griffin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Sparco is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Griffin throwing strikes from guard but Sparco blocks nicely.

Sparco has his foot on Griffin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Griffin works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Sparco working for a triangle but Griffin defends it easily.
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 Mike Griffin will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Griffin fails with the takedown

and Sparco counters with a takedown into side control.
Griffin misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Griffin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Griffin misses with a strike from the bottom.

Sparco is trying to get an arm triangle but Griffin is defending well.

Sparco tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Sparco has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Griffin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sparco's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Griffin punching from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Griffin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin punching from the bottom.
Griffin is trying to get back to full guard.
Griffin wants to sweep but Sparco has passed to side control!
Griffin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Sparco is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Griffin has escaped the position, nice work there.
Sparco avoids the strikes from the bottom by Griffin.
Griffin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Sparco's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffin strikes from the bottom but Sparco passes into mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Griffin throwing hammer fists to the chest of Sparco. What's that going to do exactly?
Sparco lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Griffin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Griffin swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Griffin is squirming around, avoiding Sparco's attempts to control the action.
Sparco lands a nice shot to the head.
Griffin sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Sparco working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Griffin misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Griffin looking for submissions off his back.
Sparco working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparco lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Griffin wants to get back to full guard.
Griffin misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Sparco is looking to take a break and control but Griffin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sparco pushes Griffin up against the cage in a clinch.
Sparco looking for a takedown.
Griffin keeps control of Sparco as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nice elbow from Griffin.

Griffin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sparco tries to clinch but Griffin is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Griffin lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Griffin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Sparco wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Griffin has him pressed against the cage.

Griffin is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Sparco can't fight it off and eventually Griffin manages to take the fight to the floor. Sparco looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Sparco trying to keep a closed guard but Griffin is proving a slippery customer.

Sparco has his foot on Griffin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Griffin works his way back into a safe position though.
Griffin chips away with some ground and pound.
Sparco looking for a sweep. Not yet Sparco, not yet.
Sparco has momentary wrist control but Griffin slips an elbow through the middle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Griffin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Griffin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rome Sparco 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!

Sparco gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Griffin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sparco is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Griffin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Griffin not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Griffin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Sparco trying to control but Griffin postures up.
Griffin wants to pass to mount but Sparco is defending the position.

Sparco is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Griffin pulls his head out easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Griffin is looking for a kimura but Sparco is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Griffin to get the leverage.
Griffin lands strikes from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparco blocking the ground and pound attempt from Griffin.

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

and Griffin counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sparco escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Griffin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Griffin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Griffin is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Griffin has gone for a leg lock! Sparco slips out almost immediately though and dives into Griffin's guard.

Sparco avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sparco won't allow Griffin to sweep him here.

Griffin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sparco trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Griffin thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Griffin is looking for a triangle but Sparco pushes his legs off easily.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Sparco from controlling successfully.

Sparco avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice sprawl there from Griffin as Sparco shoots in.
Mike Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rome Sparco.
Sparco stuffs the takedown.
Sparco with a lazy takedown attempt

and Griffin counters with a shoot takedown. Sparco fights it but they end up in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sparco is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Griffin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Griffin's back!
I really don't envy Griffin right now.
Sparco lands a shot to the body.
Griffin turns into Sparco and is now in his guard.
Griffin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Sparco had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Griffin is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Sparco Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Griffin's back instead.
Sparco trying to control momentarily.
Sparco doesn't have the hooks in and Griffin manages to turn into his guard.
Griffin is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Griffin 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sparco utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Mike Griffin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Griffin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Griffinis looking to pass into half guard but Sparco pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Sparco is in guard.
Sparco keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Griffin's head.
Sparco slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Griffin tries to buck Sparco off but Sparco is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffin throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Griffin throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Sparco controls the position.
Griffin misses with an elbow from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Griffin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Griffin 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Griffin!