PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mitchell Clothier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forrest Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Griffin has chosen Big Punisher- Beware as his entrance music. Mitchell Clothier has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Clothier
vs
Griffin

181 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mitchell Clothier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Forrest Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Clothier throws a series of punches but Griffin moves out of range.

Griffin has managed to clinch.

Clothier escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Clothier rushes Griffin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Griffin tries to throw a body punch but Clothier avoids it by throwing Griffin back against the cage.
Griffin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Clothier.
Griffin misses with a knee to the head.
Clothier wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Clothier is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Griffin can't fight it off and eventually Clothier manages to take the fight to the floor. Griffin looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Griffin wants to sweep but no luck.
Clothier stands up over Griffin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Clothier is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Griffin working a defensive guard here.
Clothier trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Clothier has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Griffin is on top in guard.
Griffin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Clothier swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Griffin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Griffin throwing strikes but missing.
Griffin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Clothier keeping full guard, as Griffin tries to pass.
Griffin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Clothier thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Griffin lands a nice hook to Clothier's body. Clothier takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Clothier throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Griffin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Clothier is fending him off so far but Griffin persists. Nope, Clothier circles away and we're back to standing.
Griffin closes the distance and clinches up with Clothier, looking for a takedown. Griffin pushes Clothier against the cage but Clothier circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Griffin looks gassed!
Griffin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Clothier fails with a takedown attempt.

Clothier gets the takedown into side control.
Clothier wants to stand but Griffin has his arm trapped.
Griffin is trying to improve his position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Griffin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Clothier jumps into side control!
Clothier in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Clothier tries to move into full mount but can't pass Griffin's legs.
Griffin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Griffin misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Griffin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Clothier tries to stand and escape but Griffin is controlling the position.
Griffin trying to control but Clothier postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Clothier looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Griffin is staying active underneath Clothier, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Griffin fails to land with a series of punches.

Clothier bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Griffin is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Clothier off and has taken his back!
Clothier wants to control his opponent's hands but Griffin gets his hands free.
Griffin cracks Clothier with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Clothier from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Clothier is trapped and Griffin is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Griffin gets his hands free as Clothier looks to control.
Griffin throwing damaging strikes from the back! Clothier could be in trouble here!
Clothier covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
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 Mitchell Clothier will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Griffin lands a lovely overhand right.
Clothier takes a swing at Griffin's ribcage but misses.
Griffin fails to land the takedown.
Griffin tries to clinch up but Clothier circles away and keeps his distance.
Griffin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Griffin doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Clothier counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Clothier with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Griffin tries to roll over but Clothier keeps him under control.
Clothier takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Griffin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Griffin regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clothier is stalling in the full guard.
Clothier wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.
Clothier looking to pass the guard.
Griffin has a closed guard, preventing Clothier from standing up.
Griffin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Clothier's guard.
Clothier seems keen to control Griffin's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Clothier tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Griffin postures up in Clothier's guard and throws a big left but Clothier blocks it.
Clothier on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Clothier tries to get out of the position.
Clothier trying to control the position here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Griffin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Clothier avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Griffin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Griffin tries to free his leg and advance position but Clothier is retaining full guard.

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

Clothier clinches up against the cage.

Clothier manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Griffin postures up in Clothier's guard and throws a big left but Clothier blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Clothier 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 with a nice head shot there.
Clothier keeping moving, preventing Griffin from controlling successfully.
Griffin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Clothier keeping full guard, as Griffin tries to pass.
Clothier manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Griffin manages to get himself to full guard.
Clothier postures up.
Griffin wants to sweep here but Clothier controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Clothier keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Griffin's head.
Clothier prevents Griffin from getting back to his feet.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Clothier from controlling successfully.
Clothier stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Griffin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Clothier is one step ahead there.
Clothier knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Griffin on the ground.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Griffin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitchell Clothier dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Clothier shoots in and bounces Griffin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Griffin wants to sweep but no luck.
Griffin trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Griffin trying to keep a closed guard but Clothier is proving a slippery customer.
Clothier stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Clothier throws a big right hand that misses.
Clothier lands a couple of elbows.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Clothier stopping the sweep attempt from Griffin.
Clothier controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Clothier closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Clothier lands in his opponent's guard.
Clothier stopping the sweep attempt from Griffin.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Clothier scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Clothier from controlling successfully.
Griffin wants to sweep but no luck.
Mitchell Clothier overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clothier advances position into side control!
Griffin is trying to get back to half guard.
Clothier happy to just control the position for now.
Griffin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Clothier in side control lands a decent elbow.
Griffin looking for a sweep but Clothier has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Clothier takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clothier prevents Griffin from getting the reversal.

Clothier looking for a guillotine from mount but Griffin is having none of it.
Clothier with the ground and pound from mount.
Griffin is looking to improve his position but Clothier isn't that keen on the idea.
Clothier landing strikes, looking to finish!
A nice elbow there by Clothier.
Griffin has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Griffin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Clothier lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Clothier lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Griffin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Clothier unloading with bombs!
Griffin is in all sorts of trouble here.
Griffin regains half guard.
Clothier not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clothier looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Griffin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Griffin tries to get to full guard but Clothier has control of the leg.
Forrest Griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mitchell Clothier is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Griffin actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitchell Clothier showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Clothier, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mitchell Clothier!