PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Aubrey Grant (ranked 1604 p4p, 2226 weight class) and Billy Irish (ranked 209 p4p, 276 weight class). Aubrey Grant has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Grant
vs
Irish

183 cm
24
155
6 - 6 - 0

169 cm
23
155
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Aubrey Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Billy Irish!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Glass and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grant with a hook.
Irish throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Irish throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Grant counters with a thumping low kick.
Irish swings for the body but Grant moves out of range.
Grant swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Irish throws a hook but Grant blocks it.
As Irish looks to move away, Grant throws a big counter combo but Irish just gets out of the way.
Irish throws a big shot that misses.
Grant throws a counter high kick but Irish was just alert enough to avoid it.
Irish takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Irish fails with the takedown.
Grant swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Grant wants to land a leg kick but Irish is out of range.
Irish tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Irish misses with a series of wild punches.
Grant fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irish throws a lazy uppercut
and Grant counters with a nice uppercut.
Irish works the jab nicely.
Grant has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Grant scores with a leg kick.
Grant will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Grant scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irish swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Irish throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Grant. That's going to slow Irish down.
Irish looks to throw the jab but Grant is out of range.

Grant takes the fight into the clinch.
Grant scores with a knee to the head.
Grant blocks an uppercut.
Irish lands a left hand.
Irish swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Irish can't find room to land a body shot as Grant controls the action.
Irish lands with a light punch inside.
Grant working aggressively here.
Grant makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Grant misses with some punches.
Irish tries to work over Grant's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Grant lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grant lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant unloads a knee to the mid-section. Irish lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Grant blocking some punches.
Grant with a knee to the head.
Grant lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Grant tries a knee to the head but Irish blocks it.
Grant looking to throw knees to the head but Irish is blocking nicely.
Irish holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Grant's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Irish takes a knee right on the jaw!

It looks like Billy Irish has been cut.
Still in the clinch, Irish scores with a nice short uppercut.
Irish controlling the action here for a moment.
Grant struggles to land a body shot inside as Irish controls his hands.
Grant lands a knee to the head.
Grant lands a right hand that snaps the head of Irish backwards.
A shot in the inside from Irish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irish jumps guard but Grant stands there with Irish around his waist. Irish gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Grant lands a shoulder strike.
Irish fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Grant.

Grant breaks from the clinch.
Irish fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Grant staying out of range there.
Grant steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Irish.
Grant throws a body shot but no joy.
Irish scores with a crisp jab that stopped Grant in his tracks.
Grant chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Grant waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Irish.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Irish! But no joy.
Irish misses with a body shot
and Grant counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Grant keeps Irish at a distance using the push kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Grant.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Irish misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Grant.
Grant scores with a leg kick.
Grant lands with a nice body punch.
Irish is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Irish lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Grant lands with a thumping leg kick.
Grant misses with a wild body shot.
Irish slips under a jab.
Irish swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Irish throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Grant on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Grant fakes the leg kick and cracks Irish in the body.
Grant slips a straight right by Irish.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Grant is looking to clinch but Irish is avoiding it.
Irish on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Irish takes a swing at Grant's ribcage but misses.
Grant throwing a counter right hand but Irish manages to avoid it.
Grant bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Aubrey Grant dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Billy Irish's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Irish throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Grant throws a low kick, looking for Irish's leg but Irish calmly moves out of range.

Irish closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Grant did well to prevent Irish getting side control.
Irish is keen to just control but Grant is a slippery customer.
Grant makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Grant.
Irish must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

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

Irish looking to control but Grant passes into half guard.
Grant will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Grant stalling.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant trying to mount his opponent but Irish defends it.
Irish is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Irish is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Irish trying to control but Grant postures up.

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.
Grant performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Grant wants to free his trapped foot but Irish is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Irish tries to roll over but Grant keeps him under control.
Irish is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Grant's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Grant's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Irish's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Grant trying to control but not successfully.
A lull in the action here.
Grant is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Irish can do to turn this around?

Irish is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Grant is defending well though. Irish let's go of the attempt for now.

Irish has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

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

Irish is persistently looking for the submission but Grant is defending it well.
Grant manages to reverse the position and now he's in Irish's guard. Nice work there by Grant.
Grant showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Grant got a little sloppy there for a moment and Irish has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Grant has managed to get both his arms back between Irish's legs - danger averted.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Billy Irish will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Billy Irish's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A shot to the liver by Irish. Beautiful body shot.
Grant with a nice cross.
Irish's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Irish gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Irish fails with a takedown attempt.
Grant steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Irish.
Irish shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Grant as he avoids it easily.

Irish decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Grant regains full guard. Nicely done.
Irish looking to sit in guard and control but Grant gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Grant sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Irish is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Grant defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irish looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grant is one step ahead there.

Grant avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Irish wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Grant is now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Grant looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Grant moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Irish.
Irish is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Grant is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Irish tries to lock up and control but Grant gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Grant prevents Irish from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Irish tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Grant controlling the position easily from mount.
Irish is wriggling around trying to escape.
Grant manages to capitalize on a mistake by Irish to take his back!
Aubrey Grant overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Irish trying to control but not successfully.
Grant controlling from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grant has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Irish trying to control the hands but Grant won't let him.
Grant biding his time, looking for the opening.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Aubrey Grant showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Grant 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aubrey Grant!