PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Patterson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Graham Grantham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Patterson comes to the ring accompanied by House of the rising sun. Grantham is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Patterson
vs
Grantham

190 cm
20
193 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

190 cm
21
195 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Stand Alone Fight Wear
Fighter suplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Patterson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Graham Grantham!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Ackerman and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Patterson tries to close the distance and clinch but Grantham swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Patterson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Grantham's guard.
Patterson wants to control from the top but Grantham keeps moving.
Patterson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grantham swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grantham is looking to stand up but Patterson isn't so interested in that idea.
Grantham looking for a sweep. Not yet Grantham, not yet.
Grantham is trying to control the position but Patterson postures up.
Patterson tries to free his leg and advance position but Grantham is retaining full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Grantham misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grantham ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Patterson wants to clinch up but Grantham keeps it at a distance.

Patterson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Grantham wants to control but Patterson postures up.
Grantham sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Grantham tries to get to full guard but Patterson has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patterson trying to control the pace.

Patterson looking for a submission but Grantham manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Patterson is breathing heavily.
Grantham looking for a sweep. Not yet Grantham, not yet.
Grantham is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Patterson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Patterson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Patterson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

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

Grantham rushes Patterson and presses him up against the ropes.

Patterson jumps guard and drags Grantham to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Patterson looking for a sweep. Not yet Patterson, not yet.
Patterson is working hard here to advance position.
Grantham trying to control but Patterson is working from the bottom.
Patterson wants to sweep but no luck.

Patterson working for a triangle but Grantham defends it easily.
Patterson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Patterson is on top in guard.

Patterson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Patterson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Patterson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Grantham dives on top into guard.
Patterson keeping full guard, as Grantham tries to pass.
Grantham not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Patterson keeping moving, preventing Grantham from controlling successfully.
Patterson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Grantham's guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Patterson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grantham swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Grantham wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grantham throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Grantham looking to control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Grantham is on top in guard.
Grantham cracks Patterson with a solid left hand.

Patterson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Grantham can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Grantham must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Patterson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Grantham passes into side control.
Patterson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Patterson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Grantham is controlling him well.
Grantham trying to control the position but Patterson is working away.
Patterson is looking to reverse the position.
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 Michael Patterson will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Grantham has taken the fight to the clinch.
Patterson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Grantham smiles and moves away.
Patterson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Grantham gets a takedown into half guard.
Patterson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Grantham pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Patterson is keeping the position for now.
Patterson keeping moving, preventing Grantham from controlling successfully.

Patterson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Grantham passes into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Patterson taking punishment in the form of punches.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Grantham working the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grantham is staying tight to Patterson's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Patterson takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Grantham decides to stand back up. Grantham steps back and let's Patterson get back to his feet.
Grantham swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Patterson.

Grantham drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Graham Grantham has got the better of the ground game so far.

Patterson throws his legs up looking for a submission but Grantham uses it to pass to side control.
Patterson is looking for a sweep.
Patterson can't do much from the bottom here.
Patterson is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Patterson is trying to improve his position.
Patterson looking for a sweep but Grantham has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Grantham looking to control but Patterson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patterson can't escape the position.
Grantham landing strikes from the mount and Patterson is in trouble!
Patterson tries to hold on but Grantham pushes him away.
Patterson is trying desperately to improve position.
Grantham controlling from mount.
Patterson tries to lock up and control but Grantham gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Grantham controlling the position easily from mount.
Patterson is trying to escape the mount.
Grantham fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Patterson is squirming around, avoiding Grantham's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patterson working to try and regain half guard.
Grantham with the ground and pound from mount.
Grantham prevents Patterson from getting the reversal.
Patterson tries to lock up and control but Grantham gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
You get the feeling that Patterson really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Patterson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Patterson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Patterson gets back to half guard.

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.
Grantham prevents Patterson from improving his position.

Patterson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Patterson wants to control but Grantham is keeping busy.
Patterson gets full guard.

Patterson had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Grantham is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Patterson Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Grantham's back instead.
Grantham looking very determined here, making life difficult for Patterson.
Grantham is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Patterson is looking to control Grantham but Grantham is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Patterson doesn't have the hooks in and Grantham manages to turn into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Graham Grantham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Grantham throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Patterson misses with a takedown
and Grantham counters with a body kick.
Grantham swinging wilding here.
Patterson fails with the takedown
and Grantham counters with a two punch combo.
Grantham looks to land a combination but Patterson avoids it well.
Patterson misses with a takedown
and Grantham counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Patterson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Grantham throws a head kick but Patterson moves out of range.
Grantham rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Patterson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Grantham fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Patterson.
Patterson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Grantham fails to land with a series of punches.
Grantham throws a good cross that connects.
Grantham takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Patterson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Grantham's guard.
Grantham keeping full guard, as Patterson tries to pass.
Patterson postures up.

Patterson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Patterson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Grantham is keeping the position for now.

Patterson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Grantham is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Patterson, into his guard.

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

Patterson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Patterson wants to control from the top but Grantham keeps moving.
Grantham wants to stand and escape but Patterson is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Patterson wants to control from the top but Grantham keeps moving.
Patterson passes Grantham's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Patterson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Grantham!
Grantham is working to get back to half guard.
Patterson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Grantham is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Patterson has taken his back.
Patterson has good solid back control here.
Grantham looking very determined here, making life difficult for Patterson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Patterson not allowing Grantham to control his hands.
Grantham prevents Patterson from getting a body triangle.
Grantham trying to control the hands but Patterson won't let him.
Grantham breaks Patterson's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Grantham scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Grantham postures up.
Grantham would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Patterson is looking for a triangle but Grantham pushes his legs off easily.
Grantham wants to control from the top but Patterson keeps moving.

Patterson has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Grantham is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Patterson.

That's four 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.
Patterson trying to remain calm as Grantham controls from the top position.
Patterson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Grantham wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Patterson regains half guard.
Grantham wants to stand up but Patterson is controlling the position.

Patterson actively working from the bottom here.
Patterson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Patterson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Patterson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Grantham looking to hit a scissor sweep but Patterson is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Michael Patterson.
I think Patterson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Graham Grantham!
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight for Graham Grantham!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Graham Grantham!

Graham Grantham wins by unanimous decision!