PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Filipino Saint (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Grello (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Saint
vs
Grello

175 cm
26
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
25
142 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Filipino Saint!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Will Grello!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Roberts and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saint defending well as Grello loads up on a big left hand.
Jab from Grello.
Saint takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Grello is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Grello lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Grello throws out a loose jab but Saint uses good head movement to avoid it.
A jab from Saint finds it's way through Grello's defenses.
Will Grello seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grello loads up on a big right hand but Saint slips the punch.
Saint changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Grello misses with a shot to the body
and Saint counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Grello.
Grello fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Grello throws a jab when Saint was well out of range.
A shot to the liver by Grello. Beautiful body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice sprawl there from Grello as Saint shoots in.
Grello uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Saint.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grello throws out a powerful jab.
Saint throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Grello sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Grello fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Saint looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Grello throws a lazy right hand but Saint sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Grello catches Saint with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A slow jab from Grello misses its intended target.
Grello swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Saint cracks a nice hook into Grello's ribs.
Grello takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Saint displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Grello throws out the jab.
Grello misses with a straight right.
Grello scores with a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grello misses with a looping right.
Grello throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saint.
Grello pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Grello throws a left and a right that both miss
and Saint cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A chopping leg kick lands by Grello.
Grello fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Saint checks a leg kick nicely.
Grello throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Grello jabs Saint right on the nose. Saint blinks but takes it well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grello lands a jab to the nose.
Grello lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Saint is rocked!
Grello uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Saint.
Nice uppercut there from Grello.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grello scores with a nice strike.
Grello fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Grello lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Oh Saint is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
A jab from Grello finds it's way through Saint's defenses.
Grello cracks Saint with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Saint slips under a jab from Grello.
Grello looks to score with a jab to the body but Saint is just out of range.
Saint seems to have got his legs back now.
Saint on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Grello scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The fighters circle momentarily. Grello darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Grello lands a body shot.
Saint is breathing heavily.
Saint avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saint walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Saint displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Grello throws out the jab.
Grello throws a sloppy body shot
and Saint counters with a nice uppercut.
Saint takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Grello throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice shot lands for Grello.
Grello misses with a shot to the body
and Saint counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Grello lands a left and a right that send Saint crashing to the mat, dazed. Grello thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Grello lands a nice hook to Saint's body. Saint takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Grello throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saint uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Grello.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Grello dominated that round.
That's time! Saint's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Grello looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Grello fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Saint looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
A left and a right from Grello both land. Nice combination.
Saint misses the shot to the body.
Grello looks to land a left hand but Saint moved out of range nicely.
Grello lands an overhand right.
Saint moves forwards but Grello connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Saint thows a left - swing and a miss!
Saint lands with a nice combination. Grello backs away looking to recover.
Grello takes a swing at Saint's ribcage but misses.
Grello swinging wildly here.
Grello lands a nice hook to Saint's body. Saint takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saint throws a hook but Grello blocks it.
Grello is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saint.
Saint looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Grello scores with a shot to the body.
Grello lands a body shot.
Saint uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Grello.
Saint takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Saint tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Saint takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Grello lunges at Saint with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Saint's hand.
Grello lands with a straight right. Saint didn't see that one coming.
Grello throws out a loose jab but Saint uses good head movement to avoid it.
Grello lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grello throws a left and a right that both miss
and Saint counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A big left from Grello misses.
Grello throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Saint sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Grello jabs Saint right on the nose. Saint blinks but takes it well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grello connects with a body shot that sends Saint's belly button to the back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Grello. Saint does a little dance to reset his feet.
Grello lands a right hook to the body.
Saint walks into a left hand.
Grello is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Grello slips a straight right by Saint.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Grello, as that shot connected.
Saint keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Grello in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grello throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Grello feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Saints jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Nice uppercut there from Grello.
Grello lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Grello connects with a body shot.

Grello sends Saint crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Grello is motioning to the referee to let Saint up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Saint takes a swing at Grello's ribcage but misses.
Grello misses with a wild combination.
Saint takes a shot right to the bread basket.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Saint might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Saint takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Grello stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grello looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Grello lands a slapping body shot.
Grello lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A big right from Grello misses.
Saint misses with a looping left.
Grello throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Saint counters with a right hand to the body.
Grello misses the jab.
Saint takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Grello swinging wildly here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saint uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Grello.
Nice body punch from Grello.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Will Grello showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Grello lands a left and a right that send Saint crashing to the mat, dazed. Grello thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Saint moves away from the strike by Grello.
Grello throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saint.
Saint fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Grello checks it well.
Grello lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Grello tries to bum rush Saint with a series of wild strikes but Saint uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Grello takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Grello ducks under a wild hook from Saint.
A swing and a miss from Grello.
Grello fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Grello swinging wildly here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saint uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Grello.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grello is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Saint.
Will Grello seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Grello lands with a hook. Saint tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Grello throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Grello connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Saint momentarily.
Saint ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Grello moves away.
Grello punishes Saint's body with a nice straight punch.
A shot to the body from Grello misses
and Saint counters with a nice body shot.
Saint throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Grello misses with a shot to the body

and Saint counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Saint.
Grello looking for a sweep. Not yet Grello, not yet.
Grello is controlling Saint's posture.
Grello looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grello has a closed guard, preventing Saint from standing up.
Grello working a defensive guard here.
Will Grello is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Grello is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Will Grello hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Grello jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Grello throws a shot to the body.
Grello stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Grello throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saint.
Grello throws a right and a left that Saint avoids nicely.
Grello ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grello moves out of range as Saint strikes.
Grello connects with a solid leg kick.
Grello with a jab.
Grello lands with an overhand left.
Saint looks to land a right hand but Grello moved out of range.
Saint is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Grello.
Nice shot by Grello.
Grello feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Saints jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Grello lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Saint at a distance.
Grello keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Saint.
Saint misses with a straight left.
Grello scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saint dodges the punch combination from Grello.
Saint blocks a jab.
Grello dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Saint throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Saint steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Grello.
Decent striking displayed by Grello there.
Some wild striking there from Saint.
Grello misses with a body shot.
Saint moves into range and connects with a jab.
Filipino Saint has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A decent looking cross lands there for Grello.

And that's the end of the fight!
Will Grello comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Grello winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 26:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 26:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Will Grello!