PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Paddy Rat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Griffin acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Rat
vs
Griffin

225 cm
25
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
20
152 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paddy Rat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paul Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rat misses with a series of wild punches.
Rat looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rat throws a right and a left that Griffin avoids nicely.
Rat tries to clinch up but Griffin circles away and keeps his distance.
Rat moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Paul Griffin has been cut.
Rat scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Griffin is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rat lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Griffin letting Rat take a breather here.
Rat lands a shot to the body.
Griffin goes for a takedown attempt but Rat pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Rat gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Griffin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rat pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rat tries to sprawl but Griffin drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Griffin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Rat is looking to improve his position.

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

Griffin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rat is just riding it out for now. Griffin eventually gives up the hold.

Griffin is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Rat sees it coming and defends easily.

Griffin is looking for a kimura here.

Griffin is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Rat doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Griffin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Griffin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Rat is just riding it out for now. Griffin eventually gives up the hold.

Griffin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rat defends it well.
Griffin looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rat wants to get back to his feet.

Griffin is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Griffin is working for a kimura but Rat is defending it quite comfortably.
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 Paddy Rat will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Paul Griffin's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rat fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Rat tries to clinch but Griffin moves out of range.
Rat lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Griffin circles away quickly and effectively.
Rat wants to clinch.
Paddy Rat is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rat misses with a double jab.
No joy there for Rat, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffin shoots in but no luck this time.
Griffin swats away the attempt to clinch by Rat.
Some wild striking there from Rat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin fails with the takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Griffin.
Paddy Rat has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Griffin.
Rat misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A punch combination from Rat misses.

Rat takes the fight into the clinch.
Rat wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rat prevents a takedown attempt there.
Griffin is breathing heavily.
Rat prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rat lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rat with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rat digs a right hand underneath Griffin's ribcage. Griffin let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rat works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Rat lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Griffin backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rat lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Griffin backwards.
Griffin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rat stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Rat lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Griffin.

Rat escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rat throws a series of strikes that have Griffin backpedaling.
Griffin moves out of range as Rat throws a body kick.
Rat stalks Griffin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Griffin's face. Griffin staggers backwards, shaken.

Griffin is rocked!
Rat is looking to clinch.

Rat rushes Griffin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Griffin tries to score a body lock takedown but Rat shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rat lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Griffin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rat walks away with a smile on his face. Griffin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rat looks to land a combination but Griffin avoids it well.

Rat has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rat lands a hook that snaps the head of Griffin backwards.
Griffin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Rat smiles and moves away.
Rat works over Griffin's head and body with a nice combination.
Griffin is still on wobbly legs! Can Rat finish him?
Rat throws a right hand that Griffin ducks under and follows up with a left that Griffin also avoids with ease.
Griffin seems to have recovered his senses.
Griffin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rat scores with a one two! Griffin had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Rat throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Griffin.
Danga de danga de dang - Rat scores with a four punch combination!
Rat tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Griffin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Griffin drives through with a takedown into guard.

Griffin drops back looking for a leg! Rat is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rat manages to kick Griffin off! Griffin jumps back into Rat's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Griffin drops back looking for a leg! Rat is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Rat manages to kick Griffin off! Griffin jumps back into Rat's guard.
Griffin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rat utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paddy Rat dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Paul Griffin's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rat swinging wildly here.
Rat slaps away a takedown attempt from Griffin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Rat is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Paddy Rat seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffin keeps the fight on the outside.
Griffin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Rat lands an overhand right.
Rat tries to close the distance and clinch but Griffin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rat tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Griffin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Rat lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Rat keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Rat tries to clinch but Griffin is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rat tries to clinch there but Griffin circles away.
Rat moves in looking to clinch but Griffin pushes him off.
Rat really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rat throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Griffin.
Rat throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rat tries to clinch there but Griffin circles away.
Griffin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Paddy Rat has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Griffin.
No joy there for Rat, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A punch combination from Rat misses.
Griffin shoots in looking for a takedown. Rat tries to sprawl out of it but Griffin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rat manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Rat wants to clinch up but Griffin keeps it at a distance.

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.
Some wild striking there from Rat.

Rat gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Rat taking a breather.
Rat lands a shoulder strike.
Griffin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rat.
A head punch on the inside from Griffin fails to land.
Rat lands a nice uppercut.
Griffin being controlled against the cage.
Rat pushes Griffin back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rat lands with a short shot to the head.
Griffin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Griffin prevents Rat from breaking the clinch.
A shot in the inside from Rat.
Griffin tries to circle away but Rat has him pinned against the cage.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rat lands a two punch combo.
Rat's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Rat duly obliges.
Rat tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Griffin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Paddy Rat is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rat moves into the clinch successfully.
Nice body punch from Rat - that landed with a thud.
Rat prevents the takedown attempt.
Rat lands a left hand that snaps the head of Griffin backwards.
Rat lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Griffin backwards.
Still in the clinch, Rat scores with a nice short uppercut.
Griffin can't find room to land a body shot as Rat controls the action.
A nice left hand lands by Rat.
Griffin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rat lands a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rat lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rat lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Griffin tries to score a body lock takedown but Rat shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Rat is trying to break free.
Rat wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Griffin has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rat is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Rat's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rat clinches.
Rat lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Griffin wants a takedown but no success here.
Griffin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Rat cracks Griffin with a nice body shot.
Paul Griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Griffin looks to throw an elbow but misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paddy Rat showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Rat, 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paddy Rat!