PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gary Grice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daavid Haapalainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Daavid Haapalainen enters the cage!

Grice
vs
Haapalainen

172 cm
20
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
26
155 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Gary Grice!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Daavid Haapalainen!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grice scores with a crisp jab that stopped Haapalainen in his tracks.
Grice throws a shot to the body.
Haapalainen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Haapalainen fails to land with a series of punches.
Grice ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Haapalainen moves away.
Grice thows a body shot but no joy.
Grice throws a hook but Haapalainen blocks it.

Grice feints and as Haapalainen raises his hands in defense, Grice changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Grice trying to control the position from guard on top but Haapalainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Grice forces his way into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Grice in particular looking to stall.

Haapalainen is defending against the submission attempts here by Grice.
Haapalainen is trying to stand back up but Grice is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grice throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Haapalainen looking for submissions off his back.

Haapalainen actively working from the bottom here.
Haapalainen tries to kick Grice off but Grice keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Grice scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Haapalainen actively working from the bottom here.
Grice is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Haapalainen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Haapalainen looks gassed!
Haapalainen taking some punishment here, with Grice in his half guard.

Grice is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Haapalainen has managed to free his arm - good work.
Grice missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grice content to control rather than advance.
Grice drops an elbow to the side of Haapalainen's head.
Grice takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Grice lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Haapalainen tries to kick Grice off but Grice keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grice is nestled in close to Haapalainen, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Grice wants to control but Haapalainen is keeping him busy.
Grice passes to side control.
Grice taking a break here but Haapalainen is having none of it and regains half guard.
Grice with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Grice connects with a nice short shot to Haapalainen's temple.
Grice not doing much here.
Grice has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Grice tries to control but Haapalainen wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grice with the ground and pound from mount.
Grice with shots to the head and body - Haapalainen looks very uncomfortable down there.
Grice landing strikes from the mount.
Grice connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Haapalainen is rocked!
Grice fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Haapalainen is still in real trouble! Can Grice finish him?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grice tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Grice postures up and throws a couple of big shots that have Haapalainen in real trouble here! The ref calls for Haapalainen to improve his position which he doesn't do, so the referee has no choice but to end the fight due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gary Grice!