PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Stewie Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aruki Masura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aruki Masura told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Griffin
vs
Masura

179 cm
20
200 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

181 cm
21
185 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Stewie Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aruki Masura!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Masura takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Nice body kick there by Griffin.

Griffin moves into the clinch.
Griffin prevents a takedown attempt there.
Griffin lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

It looks like Aruki Masura has been cut.
Masura blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Griffin throws a knee to the head but misses.
Griffin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Griffin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Masuras head.
Griffin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Griffin scores with a shoulder strike.
Masura tries for a takedown but Griffin manages to get underhooks.
Masura tries for a takedown but Griffin manages to get underhooks.
Stewie Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aruki Masura.
Griffin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Masura has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Masura is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Griffin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
A right handed body shot lands from Griffin.
Masura looks gassed!
Griffin gets through Masura's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Masura is looking to break free of the clinch but Griffin has double underhooks.
Griffin misses with a knee to the head.
Griffin landing knees to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Griffin scores with a knee to the head.
Griffin lands a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Griffin creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Griffin lands a hook that snaps the head of Masura backwards.
Griffin tries a knee to the head but Masura blocks it.
A knee to the head by Griffin.

Masura is rocked!
Griffin scores with a shoulder strike.
Masura is still on wobbly legs! Can Griffin finish him?
Griffin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Griffin is pressed up against the cage. Masura has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Griffin down to the mat. Griffin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Griffin has Masura up against the cage in a clinch.
Masura seems to have recovered his senses.
Masura tries to break the clinch but Griffin is controlling the position.
Griffin crunches a lovely knee into Masura's ribcage.
Griffin misses with a knee strike.
Griffin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That has opened up Aruki Masura's cut even more.
Griffin scores with a hook to the body.
Griffin lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Griffin working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A knee to the head by Griffin.
Masura drops down looking for an ankle pick but Griffin pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin connects with a solid leg kick.
Stewie Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffin looks to clinch
and Masura counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Masura tries to close the distance and clinch but Griffin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Masura takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Masura on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Masura fails with a takedown attempt.
Griffin moves in looking to clinch but Masura pushes him off.
Griffin fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Masura.
Griffin thumps Masura with a low kick.

Griffin moves into the clinch.
Griffin tries a knee to the head but Masura blocks it.
Masura drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Griffin gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A nice left hand lands by Griffin.

Masura works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Masura drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Masura jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Masura from controlling successfully.
Griffin wants to stand but Masura is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masura trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Griffin is looking to stand up but Masura isn't so interested in that idea.
Masura pushes down on Griffin's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Griffin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Masura is stalling here. Griffin is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Masura seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Griffin has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Griffin wants to stand but Masura is controlling his arm.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Masura tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Griffin wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Griffin tries to stand but Masura is controlling his head.
Masura sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stewie Griffin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aruki Masura's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A punch combination from Masura misses.
Griffin listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Griffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Masura circles away.
Griffin wants to clinch but Masura slips to the side

and Masura decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Griffin's guard.
Masura wants to pass the guard but Griffin is keeping the position.
Masura won't allow Griffin to get back to his feet.
Masura stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Masura from controlling successfully.

Masura thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Masura wants to pass the guard but Griffin is keeping the position.
Griffin wants to stand and escape but Masura is having none of it.
Masura pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Griffin is keeping the position for now.

Masura is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Griffin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Griffin has escaped and now he's on top!
Masura is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Masura looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two 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.
Griffin wants to get up but he can't break Masura's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Griffin stopping the sweep attempt from Masura.

Griffin gets to his feet - Masura follows without any prompting.
Griffin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Masura manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No joy there for Griffin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A good leg kick by Griffin.
Masura doesn't manage to clinch there - Griffin circles away.
Griffin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Griffin tries to clinch but Masura moves away

and Masura counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Griffin's guard now.
Masura wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masura advances position into side control!
Masura moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

Masura thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Masura wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.
Masura wants to control for a moment but Griffin uses the opportunity to move 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.
Masura perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Masura tries to pass to full mount but Griffin defends it.

Griffin has one foot on Masura's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Masura throws a combination that misses
enabling Griffin to counter with a crisp jab.
Griffin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Griffin connects with a crisp jab.
A punch combination from Griffin misses.
Masura throws a leg kick but Griffin moved away.
A nice leg kick lands there from Griffin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aruki Masura showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aruki Masura's cut.
That's time! Griffin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Griffin forces Masura back against the cage and clinches.
Masura has Griffin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Griffin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Griffin working aggressively here.
Griffin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Griffin is leaning against Masura and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Griffin lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Griffin prevents the takedown attempt.
Masura can't get the takedown.
Stewie Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aruki Masura.
Masura's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Griffin misses with a knee strike.
Griffin tries a knee to the head but Masura blocks it.
Masura tries for a takedown. No joy.
Griffin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Griffin working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Masura is trying to drag Griffin to the mat but Griffin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Griffin makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Masura has Griffin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Griffin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin scores with a knee to the head.
Griffin stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Griffin unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Griffin scores with a shot to the side of Masura's head.
Griffin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Masura working hard to break the clinch.
Griffin lands a knee to the head.
Masura looking for a takedown.
Griffin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Griffin lands a body punch in the clinch.
Griffin stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Griffin misses with a knee to the head.
Masura wants a takedown but no success here.
Griffin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Masura backwards.
Griffin looking to throw knees to the head but Masura is blocking nicely.
Griffin throws a head punch that misses.
Masura tries for a takedown but Griffin manages to get underhooks.
Griffin is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Griffin throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Masura is working for takedown but Griffin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Griffin connects with a nasty looking knee right to Masura's face.
Griffin throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Masura blocks it with crossed arms.

Masura gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Masura throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Masura tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Masura from controlling successfully.
Griffin wants to stand but Masura is controlling the position.
Masura stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Masura is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Masura is controlling him.
Masura wants to pass the guard but Griffin is keeping the position.
Masura won't allow Griffin to get back to his feet.
Masura wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Masura ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Masura tries for a takedown but Griffin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Griffin wants to clinch.
Masura fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Griffin checks it well.

That's four 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.
Griffin with a hook.
Griffin feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Masura's calf.
Griffin lands an overhand right.
Griffin lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Griffin moves to clinch but Masura breaks away
and Masura counters with a low kick, right behind Griffin 's knee.
Griffin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Masura has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Masura dodges the punch combination from Griffin.
Griffin lands with an uppercut that bounces Masura off the cage and back into rage.
Griffin darts in trying to clinch

and Masura counters with a shoot takedown. Griffin fights it but they end up in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Stewie Griffin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Griffin 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stewie Griffin!