PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Forrest Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kic Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kic Armstrong has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Forrest Griffin's chin.

Griffin
vs
Armstrong

190 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Forrest Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kic Armstrong!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Steve Erwin and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffin throws a series of punches but Armstrong avoids them all with ease.
Armstrong avoids the head kick by Griffin.
A head kick misses from Griffin.
Armstrong throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Griffin's waist but Griffin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Armstrong off to one side.
Armstrong shoots for a double leg takedown but Griffin sprawls well. He's pushed Armstrong's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Armstrong throws a front kick that sends Griffin stumbling back into the cage.
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Griffin but Griffin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Forrest Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kic Armstrong.
Armstrong looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Griffin is fending him off so far but Armstrong persists. Nope, Griffin circles away and we're back to standing.
Armstrong shoots in and drives through. Griffin sprawls well.

Griffin darts in and clinches Armstrong up against the cage.
Armstrong is trying to break the clinch but Griffin has him pressed against the cage.
Armstrong goes for a takedown in the clinch but Griffin prevents it.

Griffin turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Griffin manages to end up in side control.
Armstrong is looking for a sweep.

Griffin decides to stand back up.
Griffin is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin stuffs the takedown attempt from Armstrong. Armstrong gets slowly back to his feet.
Griffin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Armstrong swats away the attempt to clinch by Griffin.
Armstrong closes the distance and clinches up with Griffin, looking for a takedown. Armstrong pushes Griffin against the cage but Griffin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Armstrong gets a clinch.

Griffin pulls Armstrong into guard.
Armstrong trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two 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.

Griffin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Armstrong can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Armstrong trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Armstrong trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Armstrong might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Griffin kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Armstrong doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Armstrong manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Armstrong wants to stand but Griffin is controlling his posture from full guard.
Armstrong looking to sit in guard and control but Griffin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Armstrong is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.

Armstrong gets to his feet - Griffin follows without any prompting.
Griffin misses with a double jab.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Griffin successfully pulls guard.
Armstrong looking to sit in guard and control but Griffin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Armstrong bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Griffin's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Forrest Griffin dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Armstrong closes this distance looking for a takedown but Griffin circles away.
Armstrong closes this distance looking for a takedown but Griffin circles away.
Armstrong throws a head kick that half lands.
Griffin fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Griffin throws a lazy head kick

so Armstrong counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Armstrong trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Armstrong stopping the sweep attempt from Griffin.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Armstrong wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.

Griffin has his foot on Armstrong's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Armstrong works his way back into a safe position though.
Armstrong trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
No joy there for Griffin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Armstrong misses with a takedown

and Griffin counters by moving into the clinch.
Forrest Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kic Armstrong.
Griffin is pressed up against the cage. Armstrong 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.
A head kick by Griffin misses
and Armstrong counters with a nice kick to the body.
Armstrong throws a head kick but Griffin moves out of range.
Griffin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Armstrong.
Armstrong tries for a takedown but Griffin circles away easily

and Griffin moves into the clinch.

Griffin breaks from the clinch.
Armstrong misses with a takedown

and Griffin moves into the clinch.

Griffin has Armstrong pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Griffin pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Armstrong tumbling to the mat - Griffin dives into Armstrong's guard.
Armstrong controls Griffin momentarily but Griffin frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Griffin manages to get himself to full guard.
Armstrong sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Griffin's guard.
Armstrong trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Armstrong is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Armstrong is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Armstrong wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.
Griffin is looking to escape.

Armstrong is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kic Armstrong showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Armstrong.
Armstrong takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Forrest Griffin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Armstrong fails with the takedown
and Griffin counters with a nice body shot.

Griffin scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Forrest Griffin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Griffin has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Griffin shoots in for a takedown but Armstrong shows good takedown defense.
Armstrong gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Griffin counters with a big head kick but Armstrong shrugs it off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Griffin stuffs the takedown attempt from Armstrong. Armstrong gets slowly back to his feet.
Forrest Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kic Armstrong.
Armstrong throws a series of strikes that have Griffin backpedaling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin slow jab from Armstrong misses its intended target.
Armstrong shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Griffin pinned against the cage. Griffin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Forrest Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Armstrong shoots and misses

and Griffin counters by moving into the clinch.
Griffin taking a breather.
Griffin fails to pull guard.
Griffin tries to pull guard but Armstrong won't allow it.
Armstrong misses with a knee strike.
Armstrong has Griffin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Griffin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Armstrong tries to break the clinch but Griffin is controlling the position.
Armstrong wants to break free but Griffin has control.
Griffin with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Armstrong has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Griffin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Armstrong is looking to break free of the clinch but Griffin has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin landing knees to the head.
Armstrong fails to pull guard.

Griffin successfully pulls guard.

Griffin working for a triangle but Armstrong defends it easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Griffin is on top in guard.
Armstrong working a defensive guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin preventing the sweep.
Armstrong preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Armstrong looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Griffin looking to pass the guard.
Griffin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Griffin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Armstrong looking to control.
Griffin working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Armstrong's head.
Armstrong is trying to hold Griffin in close to prevent damage but Griffin has managed to pass into half guard.
Armstrong moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Forrest 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28

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