PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dale Gribbel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sterling Archer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Gribbel
vs
Archer

193 cm
22
212 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
24
210 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dale Gribbel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sterling Archer!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Alan Glass and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gribbel fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Archer avoids it really well and circles away.

Archer scores a takedown into full mount!
Archer wants to control the pace but Gribbel is squirming around nicely.
Gribbel is wriggling around trying to escape.
Archer throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Archer takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Gribbel is looking to get to half guard.
Gribbel knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Archer on the ground.

Archer jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Gribbel manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Archer slows the pace down.
Archer is looking to take a break and control but Gribbel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gribbel is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Archer is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Gribbel will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Gribbel is looking to regain half guard here but Archer keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gribbel can't do much from the bottom here.
Gribbel is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Gribbel moves into full guard.
Archer sitting in guard here, content to control.
Archer wants to control from the top but Gribbel keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Sterling Archer.
Archer closes the distance and clinches up with Gribbel, looking for a takedown. Archer pushes Gribbel against the cage but Gribbel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gribbel shoots in and drives through. Archer sprawls well.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Gribbel.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dale Gribbel. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Archer clinches up with Gribbel and pushes him back against the cage.
Gribbel tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Archer smiles and moves away.
Gribbel is breathing heavily.
Archer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Gribbel wants to clinch up but Archer keeps it at a distance.
A clash of legs there as Gribbel blocks the low kick.

Archer closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Archer jumps into guard, dragging Gribbel to the mat.
Archer pulls Gribbel in close to his closed guard and prevents Gribbel from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Archer tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archer is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Archer is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Sterling Archer.
Archer wants to clinch up but Gribbel keeps it at a distance.
Archer wants to clinch.
Archer shoots in looking for a takedown but Gribbel manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Archer's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Archer misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gribbel shoots in looking for a takedown. Archer tries to sprawl out of it but Gribbel keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Archer manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gribbel shoots in for a takedown but Archer shows good takedown defense.
Archer throws a nice looking combination but Gribbel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Archer lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Archer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gribbel paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Archer drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Archer throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gribbel works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Archer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Archer engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Archer with a flurry of punches that miss.
Gribbel is trying to control the position but Archer postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Archer is looking to clinch but Gribbel is avoiding it.
Archer wants to slow Gribbel down by chopping away at his legs.
Gribbel is looking to clinch.

Archer gets a clinch.
Gribbel tries to circle away but Archer has him pinned against the cage.
Gribbel has had enough of the clinch but Archer keeps him there for the moment.
Gribbel has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Archer after a bit of a struggle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dale Gribbel. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gribbel jumps guard but Archer stands there with Gribbel around his waist. Gribbel gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Archer has Gribbel pressed against the cage, preventing Gribbel from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Archer stalling.
Gribbel tries to break the clinch but Archer is controlling the position.
Archer is trying to force a seperation but Gribbel has the dominant position.
Gribbel goes for a takedown in the clinch but Archer prevents it.
Gribbel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Archer blocks it with crossed arms.
Gribbel blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Archer tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gribbel smiles and moves away.
Gribbel throws a left and a right that both miss

and Archer counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Archer seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Archer is trying to control the action in half guard but Gribbel is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Archer throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Archer slows the pace down in half guard.
Archer is looking to advance position but Gribbel won't allow it.
Gribbel is looking to escape.
Archer seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Sterling Archer wasn't active enough on the ground.
A lazy body kick from Archer
and Gribbel counters with a three punch combo that has Archer backing up. Archer nods at Gribbel to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archer missing with a left hand there. Gribbel was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Archer clinches up with Gribbel and pushes him back against the cage.

Archer manages to pull guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Archer is on top in guard.
Archer trying to control the position from guard on top but Gribbel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Archer throws a big elbow that misses.
Archer sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Gribbel's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Archer seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Archer seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gribbel does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sterling Archer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Gribbel's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Archer moves into the clinch.
Archer is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Gribbel is defending well.
Archer jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Gribbel walks away with a smile on his face. Archer gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Gribbel gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Archer trying to control the position from guard on top but Gribbel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Archer might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gribbel kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Gribbel wants to sweep here but Archer controlling him for the moment.
Archer wants to control from the top but Gribbel keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Sterling Archer hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Archer is trying hard to land a takedown here. Gribbel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Dale Gribbel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sterling Archer.
Horrible takedown by Gribbel or perhaps it was just good defense by Archer which made him look bad.
Gribbel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gribbel connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Gribbel enables Archer to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Gribbel manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Archer throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Archer trying to control but Gribbel is working from the bottom.
Archer controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Archer loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Gribbel keeping moving, preventing Archer from controlling successfully.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sterling Archer was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Archer tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Gribbel swivels and escapes.

Archer moves into the clinch.
Archer wants a takedown but no success here.
Gribbel tries for a takedown but Archer manages to get underhooks.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Archer gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Gribbel regains guard.
Archer trying to control the position from guard on top but Gribbel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gribbel can't keep his opponent in guard - Archer advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gribbel trying to control here.
Archer wants to free his trapped foot but Gribbel is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Archer stops Gribbel from getting back to his feet.

Archer stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

Archer drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Archer slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Archer gets to his feet - Gribbel follows without any prompting.

Archer closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Gribbel's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Archer postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Archer stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gribbel swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Archer slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Archer passes easily into side control. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sterling Archer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Archer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sterling Archer!
Sterling Archer tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.