PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pete Griffiths (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Sonnen
vs
Griffiths

185 cm
26
145 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Chael Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Pete Griffiths!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Daniel Bishop and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffiths pushes Sonnen up against the cage in a clinch.
Sonnen tries to score a body lock takedown but Griffiths shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Griffiths fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Sonnen has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Griffiths is trying to keep an underhook but Sonnen manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Sonnen frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sonnen looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffiths squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Sonnen controlling from mount.
Sonnen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Griffiths is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffiths is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Sonnen controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen lands a nice shot to the head.
Sonnen tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Sonnen lands with some strikes.
Sonnen controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Sonnen's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Sonnen putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen raining down shots from the mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen content just to control the position here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Griffiths can do anything to dispel that myth.
Griffiths is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen controlling his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chael Sonnen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Griffiths as he avoids it easily.
Sonnen showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Griffiths.

Sonnen closes the distance and pushes Griffiths back into the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Griffiths.
Griffiths misses with a punch on the inside.
Griffiths stalling in the clinch but Sonnen improves position.
Sonnen tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The referee calls for Griffiths to work.
Sonnen goes for a takedown in the clinch but Griffiths prevents it.
Griffiths is trying to break the clinch but Sonnen is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chael Sonnen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sonnen goes for a takedown attempt but Griffiths pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Chael Sonnen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Griffiths moves into the clinch.
Griffiths fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Griffiths taking a breather.
Griffiths lands a left hand that snaps the head of Sonnen backwards.
Griffiths lands a nice uppercut.
Sonnen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Sonnen blocks an uppercut.
Griffiths misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sonnen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Griffiths is looking to clinch.

Sonnen shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Griffiths is trying to defend but Sonnen finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sonnen is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Sonnen is working for a submission of some sort.
Sonnen controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Griffiths wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Chael Sonnen has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Sonnen shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Griffiths sprawls well. Griffiths wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sonnen gets slowly back to his feet.

Griffiths has Sonnen up against the cage in a clinch.
Sonnen drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Griffiths gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sonnen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Griffiths is keeping busy.
Griffiths swings wildly with an uppercut but Sonnen uses good head movement to avoid it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffiths will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Sonnen up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Chael Sonnen will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Griffiths defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Sonnen.
Griffiths closes the distance and clinches up with Sonnen, looking for a takedown. Griffiths pushes Sonnen against the cage but Sonnen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Griffiths looks to land a combination but Sonnen avoids it well.
Griffiths misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice uppercut there from Griffiths.
Nice sprawl there from Griffiths as Sonnen shoots in.

Griffiths shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Sonnen wriggles free and stands up.

Griffiths clinches.
Griffiths misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Griffiths's elbow.

Sonnen gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Griffiths regains guard.
Sonnen passes Griffiths's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Griffiths avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sonnen.
Sonnen performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Griffiths for as long as he can get away with.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Chael Sonnen just wasn't active enough.

Sonnen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Griffiths's half guard.
Sonnen keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths tries to kick Sonnen off in order to stand up. Sonnen Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Chael Sonnen.

Sonnen feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths is wriggling around but Sonnen manages to pass to half guard.
Chael Sonnen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Griffiths takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sonnen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sonnen is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Sonnen scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Griffiths?
Pete Griffiths has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chael Sonnen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonnen controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chael Sonnen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sonnen, 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chael Sonnen!