PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Belfort (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kendall Grove (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kendall Grove will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Belfort
vs
Grove

182 cm
25
193 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

198 cm
25
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vitor Belfort!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kendall Grove!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Grove tries to sprawl but Belfort drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Belfort seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Grove flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The fighters are battling for position here. Grove manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Belfort wants to get up but he can't break Grove's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Grove preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Grove is looking for a triangle but Belfort pushes his legs off easily.
Belfort works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Grove tries to roll over but Belfort keeps him under control.
Belfort content to control rather than advance.
Belfort wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grove is looking to improve his position.
Belfort sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Grove tries to get to full guard but Belfort has control of the leg.

We're going to have a standup here because Vitor Belfort wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Belfort closes the distance and clinches up with Grove, looking for a takedown. Belfort pushes Grove against the cage but Grove circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Belfort fails with a takedown attempt.
Belfort throws a low kick but Grove avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Grove shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Belfort but Belfort pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Grove misses with the combination.

Belfort 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.

Grove looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Belfort is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Belfort might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Grove throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belfort tries to stand but Grove is controlling from the bottom.
Belfort stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Grove swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Belfort trying to control but Grove is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Vitor Belfort.
Grove doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Belfort counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Belfort forces Grove back against the cage and clinches.
Grove tries to break free but Belfort pushes him back against the cage.
Belfort jumps guard but Grove turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grove misses with a hook from the clinch.
Grove wants a takedown.
Belfort wants to stall.
Grove has had enough of the clinch but Belfort keeps him there for the moment.
Belfort is looking to control Grove's arms but Grove gets an underhook and turns him. Now Belfort has his back to the cage.
Grove is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Belfort jumps guard and drags Grove to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Belfort manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Grove manages to get himself to full guard.
Belfort is looking to stand up but Grove won't let him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Grove looking for a sweep. Not yet Grove, not yet.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Grove had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Belfort defends it easily.
Belfort keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Grove's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Grove tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Grove scores with a jab.

Belfort decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Belfort wants to pass the guard but Grove is defending well.
Belfort is controlling the pace.
Grove is looking for a sweep. Belfort is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Belfort in particular looking to stall.
Grove pushes Belfort off looking to stand but Belfort dives back in and keeps control.
Grove is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Belfort jumps into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grove tries to improve position but can't.

Belfort decides to stand back up. Belfort steps back and let's Grove get back to his feet.
Belfort lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Grove circles away quickly and effectively.
Belfort looks for a takedown but Grove sprawls well.
Belfort fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Grove avoids it really well and circles away.
Grove shoots in looking for a takedown. Belfort tries to sprawl out of it but Grove keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Belfort manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Belfort closes the distance and clinches up with Grove, looking for a takedown. Belfort pushes Grove against the cage but Grove circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Belfort. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Belfort fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belfort wants to clinch.
Grove closes this distance looking for a takedown but Belfort circles away.
Belfort slaps away a takedown attempt from Grove, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Grove fails with a takedown attempt.
Belfort doesn't manage to clinch there - Grove circles away.
Kendall Grove seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grove tries to clinch up.
Grove circles away from the clinch attempt.
Belfort avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grove fails with a takedown attempt.
Vitor Belfort is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Belfort misses with a takedown attempt - Grove sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Belfort tries to close the distance and clinch up but Grove swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Belfort is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Grove's half guard.
Grove wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Belfort stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grove tries to roll over but Belfort keeps him under control.
Belfort content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

We're going to have a standup here because Vitor Belfort wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Grove closes this distance looking for a takedown but Belfort circles away.
Grove throws a lazy head kick
and Belfort counters with a head kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Belfort shoots in and bounces Grove off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Belfort content to stall in guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Belfort dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Belfort tries to clinch there but Grove circles away.
Grove shoots in and drives through. Belfort sprawls well.

Grove throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Belfort tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Grove is in Belfort's guard.
Grove postures up.
Belfort managing to control the position.

Belfort has his feet on Grove's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Belfort blocks a head kick by Grove.
Grove misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Belfort darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Grove takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grove flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Grove wants to get back to full guard.
Belfort tries to stand but can't do so whilst Grove controls his leg.
Grove is trying to get back to full guard.
Belfort stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Vitor Belfort wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Grove closes the distance and clinches up with Belfort, looking for a takedown. Grove pushes Belfort against the cage but Belfort circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Grove misses with a takedown attempt

and Belfort decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Grove's guard.
Vitor Belfort has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kendall Grove.

Grove wants to improve his position here. There's a bit of a scramble and Belfort has taken Grove's back! He's locked on a rear naked choke here and Grove has been forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Vitor Belfort!
Vitor Belfort is the new middleweight champion!