PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joey Kingfisher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Griffin
vs
Kingfisher

187 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
23
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joey Kingfisher!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Gwen Towbar and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Kingfisher closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Griffin did well to prevent Kingfisher getting side control.
Kingfisher prevents Griffin from improving his position.
Griffin gets back to full guard.
Kingfisher really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Griffin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Kingfisher gets to his feet - Griffin follows without any prompting.
Griffin shoots in but Kingfisher avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Kingfisher gets tackled into the cage by Griffin. Griffin maintains the clinch.
Kingfisher fails to pull guard.

Kingfisher jumps guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kingfisher wants to stand up but Griffin is controlling him.
Griffin trying to control but Kingfisher is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin stops Kingfisher from standing up.
Kingfisher is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Griffin dives into side control.
Kingfisher tries to escape but Griffin is in control.
Griffin scores with punches from side control.
Griffin has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Kingfisher!
Kingfisher is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Griffin raining down shots from the mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kingfisher is looking to escape.
Kingfisher is trying to stand.
Kingfisher looks winded!
Griffin tries to control but Kingfisher wriggling away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Kingfisher can do anything to dispel that myth.

Griffin is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Griffin fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kingfisher keeps the fight on the outside.

Kingfisher closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Griffin did well to prevent Kingfisher getting side control.
Kingfisher working Griffin over with strikes.
Kingfisher working the head and body with strikes.

Kingfisher is working for a kimura but Griffin is defending it quite comfortably.
Griffin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kingfisher is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Kingfisher looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Griffin looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Kingfisher dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Kingfisher bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Griffin can't do much from the bottom here.
Griffin on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Kingfisher working the head and body with strikes.
Kingfisher moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Kingfisher landing strikes.
Griffin gets back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Kingfisher is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Kingfisher working the head and body with strikes.
Griffin moves into full guard.
Kingfisher cracks Griffin with a solid left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kingfisher seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Let's hope that Kingfisher has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Kingfisher is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Kingfisher looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Kingfisher is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kingfisher content to stall in guard here.
Joey Kingfisher has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Kingfisher with a nice head shot there.
Griffin throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Kingfisher controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Joey Kingfisher.

Griffin gets caught flat footed, as Kingfisher shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kingfisher wants to get up but he can't break Griffin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Kingfisher postures up.
Griffin has momentary wrist control but Kingfisher slips an elbow through the middle.
Kingfisher working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Griffin's head.
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.
Kingfisher stops Griffin from standing up.
Kingfisher sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Kingfisher 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. This is the final round!

Griffin with a lazy takedown attempt

and Kingfisher counters with a nice double leg into side control. Griffin won't be happy with that.
Kingfisher tries to move to mount but Griffin blocks the move with his legs.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
You can see the frustration on Griffin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kingfisher is staying tight to Griffin's torso, preventing him from escaping.

That's one minute gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Kingfisher grinds an elbow into Griffin's temple.

Kingfisher stands up.

Kingfisher fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Griffin sprawls well initially but Kingfisher persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Kingfisher is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Kingfisher wants to pass to mount but Griffin is defending the position.
Griffin pushes Kingfisher off looking to stand but Kingfisher dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin tries to get to full guard but Kingfisher has control of the leg.
Kingfisher controlling the action here.
Kingfisher wants to free his trapped foot but Griffin is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kingfisher winds up and cracks Griffin with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Kingfisher is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kingfisher seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Kingfisher has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Kingfisher is taking a breather. Griffin says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joey Kingfisher was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Kingfisher throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Griffin was covering up waiting for the punch and Kingfisher finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Griffin trying to keep a closed guard but Kingfisher is proving a slippery customer.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kingfisher sitting in guard here, content to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joey Kingfisher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Kingfisher winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joey Kingfisher!