PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Lex Yayram (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Griffiths (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yayram's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, 99 Problems. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Yayram
vs
Griffiths

175 cm
23
183 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

170 cm
19
175 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Experienced

Tab out

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Lex Yayram!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Stephen Griffiths!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffiths shoots in and gets a takedown into Yayram's guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Griffiths preventing the sweep.
Yayram is working hard here to advance position.

Yayram throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Griffiths stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yayram swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yayram wants to sweep here but Griffiths controlling him for the moment.

Griffiths drops back, looking for a kneebar! Yayram looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Yayram looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Yayram!
Griffiths tries to bench press Yayram off him but Yayram keeps the position.
Yayram is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

Yayram tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Griffiths tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee asks Yayram politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Yayram prefers to stall for the moment though.
Griffiths tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Yayram looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffiths manages to work his way to half guard, despite Yayram's best efforts.
Griffiths is looking to improve his position.
Yayram wants to pass to mount but Griffiths is defending the position.

Griffiths looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Yayram wants to stand up but Griffiths is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Griffiths is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Yayram pulls his head out easily.

Yayram seems to be working for a kimura but Griffiths defends the submission attempt.
It looks like Yayram is going to stand back up.
Griffiths tries to get to full guard but Yayram has control of the leg.
Yayram is looking to pass Griffiths's guard but actually Griffiths recovers to full guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Griffiths throws his legs up looking for a submission but Yayram uses it to pass to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yayram has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Yayram avoids the attempt from Griffiths to control.
Yayram is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.
Griffiths working to try and regain half guard.
Griffiths tries to lock up and control but Yayram gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Griffiths manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Griffiths tries to get to full guard but Yayram has control of the leg.
Yayram sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Griffiths is pressing down on Yayram's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffiths has his foot on Yayram's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yayram works his way back into a safe position though.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Griffiths is on top in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Griffiths drops back looking for a leg! Yayram is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Yayram manages to kick Griffiths off! Griffiths jumps back into Yayram's guard.
Griffiths preventing the sweep.
Griffiths tries to free his leg and advance position but Yayram is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffiths passes into half guard.
Yayram wants to improve his position but Griffiths is controlling well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Griffiths is trying to work for a kimura but Yayram is defending well.
Griffiths wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yayram keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Griffiths dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Griffiths shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Griffiths showed some decent athleticism there.
Yayram is not content to let Griffiths control the position.
Yayram is looking for a sweep. Griffiths is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Griffiths is working for a submission of some sort.

Griffiths is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yayram is just riding it out for now. Griffiths eventually gives up the hold.

Yayram is defending against the submission attempts here by Griffiths.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffiths is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Griffiths is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Griffiths is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Yayram defends it well.
Yayram is looking to control Griffiths's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Yayram avoid being mounted?

Griffiths is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yayram is just riding it out for now. Griffiths eventually gives up the hold.
Yayram is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffiths is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Yayram is just riding it out for now. Griffiths eventually gives up the hold.
Yayram wants to get back to full guard.

Griffiths is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Griffiths 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.
Yayram regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yayram keeping moving, preventing Griffiths from controlling successfully.
Yayram looking to hit a scissor sweep but Griffiths is one step ahead there.
Griffiths postures up.
Griffiths trying to control the position from guard on top but Yayram is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Griffiths preventing the sweep.
Yayram not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Yayram tries to clinch there but Griffiths circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yayram misses with a jab, cross combination.

Griffiths throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Yayram tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Griffiths is in Yayram's guard.
Griffiths stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yayram swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Yayram is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Griffiths is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Yayram trying to control the position but Griffiths is working away.
Yayram working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffiths is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yayram off and has taken his back!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Yayram preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Griffiths.
Yayram tries to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stephen Griffiths showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Yayram tries to clinch but Griffiths is having none of it.
Yayram is looking to chop away at Griffiths's legs.

Yayram clinches up against the cage.

Griffiths jumps into guard, dragging Yayram to the mat.
Yayram would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Griffiths looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yayram tries to stand but Griffiths is controlling from the bottom.
Yayram has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Griffiths working for a triangle but Yayram defends it easily.
Yayram would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Griffiths working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Yayram doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Yayram manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yayram got a little sloppy there for a moment and Griffiths has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Yayram has managed to get both his arms back between Griffiths's legs - danger averted.

Griffiths had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yayram defends it easily.
Yayram wants to control from the top but Griffiths keeps moving.
Griffiths is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Yayram trying to hold on to Griffiths's head to control him but Griffiths postures up.
Griffiths prevents Yayram from improving his position.

Griffiths is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Yayram has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yayram tries to roll over but Griffiths keeps him under control.
Griffiths tries to pass to full mount but Yayram defends it.
Griffiths is thwarting Yayram's attempts to control the position.

Griffiths seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. Yayram is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Stephen Griffiths!
After winning the bout, Stephen Griffiths thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.