PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sam Mcneil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Paul Griffin was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Mcneil
vs
Griffin

216 cm
22
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

195 cm
23
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sam Mcneil!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paul Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Ron Honeybunn and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffin takes the fight into the clinch.
Griffin has Mcneil pressed against the cage, preventing Mcneil from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Griffin jumps into guard, dragging Mcneil to the mat.
Mcneil stopping the sweep attempt from Griffin.
Griffin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mcneil trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Griffin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mcneil postures up.

Griffin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mcneil can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mcneil is in close to Griffin's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mcneil trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.

Mcneil drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Griffin manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mcneil has Griffin in his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin wants to get up but he can't break Mcneil's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Griffin throws an elbow that misses. Mcneil uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Griffin's guard. Nice move by Mcneil!
Mcneil trying to control but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Mcneil looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mcneil really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mcneil working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcneil makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Griffin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Griffin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Mcneil is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Griffin is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Mcneil has gone for a leg lock! Griffin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Mcneil's guard.
Griffin is looking to work some ground and pound but Mcneil has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mcneil swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Griffin throws an elbow that misses. Mcneil uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Griffin's guard. Nice move by Mcneil!
Griffin wants to stand and escape but Mcneil is having none of it.
Mcneil with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mcneil is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Mcneil looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Griffin wants to sweep here but Mcneil controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcneil working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Griffin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Griffin is adopting a defensive guard.

Paul Griffin has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Griffin gets caught flat footed, as Mcneil shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Griffin wants to stand up but Mcneil is controlling him.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mcneil accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Mcneil tries to sprawl but Griffin drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Griffin prevents Mcneil from improving his position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Griffin in particular looking to stall.
Mcneil wants to control but Griffin is keeping busy.
Mcneil wants to get back to full guard.

Griffin seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mcneil is trying to maintain the position but Griffin is very close to passing his half guard.
Mcneil is looking to improve his position.
Griffin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mcneil darts in trying to clinch

and Griffin counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffin has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Mcneil clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Griffin seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Mcneil's chin but Mcneil turns very nicely into Griffin's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Mcneil.

Griffin is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Griffin trying to keep a closed guard but Mcneil is proving a slippery customer.
Griffin will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcneil working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Griffin's head.

Mcneil drops back looking for a leg! Griffin is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Griffin manages to kick Mcneil off! Mcneil jumps back into Griffin's guard.
Mcneil trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mcneil chips away with some ground and pound.

Mcneil drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Griffin manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mcneil has Griffin in his guard.
Griffin wants to control from the top but Mcneil keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin looking to sit in guard and control but Mcneil gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Griffin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Griffin is looking for a triangle but Mcneil pushes his legs off easily.
Griffin is breathing heavily.
Mcneil postures up in Griffin's guard and throws a big left but Griffin blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Griffin 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Mcneil shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Sam Mcneil is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mcneil goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Mcneil tries to close the distance and clinch up but Griffin swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Mcneil shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mcneil thows a huge punch but Griffin dodges it nicely.
Griffin trying to control from the bottom.
Mcneil throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Griffin to regain full guard.
Mcneil is in close to Griffin's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Griffin trying to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mcneil postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Griffin is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Mcneil, into his guard.
Mcneil throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Mcneil being controlled here, momentarily.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paul Griffin was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Mcneil avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Griffin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mcneil moves away.

Griffin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Griffin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mcneil flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Mcneil throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Griffin controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin wants to stand up but Mcneil manages to regain full guard.
Griffin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Griffin is stalling in the full guard.
Paul Griffin has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Paul Griffin wasn't active enough on the ground.
The fighters circling - Griffin throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Griffin is looking to clinch but Mcneil is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcneil dives in for a single leg takedown but Griffin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffin.

Griffin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Mcneil gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Griffin to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Griffin is pushing down on Mcneil's leg trying to pass to half guard. Mcneil is fighting to maintain full guard but Griffin has managed to sneak the leg through.
Mcneil manages to get to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mcneil can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Griffin controls the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Griffin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Griffin 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Hemmingworth scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Griffin!