PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Griffiths (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vasiliy Khrapov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khrapov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Rocky road to Dublin (RUS). Vasiliy Khrapov has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Griffiths
vs
Khrapov

170 cm
22
175 lbs
11 - 3 - 1

178 cm
31
170 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great low kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Perkele!

Sparta Fightware

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Stephen Griffiths!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasiliy Khrapov!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Sergei Dronov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khrapov throws a half hearted mid kick.
Khrapov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Griffiths manages to avoid it.
Griffiths has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Khrapov misses the jab.
Khrapov just misses with a punch to the body.
Khrapov tries a head kick but it misses.
Khrapov throws a hook but Griffiths avoids it easily.
Khrapov takes a swing at Griffiths's ribcage but misses.
Khrapov misses with a jab to the body
and Griffiths counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Khrapov is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Khrapov swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Griffiths counters with a nice body kick.
Griffiths darts in looking for a takedown but Khrapov gets double underhooks and turns Griffiths into the cage.
Khrapov misses with a punch on the inside.
Khrapov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Griffiths jumps guard but Khrapov turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Stephen Griffiths. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Khrapov breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffiths avoids the body shot from Khrapov.
Khrapov tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Griffiths is able to avoid easily.
Griffiths avoids the head kick by Khrapov.
Khrapov throws a body punch but Griffiths moves out of range.
Khrapov swings for the body but Griffiths moves out of range.
Khrapov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Griffiths.
Griffiths has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Griffiths there as he acknowledges the shot.
Vasiliy Khrapov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khrapov throws a lazy right hand but Griffiths sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Griffiths has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Khrapov throws a poor cross that misses
and Griffiths counters with a leg kick.
Khrapov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Griffiths.
Griffiths ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Khrapov rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Griffiths counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Griffiths on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov throws a jab when Griffiths was well out of range.
Khrapov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Griffiths manages to avoid it.
Khrapov misses with a head kick.
Khrapov shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Griffiths pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vasiliy Khrapov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Khrapov throws a series of punches but Griffiths moves out of range.
Griffiths slips a straight right by Khrapov.
Khrapov connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khrapov throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Khrapov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Khrapov thows a body shot but no joy.
Khrapov throws an off balance right hand
and Griffiths counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Khrapov is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Khrapov throws a leg kick
and Griffiths counters with a low kick, right behind Khrapov 's knee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Khrapov swings for the body but Griffiths moves out of range.
Griffiths tries for a takedown but Khrapov circles away easily

and Khrapov counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Khrapov.
Griffiths prevents a body shot from Khrapov.
Khrapov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Khrapov prevents a takedown attempt there.
Khrapov working hard to break the clinch.
Griffiths blocks a body shot from Khrapov.
Khrapov tries to work over Griffiths's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Khrapov misses with a hook from the clinch.

Griffiths successfully pulls guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Khrapov keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Griffiths's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khrapov with a nice head shot there.
Griffiths has control of Khrapov's left arm, preventing Khrapov from doing any damage.
Khrapov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Griffiths is looking to cinch up a triangle. Khrapov throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Griffiths's body to avoid the submission. Griffiths has instead reached around Khrapov's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Griffiths arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Stephen Griffiths!
Stephen Griffiths is the new welterweight champion!
Stephen Griffiths seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.