PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Vasiliy Khrapov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stephen Griffiths (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khrapov's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Rocky road to Dublin (RUS). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Khrapov
vs
Griffiths

178 cm
32
170 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

170 cm
23
175 lbs
13 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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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 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Vasiliy Khrapov!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Stephen Griffiths!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffiths takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Khrapov thumps Griffiths with a low kick.
Nice shot by Khrapov.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Griffiths has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Griffiths throws a leg kick but Khrapov sees it coming and moves out of range.
Nice body kick there by Griffiths.
Griffiths thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Khrapov if he has to take too many more of those.
Nice uppercut lands for Khrapov. That snapped Griffiths's head back.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Khrapov misses with a wild body shot.
Khrapov cracks Griffiths with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
A jab from Khrapov misses.
Khrapov misses with a looping left.
Khrapov tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Khrapov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Griffiths lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Griffiths buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Khrapov throws the left hand but Griffiths avoids the punch easily.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Griffiths, right into the meat.
Griffiths connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Griffiths slips under a jab from Khrapov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khrapov tries to move into range but Griffiths moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Khrapov throws the left hand but Griffiths avoids the punch easily.

Khrapov gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Khrapov wants to sweep but no luck.
Griffiths content to stall in guard here.
Khrapov keeping moving, preventing Griffiths from controlling successfully.

Griffiths has gone for a leg lock! Khrapov slips out almost immediately though and dives into Griffiths's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Khrapov accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Khrapov is sitting in close to Griffiths's body. Griffiths has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Khrapov is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Khrapov is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Griffiths.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Stephen Griffiths!
Stephen Griffiths is the new welterweight champion!
Our winner, Stephen Griffiths, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.