PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Emil Yanenko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Granger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Emil Yanenko looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Yanenko
vs
Granger

167 cm
29
119 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

162 cm
25
143 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)

FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!)
Milwaukee's Best 160 (85% laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Emil Yanenko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Granger!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Granger closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Granger misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
You can see the frustration on Yanenko's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Granger working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Granger scores with a couple of short elbows.
Granger is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
It looks like Granger might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Yanenko is not content to let Granger control the position.
Granger working the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yanenko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Granger lands a few punches from side control.
Granger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanenko keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yanenko manages to work his way to half guard, despite Granger's best efforts.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Granger lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Granger is looking to take a break and control but Yanenko is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Granger trying to control the pace.
Yanenko is trying to control but can't.
Granger wants to pass to mount but Yanenko is defending the position.
Granger is taking a breather. Yanenko 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.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Yanenko trying to control but Granger postures up.
Granger wants to control but Yanenko is keeping him busy.
Granger is pressing down on Yanenko's thigh, looking to free his foot. Yanenko is holding on for now.
Granger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanenko keeps working.

Yanenko looking for submissions off his back.
Yanenko taking some punishment here, with Granger in his half guard.
Yanenko wants to control but Granger is keeping busy.
Granger not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Yanenko is defending against the submission attempts here by Granger.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yanenko is pressing down on Granger's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Granger content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Granger scoring with some ground and pound.
Granger lands a couple of digs.
Granger slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Yanenko can't do much from the bottom here.
Granger trying to control the action but Yanenko is working from the bottom.
Check out the look on Granger's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Yanenko can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Granger slows the pace down.
Yanenko tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Granger wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Granger landing a few strikes.
Granger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Yanenko keeps working.
Yanenko is looking to reverse the position.
Yanenko takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
A lull in the action here as Granger stalls from top position.
Granger grinds an elbow into Yanenko's temple.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Yanenko is letting Granger control him for a moment.
Granger trying to control the position but Yanenko is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Granger dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Granger fails in his attempt to clinch.
Emil Yanenko is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Yanenko scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Granger can't do much from the bottom here.
Granger is not content to let Yanenko control the position.
Granger tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Granger wants to control but Yanenko postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Granger is looking for a sweep.
Who's going to make the next move?
Yanenko trying to control the position but Granger is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Granger can't do much from the bottom here.
Granger is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Granger wants to get back to full guard.
Yanenko is trying to control. Granger wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Yanenko is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Granger is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Granger works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Granger is on top in guard.

Granger working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Yanenko's head.

Yanenko has his foot on Granger's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Granger works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Granger lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Granger throws a big elbow that misses.
Granger trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Yanenko is looking for a triangle but Granger pushes his legs off easily.
Yanenko keeping moving, preventing Granger from controlling successfully.

Yanenko working for a triangle but Granger defends it easily.
Granger works over Yanenko with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granger looking to sit in guard and control but Yanenko gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Granger pulls Yanenko in close to his closed guard and prevents Yanenko from doing any damage or advancing position.
Granger is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Yanenko is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Warrior Dogs, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Granger has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Yanenko tries to get to full guard but Granger has control of the leg.
Yanenko is not content to let Granger control the position.
Granger lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yanenko tries to get to full guard but Granger has control of the leg.
Granger is nestled in close to Yanenko, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Granger drops an elbow to the side of Yanenko's head.
Yanenko trying to control but Granger postures up.
Granger takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Granger takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Granger lands with a punch from half guard.
Granger lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Yanenko is rocked!
Granger passes to full mount!
Oh Yanenko is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Granger looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Granger lands a big elbow - Yanenko is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Yanenko is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). James Granger!
An out of breath and clearly excited James Granger thanked FinnFighter Nutrition (Five 160Q supps!) for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).