PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Blake Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Quinton Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Griffin
vs
Jackson

169 cm
23
142 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Self confident

Good wrestler
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Blake Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Quinton Jackson!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Gregory Folan and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jackson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Griffin.
Jackson checks a low kick from Griffin.

Jackson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Griffin manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Jackson tries to get to full guard but Griffin has control of the leg.
Griffin trying to control from half guard but Jackson is working away.
Jackson wants to get back to full guard but Griffin has mounted him!
Griffin raining down shots from the mount!
Jackson is in a horrible position here. Griffin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jackson is looking to escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jackson is in a horrible position here. Griffin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Griffin lands a big shot there that rocks Jackson but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Jackson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Griffin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Griffin trying to control but Jackson is having none of it.
Griffin pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin lands with some strikes.
Griffin lands a nice shot to the head.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jackson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Griffin scoring with strikes but Jackson is staying in there.
Griffin content just to control the position here.
Griffin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Jackson looks a forlorn figure.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Jackson wants to control but Griffin is having none of it.
Griffin has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Griffin working Jackson over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson tries to reverse the position but Griffin maintains control.
Griffin lands with some strikes.
Jackson is bucking up trying to escape but Griffin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Griffin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jackson is looking to escape.
Jackson is bucking up trying to escape but Griffin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Griffin punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson can't escape the position.
Griffin with shots to the head and body - Jackson looks very uncomfortable down there.
Griffin avoids the attempt from Jackson to control.
Jackson looks winded!
Jackson taking shots to the head.
Griffin trying to control but Jackson is having none of it.
Jackson is trying to escape the mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Griffin with good strikes from the mount here!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Griffin dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Griffin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Quinton Jackson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jackson tries to clinch but Griffin moves out of range.
Griffin misses with a straight left.
Griffin attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nice defenses there by Jackson.
Jackson fails with a takedown attempt.
Jackson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffin checks the leg kick.
Griffin leaves Jackson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Blake Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Quinton Jackson.
Jackson is breathing heavily.
Jackson fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Griffin.
Griffin stuffs the takedown attempt from Jackson. Jackson gets slowly back to his feet.
Griffin does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Jackson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Griffin's waist but Griffin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jackson off to one side.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch but Griffin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jackson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffin.

Griffin feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Griffin passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Griffin trying to control the position but Jackson is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin lands a nice forearm strike.
Griffin is looking to take a break and control but Jackson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Griffin working the ground and pound.
Griffin lands a few punches from side control.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin trying to control the action but Jackson is working from the bottom.
Jackson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Griffin wants to control but Jackson is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Griffin scoring with punches and elbows.
Griffin working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Jackson taking punishment in the form of punches.
Griffin is putting a hurting on Jackson here, landing some big shots from side control.
Jackson is not content to let Griffin control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffin in side control, just content to control the action for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Blake Griffin dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Griffin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Jackson moves away.
Griffin throws a looping overhand right but Jackson ducks down to avoid it.

Jackson clinches.
Griffin creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Jackson has Griffin pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Griffin manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson is trying to pull guard but Griffin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Griffin is trying to maintain a safe position but Jackson gets an underhook and turns Griffin into the cage.
Griffin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Jackson's elbow.
Jackson misses with an elbow over the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jackson gets control of Griffin's arms and successfully pulls guard. Jackson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Jackson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Griffin wants to control from the top but Jackson keeps moving.
Griffin is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Jackson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Jackson can't keep his opponent in guard - Griffin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Griffin passes to side control.
Griffin wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jackson keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin prevents Jackson from escaping the position.
Griffin lands an elbow.
Jackson tries to buck Griffin off but Griffin is having none of it.
Griffin controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Blake Griffin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Griffin staying calm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Jackson blocks a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Blake Griffin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Griffin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Peck scores the fight for Blake Griffin!
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight for Blake Griffin!
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight for Blake Griffin!

Blake Griffin wins by unanimous decision!