PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wilber Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dean Ambrose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Grant
vs
Ambrose

177 cm
19
177 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

183 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Wilber Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Dean Ambrose!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Chris Edwards and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Grant rushes Ambrose and presses him up against the cage.
Ambrose tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Grant smiles and moves away.

Ambrose moves into the clinch successfully.
Ambrose lands an elbow that stopped Grant in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Wilber Grant has been cut.
Grant tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ambrose avoids it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Grant.

Ambrose pulls guard effortlessly.
Ambrose wants to control the position but Grant says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Grant looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Ambrose makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ambrose.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ambrose wants to sweep here but Grant controlling him for the moment.

Ambrose working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Grant doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Grant manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Ambrose is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Grant loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Grant throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ambrose works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ambrose can do anything to dispel that myth.

Grant decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Ambrose fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Ambrose closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ambrose tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Ambrose is trying to control the action in half guard but Grant is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Grant trying to control here.
Grant controlling the position well.
Ambrose content to control rather than advance.
Ambrose missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Grant is in trouble now - Ambrose has advanced to mount!
Grant wants to control but Ambrose is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Grant is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Ambrose looking for a guillotine from mount but Grant is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Ambrose dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wilber Grant's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Ambrose has Grant up against the cage in a clinch.
Ambrose looking for a takedown.

Ambrose pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Ambrose closes the distance and pushes Grant back into the cage.
Grant has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Ambrose after a bit of a struggle.
Grant can't find room to land a body shot as Ambrose controls the action.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grant misses with an elbow strike.

Grant gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Ambrose misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ambrose is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ambrose is trying to maintain the position but Grant is very close to passing his half guard.
Ambrose has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Grant thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ambrose's head.
Ambrose trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

Grant has control of Ambrose's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Ambrose regains control of the situation pretty easily.
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.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Grant looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Ambrose tries to reverse the position but Grant maintains control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Grant gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Grant looks to land a combination but Ambrose avoids it well.
Ambrose counters with a body kick.

Ambrose has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ambrose tries to pull guard but Grant forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ambrose looking to slow down the pace here.
Grant is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Ambrose pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Ambrose's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ambrose is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ambrose shoots and misses
enabling Grant to counter with a crisp jab.
Wilber Grant has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dean Ambrose.
Ambrose shoots in but Grant avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ambrose is breathing heavily.
Ambrose stuffs the takedown attempt from Grant. Grant gets slowly back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ambrose looks for a takedown but Grant sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wilber Grant dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Wilber Grant's cut.
That's time! Grant's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Ambrose fails in his attempt to clinch.

Grant gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Grant pulls Ambrose in to control the position.
Grant striking off his back but it's not causing Ambrose any problems.
Dean Ambrose has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ambrose stopping the sweep attempt from Grant.
Grant is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grant seems keen to control Ambrose's posture.
Grant trying to keep a closed guard but Ambrose is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant trying to control the position here.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ambrose has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Grant is proving hard to escape from.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ambrose shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Grant sprawls well. Grant wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Ambrose gets slowly back to his feet.
Grant swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Ambrose misses with a kick to the body
and Grant connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Grant gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Grant tries to pull guard but Ambrose forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Grant works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ambrose looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ambrose bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Grant's guard.

Ambrose is looking to work some ground and pound but Grant has wrist control.
Grant pulls Ambrose in close to his closed guard and prevents Ambrose from doing any damage or advancing position.
Ambrose wants to get up but he can't break Grant's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Ambrose postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant is really struggling to control Ambrose but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Ambrose trying to stand up but can't free himself from Grant's guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Grant stuffs the takedown.
Grant tries for a takedown but Ambrose sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Ambrose looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Ambrose wants to get up but he can't break Grant's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ambrose postures up in Grant's guard and throws a big left but Grant blocks it.
Ambrose looking to sit in guard and control but Grant gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ambrose is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ambrose controls Grant momentarily but Grant frees himself.
Grant postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ambrose looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grant is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dean Ambrose.
I think Ambrose has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Dean Ambrose!