PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Granger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darren Brown (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Granger comes into the arena with Jiu-Jitsu blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Granger
vs
Brown

173 cm
20
142 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

189 cm
27
142 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Grand Champion Apparel
Big Bear Nutrition 160Q

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Granger!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Darren Brown!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Aafke Stam and Saam Ante.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Granger scores with a takedown into Brown's guard.
Brown is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Brown is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Granger trying to control but Brown is working from the bottom.
Granger stopping the sweep attempt from Brown.
Brown keeping moving, preventing Granger from controlling successfully.
Granger passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Granger is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Brown is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brown 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Granger lands a nice forearm strike.
Brown is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Brown is being controlled here.
Brown takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Granger trying to control the action but Brown is working from the bottom.
Brown tries to buck Granger off but Granger is having none of it.
Brown looks to move to half guard but instead Granger has passed into mount! Damn!
Granger 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.
Granger takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

Granger is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Brown to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Brown shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brown is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Brown is still trying to improve position.
Granger content just to control the position here.
Brown is trying to escape the mount.
Granger is trying to take his opponent's back.
Brown felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Granger looking to control but Brown is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Brown slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Brown is looking to improve his position.
Brown gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granger controls from within his opponent's guard.
Granger trying to control but Brown is working from the bottom.
Granger might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Brown is looking for a triangle but Granger pushes his legs off easily.
Granger stopping the sweep attempt from Brown.
Granger wants to control from the top but Brown keeps moving.
Granger is pushing down on Brown's leg trying to pass to half guard. Brown is fighting to maintain full guard but Granger has managed to sneak the leg through.

Granger is looking for a kimura here.
Granger trying to mount his opponent but Brown defends it.

That's four 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.
Brown regains full guard. Nicely done.
Granger showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Granger pushes down on Brown's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Brown is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Granger tries to pass to full mount but Brown defends it.

Granger is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Brown defends it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Granger prevents Brown from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Granger dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Brown shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Granger sprawls well. Granger wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Brown gets slowly back to his feet.

Granger closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Granger is looking to take a break and control but Brown is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Granger frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Granger seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Brown is holding on tight.
Brown is trying to escape the mount.
Granger trying to control but he's not successful this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brown is trying desperately to improve position.
Granger with good strikes from the mount here!
Granger wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
John Granger overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brown keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Granger wants to take Brown's back but he can't do it this time.

Granger working for a guillotine from mount but Brown is in no mood to give up.
Brown is in all sorts of trouble here.
Brown is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Brown regains half guard.
Brown is looking to improve his position.
Brown keeps trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Granger is trying to work for a kimura but Brown is defending well.
Brown tries to get to full guard but Granger has control of the leg.
Granger performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Granger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Brown keeps working.

Granger is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Brown is just riding it out for now. Granger eventually gives up the hold.
Granger wants to control but Brown is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brown gets back to full guard.
Granger preventing the sweep.
Granger looking to pass the guard.

Brown throws his legs up looking for a submission but Granger uses it to pass to side control.
Granger is looking to take a break and control but Brown is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Brown tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Granger thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Granger moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Granger trying to control the action but Brown is working from the bottom.
Brown 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.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Brown tries to improve position but can't.
Brown is not content to let Granger control the position.

Granger working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Granger trying to control the position but Brown is working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Brown shoots in and drives through. Granger sprawls well.
Granger ducks under a wild hook from Brown.

Brown shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Granger makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Granger.
Brown advances to half guard.
Brown thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Granger's head.
Granger is trying to get back to full guard.

Brown is working for a kimura but Granger is defending it quite comfortably.
Brown is looking to advance position but Granger won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brown not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Granger wants to improve his position but Brown is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Granger manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Brown cracks Granger with a solid left hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Brown tries to free his leg and advance position but Granger is retaining full guard.

Granger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Brown is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Granger bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Brown's guard.

Granger slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Granger controls the position.
Granger is working Brown over with some ground and pound from side control.
Granger is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Brown can do to turn this around?
Brown is working to avoid the ground and pound but Granger connects with a decent elbow.
Brown tries to buck Granger off but Granger is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Brown is working to avoid the ground and pound but Granger connects with a decent elbow.

Granger is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Brown has escaped the position, nice work there.
Brown gets back to half guard.

Granger is looking for a kimura here.

Brown looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Brown is trying to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Granger seems content to control.
Granger is trying to control. Brown wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granger thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Brown's head.
Granger tries to pass the half guard into mount. Brown knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Granger passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Brown!
Granger pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Granger trying to control but Brown is having none of it.
Granger is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Brown is in real trouble.
Granger is hanging on to Brown's back as he tries to escape.
Granger biding his time, looking for the opening.
Granger doesn't have the hooks in and Brown manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Granger bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Brown's guard.

Granger drops back looking for a leg! Brown is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Brown manages to kick Granger off! Granger jumps back into Brown's guard.
Granger slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Brown looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Brown looking for a sweep. Not yet Brown, not yet.
Granger sitting in guard here, content to control.
Granger stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Brown swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Granger clearly takes that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Granger shoots in but Brown avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Granger scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Granger moves into full mount! Brown won't be happy about that!
Granger controlling his opponent.
Brown keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Granger moves to the back position.
Brown tries to escape but Granger has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Granger is working the back position looking for the choke. Oh, he's slid into an armbar! Beautiful transition and Brown taps out! Fantastic Jiu Jitsu from Granger.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). John Granger!
John Granger is the new featherweight champion!
A victorious John Granger thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.