PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kurtis Griffith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joshua Hooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Griffith
vs
Hooper

182 cm
18
151 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

170 cm
25
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kurtis Griffith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joshua Hooper!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hooper misses with a head kick.

Hooper changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Griffith looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Griffith can't do much from the bottom here.
Griffith parries the strikes from Hooper easily there. Hooper is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Griffith to escape.
Griffith manages to get back to half guard.
Hooper prevents Griffith from improving his position.
Hooper is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffith keeping control of the position.

Hooper stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hooper feints and as Griffith raises his hands in defense, Hooper changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Griffith trying to keep a closed guard but Hooper is proving a slippery customer.
Griffith is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hooper is controlling him.
Hooper content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hooper tries to stand but Griffith is controlling from the bottom.
Griffith trying to control the position.

Griffith has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Hooper is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Griffith.
Griffith tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Hooper presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Griffith is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hooper misses with a head shot.
Griffith is in all sorts of trouble here.
Griffith tries to hold on but Hooper pushes him away.
Griffith is trying to stand up.
Hooper looking to ground and pound but Griffith is blocking nicely.
Griffith is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Hooper trying to control but Griffith is having none of it.
Griffith sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is looking to control Hooper's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Griffith avoid being mounted?
Griffith is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hooper is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Griffith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hooper throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Still in half guard, Hooper seems content to control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Griffith is trying to stand.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hooper throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Griffith counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Griffith will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Griffith trying to control the action but Hooper is working from the bottom.
Hooper wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Griffith changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hooper tries to avoid it but Griffith manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hooper to the ground. Hooper escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Hooper moves in looking to clinch but Griffith pushes him off.
Griffith has a takedown stuffed.
A countering left hand to the body from Hooper misses.

Hooper rushes Griffith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Griffith breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Griffith swats away the attempt to clinch by Hooper.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hooper tries to clinch there but Griffith circles away.

Griffith drives through and clinches with Hooper against the cage.
Griffith tries to break free but Hooper pushes him back against the cage.
Griffith wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hooper tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Griffith avoids it.
A frustrated look appears on Griffith's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Hooper.

It looks like Kurtis Griffith has been cut.
Griffith wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hooper has him pressed against the cage.
Griffith wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Hooper pulls Griffith into guard.
Griffith trying to control the position from guard on top but Hooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hooper manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Griffith manages to get himself to full guard.

Hooper gets to his feet. Griffith looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Hooper connects with the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hooper rushes Griffith and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Hooper has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Griffith regains guard immediately.
Hooper in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hooper stops Griffith from standing up.
Griffith thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Hooper showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Hooper stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hooper is breathing heavily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hooper closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith throws a punch but it's blocked by Hooper.
Griffith wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kurtis Griffith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffith trying to land knees to the body.
Hooper working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Hooper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Griffith has him pressed against the cage.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Hooper won't allow it.
Hooper tries a knee to the head but Griffith blocks it.

Griffith manages to pull guard.
Hooper slips nicely into half guard.
Hooper is trying to control. Griffith wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Well, if Hooper is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Griffith is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffith actively working from the bottom here.
Griffith is not content to let Hooper control the position.

Hooper gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Griffith looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hooper is looking for the big counter here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hooper scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joshua Hooper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kurtis Griffith's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Griffith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hooper swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Griffith gets tackled into the cage by Hooper. Hooper maintains the clinch.
Hooper looking to slow down the pace here.
Griffith wants to break free but Hooper has control.
Griffith throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hooper blocks it with crossed arms.
Griffith tries to work over Hooper's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Hooper lands a takedown into guard.
Hooper looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hooper doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hooper manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Griffith keeping moving, preventing Hooper from controlling successfully.
Griffith looking to control.
Griffith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hooper.
Griffith is trying to keep Hooper in close.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Griffith shoots for a double leg takedown but Hooper sprawls well. He's pushed Griffith's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hooper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hooper is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Hooper scores with a takedown into Griffith's guard.

Hooper avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hooper is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hooper lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith being controlled here, momentarily.
Hooper working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hooper is stalling in the full guard.
Griffith is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Hooper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Griffith manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Griffith rushes Hooper and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

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.

Hooper gets control of Griffith's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hooper will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hooper has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Hooper kicks Griffith off and gets to his feet.

Hooper scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The referee asks Hooper politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Hooper prefers to stall for the moment though.
Griffith struggling a bit here.
Griffith bucks up and tries to throw Hooper off but instead Hooper has got his back!
Griffith trying to get back to his feet but Hooper is in full control for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hooper misses with punches from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Hooper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hooper has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joshua Hooper!