PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Danial Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James O Neill (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James O Neill has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Danial Griffin's chin.

Griffin
vs
O Neill

180 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
19
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Danial Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James O Neill !
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
O Neill throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Griffin.
Griffin shoots in but O Neill avoids the takedown attempt easily.
O Neill will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
O Neill throws a right and a left that both miss.
Griffin is looking to counter with a body kick.
Griffin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Griffin seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
O Neill looks winded!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffin rushes O Neill and presses him up against the cage.

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

Griffin clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Griffin decides to pull guard.
Griffin controlling the position.
Griffin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

O Neill looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Griffin passes into side control.

Griffin goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, O Neill has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Griffin but great work by O Neill .
Griffin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
You can see the frustration on Griffin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.
Griffin manages to work his way to half guard, despite O Neill 's best efforts.
Griffin preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Griffin is looking for a sweep. O Neill is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Griffin is trying to control but can't.
Griffin is trying to get back to full guard.
O Neill tries to pass the half guard into mount. Griffin knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Griffin is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Neill looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Griffin manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
O Neill tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.
O Neill working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffin pulls O Neill in to control the position.
O Neill won't allow Griffin to sweep him here.
Griffin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
O Neill closes this distance looking for a takedown but Griffin circles away.
Griffin seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Griffin.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danial Griffin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
O Neill shoots in and drives through. Griffin sprawls well.
Griffin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but O Neill avoids it really well and circles away.
Horrible takedown attempt by O Neill or perhaps it was just good defense by Griffin, which made it look bad.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Griffin shoots in and drives through. O Neill sprawls well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

O Neill closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Griffin is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but James O Neill will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A jab from O Neill finds it's way through Griffin's defenses.
O Neill has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.
O Neill shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Griffin sprawls well. Griffin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. O Neill gets slowly back to his feet.
O Neill shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Griffin as he jumps to the side.
Griffin misses with a head kick.
O Neill is looking for the big counter here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffin fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging O Neill to the ground. Griffin is now in O Neill 's guard.
Danial Griffin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
O Neill being controlled here, momentarily.
O Neill not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
O Neill is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Griffin pushes down on O Neill 's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Griffin seems to be looking for submissions.

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.
Griffin is trying to control the action in half guard but O Neill is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Griffin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
O Neill is trying to get back to full guard.

Griffin is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so O Neill is just riding it out for now. Griffin eventually gives up the hold.

Griffin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin throws a strike but O Neill avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
O Neill is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four 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.
O Neill is looking to stand back up but Griffin counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by O Neill .

Griffin is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, O Neill has managed to free his arm - good work.
O Neill tries to roll over but Griffin keeps him under control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffin controlling the action here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Danial Griffin dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Griffin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
O Neill misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Griffin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Horrible takedown attempt by O Neill or perhaps it was just good defense by Griffin, which made it look bad.
It looked like Griffin was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Griffin throws a sloppy head kick and O Neill moves out of range easily.

Griffin moves into range and clinches up with O Neill .
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Griffin goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

O Neill clinches up against the cage.
O Neill takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Neill misses with a knee to the head.
Griffin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. O Neill smiles and moves away.
O Neill on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

O Neill moves into the clinch.

Griffin manages to pull guard.
Griffin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Neill postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Griffin looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet but O Neill is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from O Neill .
As O Neill looks to move away, Griffin throws a big counter combo but O Neill just gets out of the way.

O Neill closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Griffin jumps guard.

Griffin has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. O Neill doesn't defend quickly enough and Griffin has managed to lock this one up! Can O Neill escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Griffin on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Danial Griffin!