PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bennie Griffith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kevin Cratom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kevin Cratom will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Griffith
vs
Cratom

157 cm
18
346 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

200 cm
24
289 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bennie Griffith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kevin Cratom!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Chris Dean and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cratom throws a head kick that misses

and Griffith holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Cratom looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Cratom stops a takedown attempt from Griffith.
Cratom is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Griffith could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Cratom lands a nice knee to the body.
Cratom lands a nice knee to the body.
Cratom digs a right hand underneath Griffith's ribcage. Griffith let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Cratom is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cratom has Griffith pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Griffith 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.
Griffith struggles to land a body shot inside as Cratom controls his hands.

Cratom jumps guard.
Griffith working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Cratom's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith preventing the sweep.
Griffith 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.
Griffith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Cratom is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Griffith defends well.
Griffith won't allow Cratom to sweep him here.
Griffith is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Griffith drops back looking for a leg! Cratom is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cratom manages to kick Griffith off! Griffith jumps back into Cratom's guard.
Griffith postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Griffith stands up from Cratom's guard - Griffith perhaps looking for a knockout.
Cratom looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Griffith has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cratom wants to take the fight to the mat but Griffith manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Griffith has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cratom after a bit of a struggle.
Griffith is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Griffith wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bennie Griffith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cratom tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffith tightens his grip and picks Cratom up, before dumping him to the ground. Cratom manages to land in guard.
Griffith in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cratom is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Griffith lands a couple of digs.
Cratom has momentary wrist control but Griffith slips an elbow through the middle.
Griffith is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Griffith keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Cratom's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cratom's guard.
Griffith slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Griffith with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Griffith accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cratom is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Griffith not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cratom instigates a clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Griffith pulls guard successfully.
Griffith wants to sweep here but Cratom controlling him for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bennie Griffith dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Griffith feints and as Cratom raises his hands in defense, Griffith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Griffith wants to get up but he can't break Cratom's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Griffith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Griffith 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.

Cratom has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Griffith can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Griffith drops back looking for a leg! Cratom is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cratom manages to kick Griffith off! Griffith jumps back into Cratom's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffith gets to his feet - Cratom follows without any prompting.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A looping hook to the body misses from Griffith. Cratom does a little dance to reset his feet.

Cratom takes the fight into the clinch.

Griffith gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Cratom regains guard.
Griffith not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Griffith decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cratom, up you get!
Cratom uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffith.
A looping hook to the body misses from Griffith. Cratom does a little dance to reset his feet.

Cratom gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffith tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cratom smiles and moves away.

Griffith has Cratom up against the cage in a clinch.

Cratom pulls guard effortlessly.
Griffith controlling from the top position.

Griffith decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cratom, up you get!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cratom uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Griffith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith stuffs the takedown.
Cratom avoids the body shot from Griffith.

Griffith instigates a clinch.
Griffith wants a takedown.

Cratom gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Griffith is refusing to be controlled, as Cratom sits in half guard.
Griffith is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Cratom's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Cratom's back!
Cratom looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Griffith has the hooks in. Cratom is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Griffith is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Cratom can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cratom preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Griffith.

Griffith working for a choke but Cratom is defending well.
Griffith is trying to stick to Cratom's back but Cratom is turning into Griffith. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Griffith's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Cratom.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Cratom looking to sit in guard and control but Griffith gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cratom working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Griffith doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Griffith manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bennie Griffith dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Griffith doesn't manage to clinch there - Cratom circles away.
Cratom is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Cratom throws a right and a left that Griffith avoids nicely.
Griffith tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Cratom manages to circle out of the way.
Griffith misses with a hook.
Griffith misses with a left hand
and Cratom counters with a two punch combo.
Griffith takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Griffith throws a looping overhand right but Cratom ducks down to avoid it.
Good exchange - Griffith coming out on top.
Cratom takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice straight punches there by Griffith. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Griffith.

Cratom tries to keep at a distance but Griffith has taken the fight into the clinch.
Griffith is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Cratom gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cratom is pressed up against the cage. Griffith has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Cratom down to the mat. Cratom avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Griffith shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Cratom napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cratom is not content to let Griffith control the position.

Griffith thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cratom tries to buck Griffith off but Griffith is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffith decides to stand back up. Griffith steps back and let's Cratom get back to his feet.

Griffith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Griffith tries to score a body lock takedown but Cratom shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bennie Griffith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Cratom trying to control the position but instead, Griffith has worked for underhooks and has pushed Cratom into the cage.

Cratom breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Griffith pushes Cratom up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith wants to take the fight to the mat but Cratom manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Cratom's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A punch combination from Cratom misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Griffith misses the target.
Cratom throws a series of punches but Griffith avoids them all with ease.
Cratom moves out of range of the strikes.
Griffith connects with a single shot there.
Griffith dodges the punch combination from Cratom.
Griffith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Cratom was well out of range. Poor timing from Griffith.
Griffith takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith tries to clinch up but Cratom circles away and keeps his distance.

Griffith instigates a clinch.
Cratom goes for a takedown attempt but Griffith pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Griffith tries to close the distance and clinch but Cratom swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cratom slips a straight right by Griffith.
As Griffith backs off Cratom throws a huge counter combo but Griffith manages to avoid it all.
Griffith throws a body shot but no joy.
Cratom unleashes a big counter combination but Griffith bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Cratom misses with a head kick.

Griffith shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Griffith showed some decent athleticism there.
Kevin Cratom has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bennie Griffith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Griffith thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cratom's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bennie Griffith.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Griffith, 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bennie Griffith!