PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ronald Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lorenzo Babidi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lorenzo Babidi has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Griffin
vs
Babidi

168 cm
25
152 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

172 cm
25
153 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

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 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ronald Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lorenzo Babidi!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, David Schapiro and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good work by Griffin as he checks the leg kick.
Both fighters circling a little - Babidi finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Griffin fails with the takedown

and Babidi counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Griffin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Babidi gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Babidi scores with a nice hook to the head.
Babidi lands a shot to the body.
Babidi with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Babidi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Babidi lands a knee to the head.
A short right from Babidi.
Babidi working aggressively here.
Griffin jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Babidi walks away with a smile on his face. Griffin gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronald Griffin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Lorenzo Babidi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jab, jab by Babidi - just one landing.
Babidi ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
A telegraphed right hand from Babidi misses the target.
An inside leg kick lands from Babidi.
A low kick from Babidi is predictable there

and Griffin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Griffin seems to be working for a kimura but Babidi defends the submission attempt.
Griffin has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Babidi tries to roll over but Griffin keeps him under control.
Griffin wants to pass to mount but Babidi is defending the position.
Babidi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Griffin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Griffin not doing much here.
Babidi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Griffin is working away from the top position though.
Babidi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Griffin scores with a couple of nice shots.
Babidi controlling the position well.

Griffin is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Babidi has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Babidi is looking to control Griffin's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Babidi avoid being mounted?
Griffin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Babidi can do anything to dispel that myth.

Griffin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Babidi wants to get back to full guard but Griffin has mounted him!
Griffin prevents Babidi from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin lands a big elbow.
Babidi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Griffin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Griffin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Babidi is in a horrible position here. Griffin smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Babidi is trying desperately to improve position.

Griffin goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Babidi turns into him and now he's in Griffin's guard.
Griffin has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Babidi throws a nice inside leg kick.
Babidi tries to clinch but Griffin is having none of it.
Babidi swings for the body but Griffin moves out of range.
Babidi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A combination from Babidi does no damage.
Ronald Griffin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Babidi connects with a jab.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Griffin is defended easily by Babidi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Babidi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Griffin.
Babidi digs a good body shot into Griffin's ribs.

Griffin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Griffin lands in his opponent's guard.
Babidi pulls Griffin in close to his closed guard and prevents Griffin from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin trying to control but Babidi is working from the bottom.
Griffin passes Babidi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Babidi tries to roll over but Griffin keeps him under control.

Griffin seems to be working for a kimura but Babidi defends the submission attempt.
Babidi is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Griffin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Babidi is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Griffin scores with a couple of nice shots.

Griffin seems to be looking for submissions.
Babidi wants to control but Griffin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Babidi wants to get back to full guard.
Griffin seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Babidi is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin not doing much here.
Ronald Griffin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Babidi trying to control from the bottom.

Griffin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Babidi sees it coming and defends easily.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Babidi tries to roll over but Griffin keeps him under control.
Babidi is still trying to improve position.
Babidi trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Griffin is controlling the pace.
Griffin lands with a punch from half guard.
Babidi trying to control but Griffin postures up.
Babidi won't allow Griffin to pass to mount.

Griffin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Babidi defends it well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronald Griffin dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Griffin shoots for a double leg takedown but Babidi sprawls well. He's pushed Griffin's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Griffin lands a lovely overhand right.
Babidi feints and then cracks Griffin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Griffin down.
Babidi connects with a solid leg kick.
Babidi swings for the body but Griffin moves out of range.
A counter left hand to the body from Griffin misses its target.
Griffin moves away from the strike by Babidi.
Babidi slaps away a takedown attempt from Griffin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Babidi tries to counter by closing the distance.
Babidi displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Babidi throws a sloppy head kick and Griffin moves out of range easily.
Griffin tries to counter with a takedown but Babidi is quick to defend against it.

Griffin closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Babidi quickly recovers to half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Griffin is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Babidi has managed to free his arm - good work.
Griffin slips a nice elbow through Babidi's hands, connecting with Babidi's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffin is trying for a kimura here. Babidi looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Griffin wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ronald Griffin!