PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Damian Kita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Griffith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kita's entrance music is Aleja Gwiazd. A fine choice. Griffith has chosen Kirameki as his entrance music. Damian Kita has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kita
vs
Griffith

195 cm
25
286 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

198 cm
18
247 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

VALOR Clothing - Everything $20

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Damian Kita!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Robert Griffith!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Peter Branson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Kita.
Griffith gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Kita is thwarting Griffith's attempts to control the position.

Griffith looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Griffith wants to improve his position but Kita is controlling well.
Griffith holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffith on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Griffith wants to control but Kita is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kita working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Griffith's thigh. Griffith counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith controlling Kita's posture.
Kita could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Griffith throws his legs up looking for a submission but Kita uses it to pass to side control.
Griffith gets back to half guard.
Kita definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Griffith tries to get to full guard but Kita has control of the leg.
Griffith is pressing down on Kita's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Griffith working a defensive guard here.

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.

Griffith is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kita is aware though and is defending well.
Griffith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Griffith is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kita is aware though and is defending well.
Griffith looks winded!

Griffith looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Kita forces his way into half guard.
Kita wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffith keeps working.
Griffith tries to get to full guard but Kita has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kita wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffith keeps working.

Kita wants to work for an arm triangle but Griffith is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Kita is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Kita tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffith is retaining full guard.

Griffith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kita doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kita manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Griffith keeping moving, preventing Kita from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

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.
Griffith takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

It looks like Robert Griffith has been cut.

Kita closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Griffith's guard.

Griffith throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Kita is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Kita wants to control from the top but Griffith keeps moving.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Kita postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Griffith avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kita wants to control from the top but Griffith keeps moving.

Griffith escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kita gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kita trying to control but Griffith is working from the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Griffith looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Kita throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's six 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.
Griffith gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Griffith darts in and clinches Kita up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Kita's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Kita won't allow it.
Griffith jumps guard but Kita stands there with Griffith around his waist. Griffith gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Griffith jumps guard and drags Kita to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Kita wants to pass the guard but Griffith is keeping the position.
Kita stays in close to Griffith's body and controls the position.
Kita trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Griffith controls Kita momentarily but Kita frees himself.
Kita trying to control but Griffith is working from the bottom.
Kita working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kita trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffith is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Kita bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Griffith's head.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Griffith has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kita wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Griffith manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Griffith has his foot on Kita's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Kita works his way back into a safe position though.
Kita passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Griffith parries the strikes from Kita easily there. Kita is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Griffith to escape.
Griffith is looking to regain half guard here but Kita keeps moving and retains side control.
Griffith gets back to half guard.
Griffith tries to get to full guard but Kita has control of the leg.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Kita is stalling here. Griffith is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Kita seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Griffith has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Kita manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Kita trying to control but Griffith postures up.
Griffith looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Kita has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Griffith is working away from the top position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kita throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damian Kita dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Robert Griffith's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Kita shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Griffith napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Kita wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffith keeps working.
Griffith is trying to control Kita's posture but Kita avoids it.
Griffith is looking to reverse the position.
Griffith wants to control but Kita postures up.
Damian Kita overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Kita wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Griffith, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffith wants to control but Kita postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Kita off and has taken his back!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

Griffith is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Griffith is breathing heavily.
Griffith controls the action.
Kita is really stuck here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffith is looking for the choke from the back position but Kita is controlling his hands well.
Griffith is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

Griffith has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
I really don't envy Kita right now.
Griffith trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Kita doesn't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith controlling well, preventing Kita from escaping the position.
Kita just trying to survive but Griffith is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

Griffith is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Kita has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Kita is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Kita tries to escape but Griffith has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Griffith is looking for the choke from the back position but Kita is controlling his hands well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffith is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Kita rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kita trying to control but Griffith postures up.
Griffith controlling the action here.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is continuing to stall.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Kita is trying to maintain the position but Griffith is very close to passing his half guard.

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

Kita forces Griffith back against the cage and clinches.

Griffith manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Kita passes Griffith's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Griffith is trying to maintain the position but Kita is very close to passing his half guard.

Griffith looking for a kimura from the bottom but Kita passes into side control!
Kita lands a decent elbow from side control.
Griffith tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kita wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Kita wants to control but Griffith is keeping him busy.

Kita is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Griffith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Kita tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Kita has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Griffith tries to improve position but can't.
Griffith is not content to let Kita control the position.
Griffith is trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's eight 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.

Kita tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Griffith dodges the ground and pound from Kita.
Kita trying to control the position but Griffith is working away.
Kita working away.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Griffith might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Kita haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Kita is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Griffith is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Kita in side control, throwing shots but Griffith defends.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Griffith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Kita won't allow it.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Kita forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffith tries to pull guard but Kita forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Damian Kita has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Griffith.
Griffith jumps guard but Kita stands there with Griffith around his waist. Griffith gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Robert Griffith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Griffith misses with a knee to the 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 Damian Kita.
I think Kita has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight for Damian Kita!
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight for Damian Kita!
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight for Damian Kita!

Damian Kita wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath Damian Kita thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.