PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finn Balor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Borys Grabowski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Balor comes to the cage accompanied by Monster. Borys Grabowski has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Finn Balor's chin.

Balor
vs
Grabowski

172 cm
40
152 lbs
32 - 17 - 1

171 cm
41
155 lbs
33 - 26 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

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 32 - 17 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Finn Balor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Borys Grabowski!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Balor looks to land a right hand but Grabowski moved out of range.
Grabowski has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Balor is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Grabowski.
Balor connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Balor fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Grabowski has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Balor throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Grabowski looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Balor wants to clinch up but Grabowski keeps it at a distance.
Balor jabs Grabowski right on the nose. Grabowski blinks but takes it well.
Balor uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Balor scores with a jab.
Balor lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Balor tries to land a front kick but Grabowski steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Grabowski avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Balor has Grabowski up against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balor lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grabowski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A head kick misses from Grabowski.
Nice uppercut there from Balor.
Balor ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
It looks like Balor has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Grabowski looks to land a combination but Balor avoids it well.
Balor throws a leg kick but Grabowski checks it.
Balor misses with a looping left.
Balor is looking to clinch.
Grabowski throws out a counter right but Balor avoids it with no problem.
Grabowski throws a body punch but Balor moves out of range.
Balor misses with a body kick.
Grabowski swats away the attempt to clinch by Balor.
Grabowski slips a straight right by Balor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Grabowski gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Grabowski wants to sweep here but Balor controlling him for the moment.
Balor loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Grabowski looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Balor throws a strike but Grabowski rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Balor trying to control the position.
Grabowski engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Grabowski must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Balor looking for a guillotine here but Grabowski defends easily.
Balor is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Balor looking to control.
Balor trying to control the position here.
Grabowski is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four 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.
Balor wants to sweep here but Grabowski controlling him for the moment.
Grabowski trying to control but Balor is working from the bottom.

Grabowski got a little sloppy there for a moment and Balor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Grabowski has managed to get both his arms back between Balor's legs - danger averted.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Balor working for a triangle but Grabowski defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Balor has his hands on Grabowski's head, controlling the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finn Balor dominated that round.
That's time! Balor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Balor turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Balor has a takedown stuffed.
Grabowski gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Grabowski misses with a series of wild punches.
Balor shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Grabowski sprawls well. Grabowski wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Balor gets slowly back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Balor takes one to the chin there.
Borys Grabowski is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grabowski looks to score with a jab to the body but Balor is just out of range.
Balor doesn't manage to clinch there - Grabowski circles away.
Balor showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Grabowski.
Nice straight punches there by Grabowski. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Grabowski.
Grabowski misses with a wild body shot.
Balor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Balor clinches up with Grabowski and pushes him back against the cage.
Grabowski wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Balor lands with a short shot to the head.
Balor is working for takedown but Grabowski is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Finn Balor. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Grabowski manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balor wants to clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Balor or perhaps it was just good defense by Grabowski, which made it look bad.
Grabowski slips a straight right by Balor.
Finn Balor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Balor uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Balor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Grabowski swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Grabowski is looking for the big counter here.
Borys Grabowski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grabowski connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Grabowski avoids the head kick by Balor.
Grabowski throws a counter combo.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grabowski throws out a leg kick but Balor moves out of range and Grabowski only half commits.
Grabowski misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balor cracks Grabowski with a good jab.
Balor walks into a left hand.
Balor lands a jab to the nose.
Balor throws a wild body kick that Grabowski sees coming a mile off.
Grabowski is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Balor with a body shot.
Balor scoring well with a low kick there.
Balor tries to clinch up but Grabowski circles away and keeps his distance.
Balor fails to land the takedown.
Balor takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Grabowski cracks Balor with an open hand slap.
Balor pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grabowski tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Balor is able to avoid easily.
Balor throws a counter high kick but Grabowski was just alert enough to avoid it.
Grabowski has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Balor.
Balor misses with a takedown
and Grabowski counters with a one-two to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grabowski slips a straight right by Balor.
Balor throws a combination. Grabowski tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Balor lands with a hook. Grabowski tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Balor throws a body kick that misses.
Grabowski moves away from the strike by Balor.
A little jabbing left from Grabowski on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A big left from Balor misses.
Grabowski fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Balor manages to avoid it.
Balor feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Balor is looking to clinch but Grabowski is avoiding it.
Balor chopping away at his opponent's legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Borys Grabowski will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Balor's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Balor misses with an uppercut
and Balor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Grabowski lands with a thumping leg kick.
Balor lands with a thumping leg kick.
Grabowski buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Balor avoids the body shot from Grabowski.
Balor scores with a hook to the body. Grabowski takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Balor ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Balor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balor is looking to counter punch.

Balor throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Grabowski was covering up waiting for the punch and Balor finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Grabowski utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Grabowski tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grabowski preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Grabowski tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Balor postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Balor's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Balor accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Balor trying to control but Grabowski is working from the bottom.
Grabowski can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Balor controls the pace.
Grabowski is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Balor takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Balor rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Balor takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Balor scores with a nice right hand.
Balor throws a head kick but Grabowski moves out of range.
Balor pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Grabowski unleashes a big counter combination but Balor bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Balor misses with an attempted mid kick.
Grabowski loads up on a big right hand but Balor slips the punch.
Balor appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Grabowski blocks a leg kick.
It seemed like Grabowski was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Balor connects with a body shot.
No luck for Balor with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grabowski is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Donk. Balor catches Grabowski right on the button with a cross.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Grabowski, right into the meat.
Balor throws a half hearted mid kick.
Balor throws a sloppy head kick
and Grabowski counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
The fighters circling - Balor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Balor looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Grabowski!

Grabowski throws Balor to one side and escapes!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Balor does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
It seemed like Grabowski was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Balor finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Balor misses.
Balor lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Balor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Grabowski misses with a looping right.
Balor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Balor throws a leg kick but Grabowski sees it coming and moves out of range.
Grabowski on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A telegraphed right hand from Grabowski misses the target.
Balor throws a head kick that misses.
Balor slips a straight right by Grabowski.
Balor blocks a leg kick.
Balor misses with a takedown attempt - Grabowski sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Borys Grabowski.
I think Grabowski has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Borys Grabowski!
Borys Grabowski was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.