PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lawerence Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kristian Eivind Espedal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eivind Espedal has chosen Incipit Satan as his entrance music. Kristian Eivind Espedal will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Grant
vs
Eivind Espedal

152 cm
24
151 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
24
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lawerence Grant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kristian Eivind Espedal!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Eivind Espedal gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Eivind Espedal pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Eivind Espedal tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Grant throws a counter high kick but Eivind Espedal was just alert enough to avoid it.
Grant fails to land the takedown.

Eivind Espedal clinches up with Grant and pushes him back against the cage.
Grant could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Grant's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Grant fails to pull guard.
Grant tries to pull guard but Eivind Espedal forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lawerence Grant. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Eivind Espedal pulls guard successfully.
Eivind Espedal wants to stand and escape but Grant is having none of it.
Grant cracks Eivind Espedal with a solid left hand.
Eivind Espedal avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Eivind Espedal looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grant is one step ahead there.
Grant is looking to work some ground and pound but Eivind Espedal has wrist control.
Eivind Espedal is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Eivind Espedal wants to sweep but no luck.

Eivind Espedal is looking for a triangle here but Grant uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Grant looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

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.
Grant looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Eivind Espedal is avoiding damage well.
Grant trying to control the action but Eivind Espedal is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Grant sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Eivind Espedal is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Eivind Espedal tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eivind Espedal wants to get back to his feet.
Eivind Espedal is looking to reverse the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Eivind Espedal takes the fight into the clinch.

Grant decides to pull guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Eivind Espedal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Eivind Espedal decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Grant, up you get!
Eivind Espedal pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Eivind Espedal feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Grant wants to sweep but no luck.
Eivind Espedal trying to control but Grant is working from the bottom.
Grant looking to hit a scissor sweep but Eivind Espedal is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Eivind Espedal gets to his feet - Grant follows without any prompting.

Eivind Espedal instigates a clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Eivind Espedal is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Eivind Espedal lands with a light punch inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Eivind Espedal stalling the fight.

Eivind Espedal manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kristian Eivind Espedal dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Eivind Espedal throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Eivind Espedal pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Grant back to the cage. Eivind Espedal follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

It looks like Lawerence Grant has been cut.
Eivind Espedal throws a head kick that Grant semi-blocks.
Eivind Espedal fails with an attempt to clinch.
Grant takes a kick to the side of the head.

Grant is rocked!
Eivind Espedal circles to his right before unloading a perfect head kick! Grant drops to the canvas, hurt badly! Eivind Espedal follows Grant to the ground and unloads with a series of strikes that force the referee to step in and end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kristian Eivind Espedal!
A determined Kristian Eivind Espedal didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!