PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ezra Pugh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aimee Grinnan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ezra Pugh has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Pugh
vs
Grinnan

225 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ezra Pugh!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Aimee Grinnan!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Colin Fray and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pugh gets caught napping as Grinnan dives in and scores a takedown. Pugh manages to retain guard.

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

Pugh had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Grinnan defends it easily.
Grinnan passes Pugh's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Grinnan seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Pugh is trying to stand back up but Grinnan is controlling him
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grinnan wants to take a breather but Pugh is having none of it.
Grinnan is controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Grinnan postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Pugh to stand up.
Pugh shoots for a takedown but Grinnan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Aimee Grinnan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pugh gets a clinch.
Pugh dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.

Grinnan jumps guard and drags Pugh to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Grinnan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Grinnan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pugh doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pugh manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Pugh looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Grinnan has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Pugh is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Grinnan.
Grinnan looking for a sweep but Pugh has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Grinnan tries to hold on but Pugh pushes him away.
Grinnan working to try and regain half guard.
Pugh will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Grinnan regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grinnan tries to kick Pugh off but Pugh keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Grinnan looking for submissions off his back.
Grinnan looks winded!

Grinnan is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Pugh pulls his head out easily.
Pugh really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pugh stalling.
Grinnan is trying to stand up here but Pugh is controlling him well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Grinnan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pugh controlling the action here.
Pugh looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Grinnan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Pugh decides to return to a standing position.
Grinnan moves in looking to clinch but Pugh pushes him off.
Pugh circles away from the clinch attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Pugh closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Grinnan takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Grinnan tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Pugh presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ezra Pugh will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Grinnan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pugh swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Grinnan should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Grinnan looks to clinch
and Grinnan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Pugh gets caught flat footed, as Grinnan shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Pugh wants to stand but Grinnan is controlling the position.
Pugh seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Grinnan wants to control from the top but Pugh keeps moving.

Grinnan gets to his feet. Pugh looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pugh closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Grinnan did well to prevent Pugh getting side control.
Grinnan is trying to escape back to his feet but Pugh uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Grinnan is pushing Pugh's head away, looking to escape. Pugh manages to hold on to the position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grinnan is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Pugh is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Grinnan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Grinnan is breathing heavily.
Pugh looking to control and managing it successfully.
Grinnan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Pugh landing shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pugh sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Grinnan is working to get back to half guard.
Grinnan is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Pugh content just to control the position here.
Grinnan is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pugh controlling from the full mount.
Grinnan tries to hold on but Pugh postures up.
Pugh controlling from the full mount.
Pugh avoids the attempt from Grinnan to control.
Pugh is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Grinnan can do to turn this around?
Pugh seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Grinnan is holding on tight.
Grinnan can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pugh sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Grinnan is working to get back to half guard.
Grinnan wants to try and get back to his feet.
Pugh avoids the attempt from Grinnan to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Grinnan is desperately trying to improve his position but Pugh has a good base and remains in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezra Pugh dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Grinnan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Grinnan showed some decent athleticism there.

Pugh pushes Grinnan off and gets back to his feet.
Grinnan throws a big shot that misses.
A punch combination from Grinnan misses.
It looked like Pugh was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Grinnan.
A nice leg kick lands there from Grinnan.

Pugh changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Grinnan looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
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!
Grinnan tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pugh wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Grinnan can't do much from the bottom here.
Grinnan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Grinnan on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Ezra Pugh overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pugh controlling the position from side mount.
Grinnan is looking to regain half guard here but Pugh keeps moving and retains side control.
Grinnan struggling a bit here.
Pugh creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A lull in the action here as Pugh stalls from top position.

Pugh stands up.
Pugh ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

Pugh drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Grinnan wants to get back to his feet but Pugh is dominant here and he's now got Grinnan's back!
Grinnan is trying to get back to his feet but Pugh has full control of the position and if anything, Grinnan has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Grinnan trying to control the hands but Pugh won't let him.
What can Grinnan do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grinnan trying to control but not successfully.
Grinnan wants to get back to his feet.
Pugh throwing damaging strikes from the back! Grinnan could be in trouble here!
Grinnan wants to get back to his feet.

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.
Pugh scores with punches to the body.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Pugh controlling the positon.
Grinnan tries to roll but Pugh sticks to his back.
Grinnan trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Aimee Grinnan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ezra Pugh is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pugh controlling from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ezra Pugh showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pugh, 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ezra Pugh!