PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight kickboxing rules bout between Chuck Griffen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddey Kalai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Eddey Kalai is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Griffen
vs
Kalai

185 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

163 cm
19
130 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chuck Griffen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eddey Kalai!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kalai misses with a jab, cross combination.
Kalai moves out of range of the body kick from Griffen.
Kalai lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Griffen backs up against the ropes.
Kalai scores with a jab to the body.
A big right from Kalai misses.
Griffen misses with a few strikes there.
Kalai swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Griffen swings for the body but Kalai moves out of range.
Kalai fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Griffen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kalai looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Griffen has closed the distance and engaged Kalai in a clinch.
Griffen really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Griffen breaks from the clinch.
Kalai throws a series of punches but Griffen avoids them all with ease.
Griffen is looking to counter the offense by Kalai and move into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalai misses with a hook

and Griffen counters by moving into the clinch.

Griffen breaks the clinch.

Griffen takes the fight into the clinch.

Griffen breaks the clinch.
Griffen takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
A solid leg kick lands there for Griffen.
Griffen dodges the punch combination from Kalai.
Kalai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Griffen was well out of range. Poor timing from Kalai.

Griffen rushes Kalai and presses him up against the ropes.
Kalai tries to break the clinch but Griffen is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed against the ropes, as the pace of the fight slows.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Griffen throws a combination that misses
and Kalai counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Kalai lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kalai misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Griffen.
Kalai throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Griffen moves into the clinch successfully.
Griffen taking a breather.

Griffen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Eddey Kalai will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Kalai throws a left and a right that both miss

and Griffen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Griffen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Eddey Kalai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kalai keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Griffen misses with a jab, cross combination.

Griffen takes the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Griffen.
Kalai looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffen lands a body shot.
Kalai can't break the clinch.
Good body shot from Griffen.
Griffen blocks a body shot from Kalai.
Kalai is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalai wants to get back to striking at distance but Griffen won't allow it.

Griffen manages to break the clinch.
Kalai misses the shot to the body.
Kalai rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Griffen counters with a nice body kick.
Griffen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Chuck Griffen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Some wild striking there from Kalai.
Griffen lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Griffen misses with a double jab.

Griffen clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalai being controlled against the ropes.
Griffen tries to work over Kalai's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Griffen trying to land knees to the body.

Griffen manages to break the clinch.
Griffen thows a left - swing and a miss!

Griffen clinches with his opponent.

Griffen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Griffen has closed the distance and engaged Kalai in a clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kalai looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Griffen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Griffen dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kalai lands with a nice combination. Griffen backs away looking to recover.
Kalai throws a right hand that Griffen ducks under and follows up with a left that Griffen also avoids with ease.
Kalai lands with a right hand.

Griffen drives through and clinches with Kalai against the ropes.
Come on Griffen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Griffen breaks the clinch.

Kalai tries to keep at a distance but Griffen has taken the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffen stalling against the ropes.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Chuck Griffen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffen misses with the combination.

Griffen clinches up with Kalai and pushes him back against the ropes.
Griffen keeps control of Kalai as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Griffen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Kalai tries to break free but Griffen pushes him back against the ropes.
Griffen stalling the fight.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kalai scores with a nice head shot.

Griffen drives through and clinches with Kalai against the ropes.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffen takes the fight into the clinch.

Griffen manages to break the clinch.

Griffen drives through and clinches with Kalai against the ropes.
Kalai is trying to break free.
Kalai has had enough of the clinch but Griffen keeps him there for the moment.
Griffen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kalai can do to turn this around?
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Griffen dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the ropes.
Griffen gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Kalai takes a knee right on the jaw!
Griffen scores a nice knee 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!
Griffen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Kalai is defending well for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Griffen clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Kalai throws a series of punches but Griffen avoids them all with ease.
Griffen lands a head kick!
Kalai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Griffen manages to avoid it.
Griffen is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Kalai.
Kalai throws a shot to the body.

Griffen gets a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Kalai's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Kalai misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Griffen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Griffen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kalai tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Griffen was well out of range. Poor timing from Kalai.

Griffen gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Griffen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalai swats away the attempt to clinch by Griffen.
Griffen tries a head kick but it misses.
Kalai is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Griffen rather than just go for the knockout.

Griffen takes the fight into the clinch.

Griffen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Griffen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Griffen moves into the clinch.
Chuck Griffen has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Kalai working hard to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffen with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Griffen pushes Kalai back against the ropes and unloads with a body punch.

Griffen breaks the clinch.
Kalai cracks a nice hook into Griffen's ribs.
Kalai jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Kalai just misses with a punch to the body.

Griffen has managed to clinch.
Kalai takes an elbow to the forehead.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Eddey Kalai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Griffen throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Kalai misses with a jab, cross combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chuck Griffen had his way with Eddey Kalai in that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffen tries a head kick but it misses.

Griffen moves into the clinch successfully.
Griffen prevents a body shot from Kalai.
Griffen will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Kalai up against the ropes.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Kalai lands a jab to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kalai fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Griffen manages to avoid it.
Griffen was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Kalai checks the leg kick nicely there.
Kalai doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Griffen misses with a wild body shot.

Griffen rushes Kalai and presses him up against the ropes.
We've been informed that Kalai has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalai is trying to break the clinch but Griffen has him pressed against the ropes.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Griffen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kalai, pushing him back against the ropes.
Kalai is trying to break free.
Kalai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kalai is looking to break free of the clinch but Griffen has double underhooks.
Kalai managing to block the knees to the body from Griffen.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Griffen gets a clinch.
Griffen lands a good knee to the midsection. Kalai won't want to take too many of those.
Griffen slowing the pace effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalai wants to break free but Griffen has control.

Griffen breaks from the clinch.
Kalai looks to land a combination but Griffen avoids it well.
Griffen tried to counter with a leg kick but Kalai avoided it.
Kalai throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Griffen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Griffen pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Griffen has Kalai up against the ropes in a clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Griffen closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Eddey Kalai has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Chuck Griffen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Kalai.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chuck Griffen showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Griffen 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 49:45
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 50:45
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 49:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chuck Griffen!