PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mario Curran (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronald Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ronald Griffin is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Curran
vs
Griffin

169 cm
25
145 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

168 cm
27
152 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Amped Performance

Amped Performance

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 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mario Curran!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ronald Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Alyssa Summers and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Curran slaps away a takedown attempt from Griffin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
We've been told by Curran's head coaches at Thomas Top Team that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Curran scoring well with a low kick there.
Curran throws a combination that misses

and Griffin counters with a takedown into side control.

Griffin goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Curran rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Griffin's guard! Nice work there by Curran!
Griffin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Curran scoring with punches to the head and body.
Griffin lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

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!
Griffin wants to control from the top but Curran keeps moving.
Griffin sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Curran has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Griffin looking to sit in guard and control but Curran gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Griffin looking for a sweep. Not yet Griffin, not yet.
Curran has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Griffin is trying to control the position but Curran postures up.

Curran got a little sloppy there for a moment and Griffin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Curran has managed to get both his arms back between Griffin's legs - danger averted.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Curran from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Griffin has his hands on Curran's head, controlling the position.
Griffin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Curran.
Curran sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Griffin is trying to hold Curran in close to prevent damage but Curran has managed to pass into half guard.
Griffin controlling the position for now.
Griffin trying to get back to full guard but Curran takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curran lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Griffin wants to hold on but Curran pushes him away.
Griffin is working to get back to half guard.
Curran postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Griffin looks a forlorn figure.
Curran prevents Griffin from getting the reversal.
Griffin told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Curran raining down shots from the mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffin is desperately trying to improve his position but Curran has a good base and remains in mount.
Griffin regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Curran throwing shots but Griffin is blocking nicely.
Curran prevents Griffin from improving his position.
Curran is looking to take a break and control but Griffin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Curran is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Curran in particular looking to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Curran dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Curran is looking to chop away at Griffin's legs.
Griffin drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Curran defends it well.
Curran shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Griffin eats them both and turns towards Curran to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

Griffin shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Curran napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Griffin goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Curran has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Griffin but great work by Curran.
Griffin regains half guard.
Griffin is controlling Curran's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Griffin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Griffin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Curran postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Curran wants to control from the top but Griffin keeps moving.
Curran content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin pulls Curran in close to his closed guard and prevents Curran from doing any damage or advancing position.
Curran trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Griffin controlling the position.

Griffin has his foot on Curran's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Curran works his way back into a safe position though.
Griffin keeping moving, preventing Curran from controlling successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Curran's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Griffin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Griffin working for a triangle but Curran defends it easily.

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

Griffin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Curran's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Curran's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Curran works over Griffin with some ground and pound from guard.
Griffin looking to hit a scissor sweep but Curran is one step ahead there.
Curran with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is trying to keep Curran in close.
Curran trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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

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

Griffin is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Curran slips nicely into half guard.
Curran is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Griffin can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Griffin tries to roll over but Curran keeps him under control.

Curran is working for a kimura but Griffin is defending it quite comfortably.

Curran is looking for a kimura here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Griffin looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mario Curran dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Griffin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Curran swivels and escapes.
Griffin ducks right into an uppercut from Curran.
Griffin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Curran.
Mario Curran seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Curran wants to land a leg kick but Griffin is out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Griffin checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Curran lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Curran dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Griffin. That did some damage!
A clash of legs there as Griffin blocks the low kick.
Griffin tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Curran cracks Griffin with a right hand to the side of the head.
Griffin moves out of range of the leg kick from Curran.
Curran scores with a three punch combo!

Griffin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
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!
Well, if Griffin is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griffin is working for a submission of some sort.
Curran trying to control but Griffin postures up.

Griffin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Griffin throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Curran to regain full guard.

That's two 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.
Griffin seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Griffin is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Curran is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Curran has escaped and now he's on top!

Griffin wants to stand but Curran is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Curran advances position into side control!
You can see the frustration on Griffin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Curran working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Curran lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Griffin down.
Curran wants to control but Griffin is keeping him busy.
Ronald Griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Griffin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Curran wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin manages to work his way to half guard, despite Curran's best efforts.
Curran is keen to just control but Griffin is a slippery customer.
Curran prevents Griffin from improving his position.
Griffin is trying to control but can't.
Griffin is in trouble now - Curran has advanced to mount!
Curran with the ground and pound from mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Curran working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Mario Curran is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Griffin is looking to improve his position but Curran isn't that keen on the idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mario Curran showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Curran has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mario Curran!
An out of breath Mario Curran thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.