PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kian Kushiel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forrest Griffen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kushiel comes to the cage accompanied by Welsh National Anthem. Forrest Griffen has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kushiel
vs
Griffen

194 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kian Kushiel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Forrest Griffen!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kushiel but Kushiel pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Griffen 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.
Kushiel controls Griffen momentarily but Griffen frees himself.
Griffen wants to control from the top but Kushiel keeps moving.
Kushiel is trying to keep Griffen in close.

Kushiel is looking for a triangle but Griffen pushes his legs off easily.
Kushiel trying to keep a closed guard but Griffen is proving a slippery customer.

Griffen drops back, looking for a kneebar! Kushiel looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Kushiel looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Kushiel!
Kushiel misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kushiel wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Griffen, who protects the arm well.
Griffen is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Griffen regains half guard.
Griffen wants to control but Kushiel is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Kushiel 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.

Kushiel is looking for a kimura but Griffen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Kushiel to get the leverage.

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.
Griffen trying to control here.
Griffen wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Kushiel tries to clinch up.
Griffen fails with the takedown.

Griffen instigates a clinch.
Griffen wants a takedown.
Kian Kushiel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forrest Griffen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kushiel is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Griffen can't fight it off and eventually Kushiel manages to take the fight to the floor. Griffen looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Griffen keeping moving, preventing Kushiel from controlling successfully.
Griffen trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Kushiel looking to pass the guard.
Kushiel trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kushiel has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kushiel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kushiel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffen swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel trying to control but Griffen is working from the bottom.
Griffen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Griffen misses with a takedown attempt - Kushiel sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kushiel takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Griffen fails with an attempt to clinch.

Griffen tries to keep at a distance but Kushiel has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kushiel changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Griffen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Griffen throws a nice looking combination but Kushiel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Griffen looks for a takedown but Kushiel sprawls well.
Griffen tries to clinch but Kushiel moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kian Kushiel dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Kushiel bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The referee asks Kushiel politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Kushiel prefers to stall for the moment though.
Griffen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Kushiel's best efforts.
Kushiel wants to free his trapped foot but Griffen is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kushiel prevents Griffen from standing back up.
Kushiel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Griffen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Griffen gets full guard.
Kushiel tries to stand but Griffen is controlling from the bottom.

Griffen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kushiel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Griffen wants to sweep here but Kushiel controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kushiel tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffen is retaining full guard.
Kushiel controlling from the top position.
Griffen controls Kushiel momentarily but Kushiel frees himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Griffen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Kushiel, pushing him back against the cage.
Kushiel tries to land a knee to the head but Griffen blocks with his arms.
Kushiel fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Griffen throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Kushiel fails to land the takedown.
Kushiel shoots and misses

and Griffen counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Kushiel!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kian Kushiel. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Griffen tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Griffen thowing shots but they're missing.
Kushiel is just holding on here. Griffen manages to take his back.
Griffen missing with punches from the back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kushiel trying to control the hands but Griffen breaks the grip.
Griffen struggling to land strikes to the head as Kushiel covers up.
Kushiel tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Griffen stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

Griffen clinches with his opponent.

Griffen jumps guard.
Griffen is pulling down on Kushiel's head. It's preventing any offense from Kushiel, at least for the moment.
Griffen keeping moving, preventing Kushiel from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kushiel really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Griffen avoids the attempt from Kushiel to control.
Griffen dominating with strikes here.
Kushiel can't escape the position.
Griffen thowing shots but they're missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Forrest Griffen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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 drives through and clinches with Kushiel against the cage.
Kushiel tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Griffen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kushiel shoots and misses
and Griffen counters with a good low kick that Kushiel was not able to check.
Griffen with a poor takedown

and Kushiel counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Griffen!
Kushiel throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Kushiel trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Griffen holds on to Kushiel around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.
Kushiel unloads with some shots from mount but Griffen bucks and avoids them well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Griffen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffen regains half guard.
Kushiel wants to control but Griffen is keeping him busy.
Kushiel missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Kushiel prevents Griffen from standing back up.
Griffen is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kushiel stalling.
Kushiel seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Griffen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Kushiel in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Griffen tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Kushiel!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Kian Kushiel!