PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Griffiths (ranked 1826 p4p, 270 weight class) and Yuri Boshtok (ranked 1525 p4p, 225 weight class). Boshtok has chosen Jump Around M*thaf*cka as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Griffiths
vs
Boshtok

170 cm
37
175 lbs
36 - 18 - 1

172 cm
31
155 lbs
19 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Nutrition

Free Bands inc.
Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 18 - 1, fighting out of New York, Stephen Griffiths!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yuri Boshtok!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Robert Douchet and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffiths moves into the clinch.
Boshtok tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Griffiths's elbow.
Griffiths misses with a punch on the inside.
Boshtok working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Griffiths misses with a hook from the clinch.

Griffiths breaks from the clinch.
Boshtok staying out of range there.
Boshtok with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Griffiths with a poor takedown
and Boshtok counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Griffiths thinking.
Griffiths is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Griffiths thuds a left hand into Boshtok's body.
Boshtok misses with an uppercut
and Griffiths counters with a good low kick that Boshtok was not able to check.

Griffiths scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Boshtok is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Griffiths off and has taken his back!
Griffiths trying to control the action but Boshtok just sinks the hooks in.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boshtok lands shots from the back.
Griffiths tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Griffiths slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Griffiths looking for submissions off his back.
I've been told that Boshtok has been drilling his wrestling of late, which has already helped him take this fight to the mat. Let's see how much of an impact it has on the outcome of the ground game.
Boshtok trying to control the action but Griffiths is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Griffiths actively working from the bottom here.

Griffiths looking for a kimura from the bottom but Boshtok passes into side control!
Boshtok working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boshtok cracks Griffiths with a big right hand but Griffiths just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Griffiths's coaches at Superior Training have been working on his defensive grappling in preparation for this fight so let's see if he can get out of this tricky position.
Griffiths takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Boshtok content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Griffiths is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Boshtok's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Griffiths on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffiths regains full guard. Nicely done.

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

Griffiths looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Boshtok postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Griffiths working for a triangle but Boshtok defends it easily.
Boshtok has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Griffiths working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Boshtok has passed into half guard!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boshtok working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Griffiths trying to control but Boshtok postures up.

Griffiths is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Boshtok pulls his head out easily.
Boshtok lands strikes from half guard.
Boshtok scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Boshtok seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Griffiths does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Griffiths is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Boshtok's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Boshtok's back!

Griffiths goes for a risky armbar from back mount and it's not paid off. Boshtok escapes and is now in half guard on top.
Boshtok trying to pass the guard but Griffiths defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffiths actively working from the bottom here.
Boshtok is trying to control the action in half guard but Griffiths is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Griffiths is trying to control but can't.

Griffiths looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Boshtok lands a nice short elbow.
Griffiths wants to improve his position but Boshtok is controlling well.
Boshtok is nestled in close to Griffiths, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Griffiths tries to get to full guard but Boshtok has control of the leg.
Boshtok scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Boshtok dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Boshtok scoring well with a low kick there.
Boshtok throws a big shot that misses.
Griffiths walks into a straight right hand from Boshtok.
Griffiths misses with a looping right.
Griffiths slips under a jab.
Boshtok is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Griffiths.
Boshtok misses with a wild body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffiths throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Griffiths misses with a lunging right hand
and Boshtok counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Griffiths lands with a nice body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffiths fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Boshtok manages to avoid it.
Boshtok clobbers Griffiths with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Boshtok throws a low kick but Griffiths avoids it.
An attempted straight right counter from Griffiths misses the target.
Boshtok scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A big right from Griffiths misses.

Griffiths shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Boshtok manages to get to full guard.
Yuri Boshtok has got the better of the ground game so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Griffiths accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boshtok is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Griffiths is in close to Boshtok's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Boshtok had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Griffiths defends it easily.
Griffiths trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Griffiths got a little sloppy there for a moment and Boshtok has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Griffiths has managed to get both his arms back between Boshtok's legs - danger averted.
Boshtok is trying to keep Griffiths in close.
Boshtok has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Boshtok can't keep his opponent in guard - Griffiths advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Boshtok looking for submissions off his back.
Boshtok is not content to let Griffiths control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffiths is looking for a kimura but Boshtok is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Griffiths to get the leverage.
Griffiths seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Boshtok manages to get to full guard.
Griffiths scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Boshtok is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Boshtok is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Boshtok looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Boshtok has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Griffiths can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Griffiths wants to control from the top but Boshtok keeps moving.

Boshtok has his foot on Griffiths's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Griffiths works his way back into a safe position though.
Griffiths stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Boshtok swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Griffiths slips nicely into half guard.

Griffiths is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Griffiths passes the guard and advances to mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Stephen Griffiths will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffiths scores with a leg kick.
Nice takedown defense from Boshtok. No joy for Griffiths on that attempt.
A jab from Boshtok finds it's way through Griffiths's defenses.
Boshtok jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Griffiths throws a big shot that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boshtok throws a leg kick that is checked
and Boshtok takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Griffiths connects with an inside leg kick.
Boshtok misses with a hook.
Griffiths changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boshtok lands a nice leg kick that just misses Griffiths's sensitive parts.
Griffiths misses the shot to the body.
Griffiths takes a swing at Boshtok's ribcage but misses.
Griffiths throws a leg kick that is checked
and Boshtok counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Boshtok slips a jab from Griffiths.

Boshtok gets caught flat footed, as Griffiths shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Boshtok looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Boshtok is on top in guard.

Boshtok stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Griffiths swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Boshtok's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Griffiths is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Griffiths has his foot on Boshtok's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Boshtok works his way back into a safe position though.
Boshtok scoring with punches to the head and body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Griffiths has thrown up a leg looking for a triangle. Boshtok doesn't defend quickly enough and Griffiths has managed to lock this one up! Can Boshtok escape?! NO! He's tapping out! Damn, that was a quick submission - congrats to Griffiths on a fantastic submission victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Stephen Griffiths!
Stephen Griffiths opened up his post fight interview with a scream to camera that he wants a title shot! Whether he deserves the shot will be up to the management of the organization, so I guess he'll have to wait and see.