PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hakuin Ekaku Jr (ranked 169 p4p, 24 weight class) and Stephen Griffiths (ranked 1234 p4p, 196 weight class). Ekaku Jr kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Jiu Jitsu. This should be fireworks!

Ekaku Jr
vs
Griffiths

175 cm
30
165 lbs
26 - 10 - 2

170 cm
37
175 lbs
37 - 18 - 1

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing
Venom Combat Sports

Aspire Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 10 - 2, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hakuin Ekaku Jr!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 18 - 1, fighting out of New York, Stephen Griffiths!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ekaku Jr connects with a looping right hand.
Ekaku Jr lands with a nice combination. Griffiths backs away looking to recover.
Ekaku Jr looks to score with a jab to the body but Griffiths is just out of range.
Griffiths takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Griffiths throws out a leg kick but Ekaku Jr moves out of range and Griffiths only half commits.
Ekaku Jr misses with a looping left.
Ekaku Jr throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Griffiths swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Ekaku Jr throws an off balance right hand
and Griffiths counters with a leg kick.
Griffiths keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Ekaku Jr ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
That kick from Griffiths tenderised Ekaku Jr's leg. Ekaku Jr is trying to keep his angry face on.
Ekaku Jr throws out a powerful jab.
Griffiths will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ekaku Jr lands a body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ekaku Jr doesn't manage to clinch there - Griffiths circles away.

Griffiths clinches.
Griffiths has a couple of punches blocked by Ekaku Jr.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ekaku Jr.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths has a couple of punches blocked by Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths scores with a shot to the side of Ekaku Jr's head.
A nice left hand lands by Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths lands a body punch.
Ekaku Jr lands a shoulder strike.
Griffiths blocks an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook to the side of the head.
Griffiths tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ekaku Jr lands an uppercut.
Griffiths doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Griffiths has a couple of punches blocked by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ekaku Jr tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Griffiths's elbow.
Ekaku Jr doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Griffiths throws a head punch that misses.
Griffiths swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekaku Jr uses good head movement to avoid it.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ekaku Jr dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ekaku Jr lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Griffiths is looking to score with low kicks.
Ekaku Jr misses with a wild body shot.
Ekaku Jr misses with an uppercut
and Ekaku Jr takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ekaku Jr connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Griffiths momentarily.
Ekaku Jr lands a nice leg kick that just misses Griffiths's sensitive parts.
Griffiths keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Griffiths throws a hook but Ekaku Jr avoids it easily.
Ekaku Jr throws a low kick but it's checked well by Griffiths.
Griffiths avoids the body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Griffiths moves away.
Griffiths appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Ekaku Jr is looking to wear down Griffiths with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Nice straight punches there by Ekaku Jr. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Griffiths connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths slips under a jab from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths avoids the body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths feints and then cracks Ekaku Jr's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ekaku Jr down.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch but Griffiths moves out of range.
Ekaku Jr throws a leg kick
and Griffiths counters with a thumping low kick.
Ekaku Jr tries to close the distance and clinch up but Griffiths swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Griffiths throws a low kick but Ekaku Jr moves out of range easily.
Ekaku Jr throws a good cross that connects.
Griffiths misses with a low kick.
Griffiths circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ekaku Jr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Griffiths appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Griffiths is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Ekaku Jr moves into the clinch.
Ekaku Jr blocking some punches.
Ekaku Jr tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Griffiths blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Griffiths or not.
Griffiths working aggressively here.
Griffiths swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ekaku Jr misses with the head strike.
Griffiths tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Griffiths throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekaku Jr.
I was talking to Ekaku Jr's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ekaku Jr throws a punch but it's blocked by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Griffiths prevents a body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ekaku Jr pushes Griffiths back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Ekaku Jr lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Nice body punch from Ekaku Jr.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ekaku Jr creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A hook to the body from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths jumps guard but Ekaku Jr turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A left hand lands to the body for Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr lands a shot to the body.
Griffiths looks winded!
Ekaku Jr can't find room to land a body shot as Griffiths controls the action.
Ekaku Jr throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Griffithss head.
Griffiths swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekaku Jr uses good head movement to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku Jr dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Griffiths throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Griffiths tries to move into range but Ekaku Jr moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Ekaku Jr bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Griffiths's head backwards.
Griffiths gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Griffiths scores with the left hand. Ekaku Jr knows he should have avoided that one.
Ekaku Jr takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ekaku Jr moves out of range of the leg kick from Griffiths.
Griffiths throws a body kick that misses
and Ekaku Jr counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Ekaku Jr takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Ekaku Jr moves in looking to clinch but Griffiths pushes him off.
Griffiths appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Griffiths tries to throw a body punch but Ekaku Jr avoids it by throwing Griffiths back against the cage.
Ekaku Jr controlling the action here for a moment.
Griffiths lands with a light punch inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Griffiths.
A short left from Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr is trying to maintain a safe position but Griffiths gets an underhook and turns Ekaku Jr into the cage.
Ekaku Jr holding his opponent close, against the cage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Griffiths lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ekaku Jr prevents a body shot from Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr lands a nice uppercut.
Griffiths blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ekaku Jr makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr struggles to land a body shot inside as Griffiths controls his hands.
Griffiths blocking some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr struggles to land a body shot inside as Griffiths controls his hands.
Griffiths swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekaku Jr uses good head movement to avoid it.
Griffiths blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Griffiths misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths blocks an uppercut.
Griffiths misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr blocks an uppercut.
Hakuin Ekaku Jr has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ekaku Jr can't find room to land a body shot as Griffiths controls the action.
Griffiths lands a left hand that snaps the head of Ekaku Jr backwards.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short right hand to the side of the head by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr slows down the pace here.
Ekaku Jr lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Ekaku Jr blocks an elbow strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Ekaku Jr creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Ekaku Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr lands with a right to the head.
Ekaku Jr tries a body shot but Griffiths blocks it.

Griffiths breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Griffiths staying out of range there.
Ekaku Jr with a nice cross.
Hakuin Ekaku Jr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ekaku Jr closes the distance and clinches.
Ekaku Jr softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ekaku Jr goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Griffiths's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Griffiths swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ekaku Jr lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr cracks Griffiths with a nice body shot.
Ekaku Jr tries a body shot but Griffiths blocks it.
Ekaku Jr is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Griffiths can do to turn this around?
Griffiths is trying to break the clinch but Ekaku Jr has him pressed against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Griffiths fails to land.
Griffiths lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ekaku Jr backwards.
Ekaku Jr has a couple of punches blocked by Griffiths.
Griffiths misses with a punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr lands with a right to the head.
Griffiths tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Griffiths.
Griffiths blocks a body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr lands an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A shot in the inside from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekaku Jr uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Ekaku Jr on the inside.
Griffiths looking to stall.
Griffiths lands a nice shot to the body.
Griffiths throws a head punch that misses.
Ekaku Jr misses with some punches.
Ekaku Jr misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Griffiths throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr misses with a punch on the inside.
Griffiths fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr swings wildly with an uppercut but Griffiths uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ekaku Jr throws a punch but it's blocked by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr tries to work over Griffiths's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Griffiths using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ekaku Jr has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ekaku Jr tries to throw a body punch but Griffiths avoids it by throwing Ekaku Jr back against the cage.
Ekaku Jr lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Griffiths backwards.
Griffiths throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekaku Jr.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku Jr dominated that second 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.

Griffiths throws a body shot but no joy.
Ekaku Jr lands an overhand right.
Ekaku Jr looks to throw the jab but Griffiths is out of range.
Ekaku Jr tests Griffiths's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ekaku Jr is looking to score with low kicks.
A lazy left from Ekaku Jr finds it's target.
Good work by Ekaku Jr as he checks the leg kick.
Ekaku Jr connects with a nice looking jab.
Griffiths swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Ekaku Jr moves in looking to clinch but Griffiths pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch there but Griffiths circles away.
Griffiths throws a head kick that misses.
Griffiths throws a low kick but it's checked well by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Griffiths's calf.
Hakuin Ekaku Jr is winning the standup battle so far.
Ekaku Jr misses with a lunging right hand
and Griffiths counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr feints and then cracks Griffiths's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Griffiths down.
Griffiths slips under a jab.
Ekaku Jr with a nice cross.
Ekaku Jr throws a low kick, looking for Griffiths's leg but Griffiths calmly moves out of range.
Griffiths feints the counter takedown.
Griffiths throws a leg kick but Ekaku Jr sees it coming and moves out of range.
Ekaku Jr throws out a loose jab but Griffiths uses good head movement to avoid it.
Griffiths keeps the fight on the outside.
Ekaku Jr scores with a punch to the head.
Sloppy strikes from Ekaku Jr. Those never looked like landing.
A swing and a miss from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch up.
Griffiths blocks a leg kick.
Griffiths shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Griffiths lands with a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot to the liver by Griffiths. Beautiful body shot.
Hakuin Ekaku Jr is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Ekaku Jr is looking to clinch but Griffiths is avoiding it.

Ekaku Jr closes the distance and clinches.
Ekaku Jr swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Griffiths tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ekaku Jr's elbow.
Ekaku Jr blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Griffithss head.
Ekaku Jr goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Ekaku Jr blocks an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Griffiths swings wildly with an uppercut but Ekaku Jr uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ekaku Jr misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr misses with a punch on the inside.

Griffiths manages to break the clinch.

Griffiths shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Ekaku Jr manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Ekaku Jr is trying to keep Griffiths in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths trying to control but Ekaku Jr is working from the bottom.

Griffiths drops back looking for a leg! Ekaku Jr is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ekaku Jr manages to kick Griffiths off! Griffiths jumps back into Ekaku Jr's guard.
Griffiths pushes down on Ekaku Jr's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Griffiths seems to be working for a kimura but Ekaku Jr defends the submission attempt.

Griffiths is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Griffiths is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Ekaku Jr is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Griffiths 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.
Ekaku Jr has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Griffiths is working away from the top position though.

Griffiths is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ekaku Jr is looking for a sweep. Griffiths is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Hakuin Ekaku Jr did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
That's time! Ekaku Jr's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Griffiths keeps the fight on the outside.
Griffiths takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ekaku Jr is looking to slow Griffiths down with leg kicks.
Ekaku Jr throws a low kick but Griffiths avoids it.
Ekaku Jr takes one to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch up.
Griffiths takes one to the chin there.
Ekaku Jr darts in trying to clinch
and Griffiths counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ekaku Jr gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Griffiths misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr blocking some punches.
Ekaku Jr misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr misses with the head strike.
Griffiths blocks a body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr misses with a punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr blocks an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr tries a body shot but Griffiths blocks it.
Griffiths blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Griffiths tries to work over Ekaku Jr's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook to the side of the head.
Griffiths throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr can't find room to land a body shot as Griffiths controls the action.
Griffiths is looking to control Ekaku Jr's arms but Ekaku Jr gets an underhook and turns him. Now Griffiths has his back to the cage.
A short body shot lands from Ekaku Jr as the two fighters clinch.
Griffiths working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffiths.
Griffiths gets through Ekaku Jr's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook that snaps the head of Griffiths backwards.
Ekaku Jr misses with a hook to the ribs.
Ekaku Jr doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Griffiths is trying to break the clinch but Ekaku Jr is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths cracks Ekaku Jr with a nice body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths prevents a body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Griffiths's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Griffiths breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ekaku Jr thuds his right hand into Griffiths's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ekaku Jr fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Ekaku Jr. Griffiths does a little dance to reset his feet.
Griffiths appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Griffiths scores with a nice head shot.
Ekaku Jr fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
A cross from Ekaku Jr lands.
Griffiths scoring well with a low kick there.
Ekaku Jr tries to close the distance and clinch but Griffiths swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Griffiths appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Ekaku Jr misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr throws a low kick but it's checked well by Griffiths.
Good work by Griffiths as he checks the leg kick.
Ekaku Jr misses the jab.
Griffiths walks into a left hand.
Ekaku Jr is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Griffiths.

Griffiths clinches with his opponent.
Ekaku Jr scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ekaku Jr blocks an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ekaku Jr lands a shoulder strike.
Griffiths misses with the head strike.
Griffiths makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Ekaku Jr working some nice short punches in the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ekaku Jr misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr takes a shot to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Griffiths blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Griffiths scores with a shoulder strike.
A head punch on the inside from Griffiths fails to land.
Ekaku Jr misses with the head strike.
Griffiths swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ekaku Jr lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ekaku Jr is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ekaku Jr blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ekaku Jr fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr blocks an uppercut.
Griffiths swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffiths.
A right hand to the body from Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ekaku Jr misses with a shot to the kidneys.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hakuin Ekaku Jr had his way with Stephen Griffiths in that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ekaku Jr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Griffiths! But no joy.
Griffiths tries to clinch there but Ekaku Jr circles away.
Ekaku Jr lands a head shot.
Griffiths's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Ekaku Jr lands a body shot.
Ekaku Jr keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Griffiths throws a lazy uppercut
and Ekaku Jr counters with a nice body shot.
Sloppy strikes from Ekaku Jr. Those never looked like landing.
Ekaku Jr ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Griffiths moves away.
Griffiths doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Ekaku Jr tests Griffiths's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ekaku Jr tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Griffiths was well out of range. Poor timing from Ekaku Jr.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ekaku Jr cracks Griffiths with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Ekaku Jr clinches.
A nice left hand lands by Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr working aggressively here.
Griffiths wants to break free but Ekaku Jr has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffiths working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Griffiths is leaning against Ekaku Jr and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - a gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Ekaku Jr throws a punch but it's blocked by Griffiths.
Griffiths softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ekaku Jr blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Griffiths fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Griffiths lands with a left to the head.
Ekaku Jr lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Ekaku Jr blocking some punches.
A short right from Ekaku Jr on the inside.
A short right from Griffiths on the inside.
Griffiths working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Griffiths fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ekaku Jr swings wildly with an uppercut but Griffiths uses good head movement to avoid it.
Ekaku Jr tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Griffiths's elbow.
Ekaku Jr lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Griffiths scores with a hook to the body.
Griffiths blocks a body shot from Ekaku Jr.
Stephen Griffiths has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffiths escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ekaku Jr darts in trying to clinch
letting Griffiths counter with a right hand.
Griffiths misses with a low kick.
Ekaku Jr buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ekaku Jr uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Griffiths.
Ekaku Jr throws a poor cross that misses
and Griffiths counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Ekaku Jr thinking.
Griffiths throws a lazy right hand but Ekaku Jr sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ekaku Jr fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
No joy there for Ekaku Jr, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Griffiths misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ekaku Jr.
Ekaku Jr is looking to clinch.
Griffiths with the counter takedown but Ekaku Jr avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Ekaku Jr doesn't seem bothered though.

Ekaku Jr has closed the distance and engaged Griffiths in a clinch.
Griffiths blocks an uppercut.
Griffiths working aggressively here.

Griffiths breaks the clinch.
Ekaku Jr scores with a nice strike.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ekaku Jr, right into the meat.
Good exchange - Ekaku Jr coming out on top.
Griffiths shoots in for a double leg but Ekaku Jr sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Griffiths jabs Ekaku Jr to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Ekaku Jr lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Ekaku Jr lands with a hook. Griffiths tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Ekaku Jr tries to clinch but Griffiths is having none of it.
Griffiths ducks under a wild hook from Ekaku Jr.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ekaku Jr fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ekaku Jr misses with a wild body shot.
Ekaku Jr does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Griffiths takes a swing at Ekaku Jr's ribcage but misses.
Ekaku Jr scores with a body shot.
Griffiths attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Nice uppercut there from Ekaku Jr.
Griffiths connects with a right hand. Ekaku Jr shakes it off.

Ekaku Jr closes the distance and clinches.
Griffiths goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Griffiths throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ekaku Jrs head.
Ekaku Jr tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Ekaku Jr as Griffiths tries to tie him up.
Ekaku Jr lands a right hand that snaps the head of Griffiths backwards.
Griffiths throws a punch but it's blocked by Ekaku Jr.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hakuin Ekaku Jr showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ekaku Jr, 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 50:45
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 50:45
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 50:45

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hakuin Ekaku Jr!
Hakuin Ekaku Jr retains his welterweight title!
Post fight, Hakuin Ekaku Jr stared into the camera and said 'Thank you to my inspiration, my father, THE GREATEST EVER Hakuin "Zen" Ekaku.'.