PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Akihito Yamato (ranked 4145 p4p, 421 weight class) and Shawn Griffin (ranked 2288 p4p, 270 weight class). Griffin has chosen Medicate - Flaw as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Yamato
vs
Griffin

188 cm
24
179 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

171 cm
24
170 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Knockout power

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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akihito Yamato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shawn Griffin!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Frank Dennis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick by Griffin misses
and Yamato makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Griffin throws a push kick but Yamato slaps the foot to one side.

Griffin looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Yamato!
Griffin working the ground and pound from side control.
Yamato avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Griffin.
Griffin postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Yamato takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Griffin grinds an elbow into Yamato's temple.
Yamato is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Roosters Coop that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Yamato defending against the ground and pound.
Yamato is trying to control Griffin's posture but Griffin avoids it.
The ground and pound from Griffin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Griffin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Yamato is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yamato takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Griffin throws an elbow but Yamato slips to the side and avoids it well.
Griffin throws a strike aimed at the side of Yamato's head but Yamato avoids it well.
Yamato managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Griffin.
Griffin scores with a couple of short elbows.
Yamato knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Griffin on the ground.
Griffin misses with the ground and pound.
Griffin working the head and body with strikes.
Griffin working the head and body with strikes.
Griffin throws an elbow but Yamato slips to the side and avoids it well.
Griffin in side control, throwing shots but Yamato defends.
Yamato is breathing heavily.
Griffin cracks Yamato with a big elbow.
Griffin throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffin thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Griffin throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Griffin misses with the ground and pound.
Griffin in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Griffin misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Yamato on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Yamato parries the strikes from Griffin easily there. Griffin is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Yamato to escape.
Griffin lands an elbow.
Griffin scoring with punches from side control.
Griffin is putting a hurting on Yamato here, landing some big shots from side control.

Yamato is rocked!
The ground and pound from Griffin seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Oh Yamato is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Yamato on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
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.
Griffin lands a strong strike to the head of Yamato. That's dazed him! Griffin looking to finish here. Yamato is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Griffin lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:20 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Shawn Griffin!
After winning the bout, Shawn Griffin thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.