PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martin Lemieux (ranked 3031 p4p, 362 weight class) and Kwin Griffin (ranked 4608 p4p, 500 weight class). Kwin Griffin will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Lemieux
vs
Griffin

177 cm
25
201 lbs
2 - 1 - 1

191 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 2 - 1 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Martin Lemieux!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kwin Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Sandra Marshall.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Lemieux.
Griffin looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Lemieux throws a hook but Griffin blocks it.
Griffin has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Griffin there as he acknowledges the shot.

Griffin closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lemieux's guard.
Lemieux has his hands on Griffin's head, controlling the position.
Lemieux has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.

Lemieux is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Griffin is aware though and is defending well.
Lemieux seems keen to control Griffin's posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lemieux is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Griffin is aware though and is defending well.

Lemieux throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lemieux is pulling down on Griffin's head. It's preventing any offense from Griffin, at least for the moment.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Lemieux is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Griffin is aware though and is defending well.
Lemieux is adopting a defensive guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Nice body punch from Lemieux.
Griffin moves out of range as Lemieux strikes.
Lemieux scores with a jab to the head.
Griffin keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lemieux.
Lemieux with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Lemieux.
Martin Lemieux is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Griffin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Griffin avoids the body shot from Lemieux.
Griffin lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Lemieux thuds a left hand into Griffin's body.
Lemieux throws a big shot that misses.
Lemieux throws a looping overhand right but Griffin ducks down to avoid it.
A punch lands to the side of Griffin 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Lemieux jabs at Griffin's body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lemieux misses the shot to the body.
Martin Lemieux seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lemieux dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Lemieux connects with a right hand. Griffin shakes it off.
Griffin takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Griffin's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Lemieux connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Griffin scrambles back to his feet.
Lemieux lands a jab to the head.
Lemieux scores with a nice head shot.
The fighters circle momentarily. Lemieux darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Lemieux lands a nice hook to Griffin's body. Griffin takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lemieux connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Griffin momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lemieux throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Griffin on the side of the head.
Lemieux misses with a wild body shot.
Lemieux cracks Griffin with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Lemieux lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Griffin at a distance.

Lemieux has managed to clinch.
Lemieux gets through Griffin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Lemieux works on Griffin's body with a couple of short punches.
Still in the clinch, Lemieux scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Lemieux.
Lemieux doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A nice left hand lands by Lemieux.

Lemieux drags the fight down to the ground.

Lemieux is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Griffin defends well.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Griffin working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lemieux controlling Griffin's posture.
Lemieux might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

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

Lemieux looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lemieux pulls Griffin in close to prevent any damage.

Lemieux is looking for a triangle but Griffin pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Lemieux dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Good shot there by Lemieux.

Griffin manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Lemieux on his heels. He'll look to pass Lemieux's guard now, I'm sure.

Lemieux throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Lemieux has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Griffin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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

Lemieux had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Griffin defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lemieux pulls Griffin in to control the position.
Griffin is breathing heavily.

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

Lemieux is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Griffin is aware though and is defending well.
Lemieux has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Lemieux is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lemieux not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Griffin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lemieux. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lemieux missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lemieux not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Griffin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lemieux throwing shots but Griffin is blocking nicely.
Lemieux passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Griffin!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Griffin can do anything to dispel that myth.
Lemieux lands a couple of good shots and Griffin has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Lemieux throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Lemieux missing with strikes from the back.
Lemieux is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Griffin can do to turn this around?
Lemieux thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Griffin covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Lemieux somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
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!
Lemieux thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
Lemieux throwing sloppy strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lemieux is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Griffin has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Griffin showing good submission defense here.
Lemieux scores with punches from the back.
Lemieux misses with an elbow to the head.
Lemieux missing with punches from the back.
Griffin has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Lemieux.
Lemieux punches the canvas rather than the man.
Lemieux missing with punches from the back.
Lemieux missing with strikes.
Martin Lemieux overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffin defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Lemieux's arms.
Griffin covering up well and avoiding damage.
Lemieux misses with an elbow to the head.
Lemieux is landing with strikes. Griffin can't take much more of this.
Griffin covering up well under a series of strikes from Lemieux.
Lemieux throwing wild punches that miss their target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lemieux somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Lemieux struggling to land strikes to the head as Griffin covers up.
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 covering up well under a series of strikes from Lemieux.

Griffin preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Lemieux.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Lemieux dominated that second round.
That's time! Lemieux's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Lemieux throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Lemieux connects with a body shot.
Martin Lemieux is winning the standup battle so far.
Griffin moves out of range as Lemieux strikes.
Griffin lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Griffin takes one to the chin there.
Lemieux dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A left lands for Lemieux.
Griffin avoids the body shot from Lemieux.

Lemieux has closed the distance and engaged Griffin in a clinch.
Lemieux working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lemieux has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Lemieux stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Lemieux lands an uppercut.
Lemieux stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Lemieux working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lemieux throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

Lemieux manages to pull guard.
Lemieux 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.
Lemieux is controlling Griffin's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lemieux is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Griffin is aware though and is defending well.
Griffin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lemieux is on top in guard.

Lemieux pushes down on Griffin's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Lemieux missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Lemieux thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lemieux passes to full mount!
Lemieux is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Griffin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Lemieux throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Lemieux looking to finish with strikes here!
Lemieux putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Lemieux punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lemieux throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lemieux punching from mount but Griffin doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Lemieux looking to ground and pound but Griffin is blocking nicely.
Griffin holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Lemieux tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Lemieux throws some wild stikes that Griffin manages to avoid easily.
Lemieux misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Griffin is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Griffin blocking the ground and pound.
Lemieux throwing strikes here but Griffin is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Lemieux postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Griffin looks a forlorn figure.
Lemieux throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Lemieux throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lemieux looking to finish Griffin with some ground and pound. This is bad for Griffin!

Griffin is rocked!
Lemieux throwing strikes here but Griffin is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Griffin is still in real trouble! Can Lemieux finish him?
Poor strikes thrown by Lemieux there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Lemieux misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Lemieux throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Poor strikes thrown by Lemieux there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Lemieux lands a big elbow - Griffin is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Griffin is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Martin Lemieux!
Martin Lemieux bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.
The defeated Kwin Griffin had this to say: 'UHh, good fight. You knowI thought I had that but you came back good job there. And just good fight once again I would love too fight you again.'.