PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jayson Tatum (ranked 1625 p4p, 1957 weight class) and Matthew Griffin (ranked 220 p4p, 255 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Tatum
vs
Griffin

202 cm
25
210
9 - 3 - 0

189 cm
28
212
9 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Determined

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 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jayson Tatum!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matthew Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Bruno Lombardi and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice jab there from Griffin.
Griffin throws a sloppy head kick and Tatum moves out of range easily.
Tatum uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Griffin.
Griffin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tatum scores with a crisp jab that stopped Griffin in his tracks.

It looks like Matthew Griffin has been cut.
A head kick by Griffin misses
letting Tatum counter with a right hand.
Griffin tries to clinch there but Tatum circles away.
Griffin's coach down at Gumburcules Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Griffin's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Tatum bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Griffin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Oooooh!!! Tatum has knocked Griffin down with a huge combo! Tatum steps away and waves a wobbly Griffin back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Griffin tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Tatum counters with a crisp right hand that drops Griffin! Tatum lets Griffin back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Griffin is rocked!
Tatum seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Tatum misses with a wild body shot.
Griffin dives in for a single leg takedown but Tatum sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tatum is looking to counter the offense by Griffin and move into the clinch.
Griffin uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tatum.
Nice uppercut lands for Griffin. That snapped Tatum's head back.
Griffin looks to score with a jab to the body but Tatum is just out of range.
Tatum is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tatum is looking to counter punch.
Griffin throws a head kick that misses
and Tatum counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That has opened up Matthew Griffin's cut even more.
Matthew Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tatum lands with a nice body punch.
Tatum throws a body punch but Griffin moves out of range.
Griffin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Griffin throws a lazy head kick

and Tatum counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Tatum pressing his opponent against the cage.
Griffin can't break the clinch.
Griffin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Tatum fails to land.

Griffin pulls guard effortlessly.
Tatum is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatum trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tatum is stalling in the full guard.

Griffin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Griffin can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tatum controls the pace.
Griffin striking off his back but it's not causing Tatum any problems.
Tatum sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Griffin's guard.
Tatum content to control rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Griffin gets full guard.
Griffin is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tatum content to stall in guard here.

Griffin has his foot on Tatum's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tatum works his way back into a safe position though.
Tatum looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Tatum stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Griffin fails with a takedown attempt.
Tatum avoids the head kick by Griffin.
A head kick by Griffin misses
and Tatum counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A head kick from Griffin lands but Tatum takes it in his stride.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffin instigates a clinch.

Griffin manages to break the clinch.
Griffin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

The cut above Matthew Griffin's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Griffin misses with a combination

and Tatum counters with a crisp right hand that drops Griffin! Tatum lets Griffin back up to his feet, looking for a finish!
Griffin is still on wobbly legs! Can Tatum finish him?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Griffin with a hook.
Griffin seems to have recovered his senses.

Tatum lands a big right hand that sends Griffin crashing to the mat! Tatum stays standing though and waves Griffin back to his feet!
Tatum thuds a left hand into Griffin's body.
Tatum measures up his opponent and throws a superman punch that connects to the jaw! Down goes Griffin! The ref steps in, and that's the ball game folks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:42 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Superman Punch). Jayson Tatum!
A very excited looking Jayson Tatum made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.