PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Philip Gray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Peter Mannigan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Peter Mannigan acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Gray
vs
Mannigan

183 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Philip Gray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Peter Mannigan!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gray gets a takedown into half guard.
Mannigan trying to control from the bottom.
Gray performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Mannigan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Gray.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gray is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mannigan defends it well.
Gray missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Gray is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Mannigan is staying active underneath Gray, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gray takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray not doing much here.
Mannigan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mannigan.
Mannigan is controlling Gray's posture.
Mannigan striking off his back but it's not causing Gray any problems.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mannigan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mannigan manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Gray really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Mannigan scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Gray tries to hold on but Mannigan pushes him away.
Mannigan trying to control but Gray is having none of it.
Mannigan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gray really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray is trying to stand but he's not in a good position to be doing that! Mannigan has taken his back!
Gray is breathing heavily.
Mannigan is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.

Mannigan working for the choke.
Gray wants to control his opponent's hands but Mannigan gets his hands free.

Mannigan working for the choke.
Gray rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Gray flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Gray landing a few short strikes.
Gray striking from the bottom.
Gray wants to control but Mannigan is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gray punching from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gray trying to hold on to Mannigan's head to control him but Mannigan postures up.
Mannigan thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Philip Gray will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gray shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Mannigan but Mannigan pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gray throws a head kick but Mannigan moves out of range.
Gray throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mannigan.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Gray.
Mannigan looking for a sweep but Gray has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Mannigan is looking to improve his position but Gray isn't that keen on the idea.
Mannigan is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mannigan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gray controlling the pace for now.
A nice elbow there by Gray.
Gray looking to control but Mannigan is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Mannigan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Gray avoids the attempt from Mannigan to control.
Mannigan is in a horrible position here. Gray smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Mannigan tries to hold on but Gray pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Gray is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Mannigan takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Mannigan wants to control but Gray is having none of it.
Gray landing punches.

Gray looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Mannigan wants to control but Gray is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Mannigan hang on?
Gray lands a big elbow.
Gray avoids the attempt from Mannigan to control.
Mannigan can't escape the position.
A nice elbow there by Gray.
Mannigan flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Mannigan is trying desperately to improve position.
Mannigan is trying to stand up.
Gray cracks Mannigan with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Gray sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Gray has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Mannigan's face.
Gray with the ground and pound from mount.
Mannigan manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Gray wants to take a breather but Mannigan is having none of it.
Gray lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Mannigan trying to hold on to Gray's head to control him but Gray postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Philip Gray 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. This is the final round!

Gray gets the takedown into side control.
Mannigan taking punishment in the form of punches.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.

Gray tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Gray has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gray cracks Mannigan with a big elbow.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
You can see the frustration on Mannigan's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mannigan tries to improve position but can't.
Mannigan taking punishment in the form of punches.
Mannigan taking punishment in the form of punches.
Mannigan tries to bench press Gray off him but Gray keeps the position.
Gray grinds an elbow into Mannigan's temple.
Gray in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Mannigan manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Gray working over Mannigan with some ground and pound. Mannigan looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gray is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Mannigan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mannigan is staying active underneath Gray, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mannigan misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Gray there.
Gray seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Mannigan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mannigan is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gray scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gray seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Mannigan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mannigan with a lazy takedown attempt

and Gray counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Ground and pound from Gray.
Well, if Gray is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Mannigan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mannigan.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Mannigan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mannigan scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mannigan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gray but Gray pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Gray shoots for a takedown but Mannigan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Mannigan has his takedown stuffed

and Gray counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Philip Gray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Peter Mannigan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gray with a nice head shot there.
Gray chips away with some ground and pound.
Gray lands a couple of elbows.
Gray in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Peter Mannigan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Philip Gray is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gray trying to control the position from guard on top but Mannigan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Philip Gray showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Gray, 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Philip Gray!