PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Randy Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lazaro Casanova (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Griffin
vs
Casanova

185 cm
22
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
19
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
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 Montreal, Randy Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Lazaro Casanova!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Alec Ball and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Casanova drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Casanova stands up from guard. Let's bang!
A punch combination from Griffin misses.
Griffin throws a nice looking combination but Casanova bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Casanova misses with a kick to the body.
Casanova scores with a head kick.

It looks like Randy Griffin has been cut.
Griffin throws a right and a left that Casanova avoids nicely.
Griffin misses with a wild combination.
Griffin throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Casanova throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Casanova tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Griffin swivels and escapes.
Griffin works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Griffin throws a right hand that Casanova ducks under and follows up with a left that Casanova also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin misses with a combination

and Casanova counters with a shoot takedown. Griffin fights it but they end up in guard.
Griffin keeping full guard, as Casanova tries to pass.
Casanova slips nicely into half guard.
Casanova passes to side control.
Griffin is being controlled here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casanova is looking to take a break and control but Griffin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Casanova throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Casanova trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Casanova tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Casanova wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Casanova advances to full mount.
Griffin is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lazaro Casanova dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Randy Griffin's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nice sprawl there from Griffin as Casanova shoots in.
Griffin blocks a head kick by Casanova.
Griffin fails to land with a series of punches.
Casanova shoots for a takedown but Griffin saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Griffin throws a combination that misses

and Casanova counters with a shoot takedown. Griffin fights it but they end up in guard.

Casanova gets to his feet - Griffin follows without any prompting.
No luck for Casanova with that takedown attempt.
Randy Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lazaro Casanova.
Griffin tries to bum rush Casanova with a series of wild strikes but Casanova uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Casanova is breathing heavily.
Griffin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Griffin slaps away a takedown attempt from Casanova, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Casanova fails to land the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Casanova at a distance.
Griffin misses with a two punch combination.
Randy Griffin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Griffin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Casanova counters with a single leg into guard. Griffin didn't expect that.
Casanova tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.

Casanova is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Casanova trying to control the position from guard on top but Griffin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casanova is pushing down on Griffin's leg trying to pass to half guard. Griffin is fighting to maintain full guard but Casanova has managed to sneak the leg through.
Lazaro Casanova has got the better of the ground game so far.
Casanova trying to mount his opponent but Griffin defends it.
Casanova wants to take a breather but Griffin is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Griffin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Randy Griffin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Griffin connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Casanova momentarily.
Casanova shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Griffin as he jumps to the side.
Griffin misses with a few strikes there.
Casanova ducks right into an uppercut from Griffin.
Randy Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Casanova takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Griffin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Casanova closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Griffin did well to prevent Casanova getting side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Casanova is trying to control the action in half guard but Griffin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Casanova is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Casanova trying to pass the guard but Griffin defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lazaro Casanova showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Randy Griffin's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A right-left combo lands from Griffin.
Griffin falls off balance throwing a combination
and Casanova counters with a body kick.
Griffin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Casanova shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Griffin pinned against the cage. Griffin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Griffin swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Casanova moves into the clinch.
Griffin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Casanova has him pressed against the cage.

Casanova breaks from the clinch.
Griffin throws a series of punches but Casanova moves out of range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Casanova avoids a punch combination nicely.
Griffin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Casanova.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Casanova misses with a takedown attempt - Griffin sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Randy Griffin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lazaro Casanova.
Casanova fails with a takedown attempt.
Griffin swinging wilding here.
Griffin throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Casanova counters with a nice kick to the body.
Griffin thows a body shot but no joy.
Casanova lands a two punch combo.
Griffin misses with a combination

and Casanova counters with a shoot takedown. Griffin fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Casanova advances to half guard.
Casanova is taking a breather. Griffin says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Casanova is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Casanova looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is squirming around, avoiding Casanova's attempts to control the action.

Casanova is going olschool here, as he tries to force Griffin to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Griffin shrugs it off.
Casanova throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Griffin is trying to stand up.
Randy Griffin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Casanova working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Casanova controlling the position easily from mount.
Lazaro Casanova is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Casanova working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lazaro Casanova comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Casanova winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lazaro Casanova!