PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mohamed Sissoko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Groove (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sissoko
vs
Groove

166 cm
20
182 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mohamed Sissoko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Groove!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sissoko tries to clinch up.
Groove pivots, looking for a leg kick but Sissoko is out of range and Groove settles back down.
Groove stuffs the takedown attempt from Sissoko. Sissoko gets slowly back to his feet.
Groove stuffs the takedown.
Sissoko tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Groove punishes Sissoko's body with a nice straight punch.
Groove takes a head kick and keeps coming.

Sissoko forces Groove back against the cage and clinches.

Groove successfully pulls guard.
Sissoko in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Groove keeping moving, preventing Sissoko from controlling successfully.
Groove looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sissoko is one step ahead there.
Sissoko might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sissoko loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groove is pulling down on Sissoko's head. It's preventing any offense from Sissoko, at least for the moment.
Sissoko throws a big right hand that misses.
Sissoko scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Groove keeping moving, preventing Sissoko from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Groove tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Groove bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Groove decides to stand back up.
Sissoko fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mohamed Sissoko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sissoko takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sissoko thuds his shin into the meat of Groove's side.
Groove looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sissoko.

Sissoko decides to stand back up.
Sissoko really is a fat lump.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Groove tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Groove tries to clinch up

so Sissoko counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Groove is trying to control the position but Sissoko postures up.

Sissoko stands up from Groove's guard - Sissoko perhaps looking for a knockout.
Sissoko tries for a takedown but Groove sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Sissoko clinches but Groove breaks the clinch

and Groove counters with a single leg into guard. Sissoko didn't expect that.
Sissoko not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sissoko is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Groove is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Groove won't allow Sissoko to get back to his feet.
Groove preventing the sweep.
Sissoko is trying to control the position but Groove postures up.
Groove wants to control from the top but Sissoko keeps moving.
Sissoko is trying to keep Groove in close.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sissoko bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Sissoko stands up.

Groove bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Groove controlling the position from side mount.
Sissoko is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Groove lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Sissoko down.
Groove lands a nice forearm strike.
Groove trying to control the position but Sissoko is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sissoko is trying to get back to half guard.
Groove moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
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 Mohamed Sissoko will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Sissoko closes the distance but Groove moves to the side

and Groove counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Groove.
Groove tries to pull guard but Sissoko won't allow it.
Groove tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Groove tries to pull guard but Sissoko won't allow it.
Groove misses with a short punch on the inside.
Groove drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sissoko gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Mohamed Sissoko has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Groove.
Stalling in the clinch from Sissoko.
Groove looking to stall.
Sissoko tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Groove jumps guard.
Sissoko trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Groove manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Groove is breathing heavily.
Groove lands a big shot there that rocks Sissoko but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sissoko is wriggling around trying to escape.
Sissoko wants to try and get back to his feet.
Sissoko keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Groove content just to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sissoko tries to improve his position but instead Groove has taken his back!

Sissoko manages to escape to his feet.
Sissoko tries to clinch there but Groove circles away.
Groove shoots and misses

and Sissoko counters with a nice double leg into side control. Groove won't be happy with that.
Groove is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sissoko is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Groove has escaped the position, nice work there.
Groove struggling a bit here.
Groove manages to get back to half guard.

Groove looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sissoko trying to control from half guard but Groove is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Groove tries to roll over but Sissoko keeps him under control.
Groove is trying to stand back up but Sissoko is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sissoko tries to clinch but Groove moves away

and Groove counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Sissoko pushes Groove off looking to stand but Groove dives back in and keeps control.
Sissoko is looking to improve his position.
Groove stops Sissoko from getting back to his feet.
Groove moves nicely into side control.

Groove tries for a kimura but Sissoko is defending well.
Sissoko manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Groove works his foot free and advances to mount.
Groove sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Groove landing shots from mount.
Groove controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Groove showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Sissoko shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Groove counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Groove wants to pass to mount but Sissoko is defending the position.
Groove is controlling the pace.
Sissoko is trying to get back to full guard.

Groove escapes and gets back to his feet.
Groove has his takedown stuffed
and Sissoko counters with a thumping low kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sissoko darts in and clinches Groove up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sissoko pulls guard successfully.
Groove advances to half guard.
Nice strikes from Groove there.
Groove performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Groove lands a nice short elbow.
Sissoko has a hand on Groove's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Groove takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Groove scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Sissoko wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Groove looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Sissoko is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sissoko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sissoko is working hard here to advance position.
Groove controlling his opponent.
Sissoko is squirming around, avoiding Groove's attempts to control the action.
Sissoko takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Sissoko is looking to get to half guard.
Sissoko tries to lock up and control but Groove gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sissoko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Groove connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Groove wants to control the pace but Sissoko is squirming around nicely.
Sissoko tries to hold on but Groove pushes him away.
Groove trying to control but Sissoko is having none of it.
Sissoko tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Groove scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Groove controlling from mount.

Groove stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Groove has closed the distance and engaged Sissoko in a clinch.
Sissoko landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Sissoko prevents a takedown attempt there.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Sissoko.
Knees to the body from Sissoko.
Groove prevents the takedown attempt.
Sissoko works on Groove's body with a couple of short punches.
Groove prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mohamed Sissoko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Groove prevents the takedown attempt.
Sissoko keeps control of Groove as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Groove can't break the clinch.
Groove tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Sissoko just stands there and leans against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Groove fails to pull guard.

Sissoko breaks the clinch.
Sissoko falls off balance throwing a combination

and Groove moves into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sissoko manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Groove comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Groove has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Groove!