PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Knee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takla Griss (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Griss's choice of entrance music: Furious Angels (Reversed). Ricky Knee has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Knee
vs
Griss

168 cm
22
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

176 cm
21
160 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Ricky Knee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Takla Griss!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Knee tries to close the distance and clinch but Griss swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Griss lands a head kick!
Knee goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Knee finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Griss misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Griss throws a leg kick but Knee sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Knee misses with a head kick.

Griss scores with a takedown into Knee's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Griss decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Knee, up you get!
Knee misses with a head kick.
Knee throws a lazy head kick
and Griss makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Griss thows a body shot but no joy.
Takla Griss seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griss lands a body shot.
Griss throws a low kick but Knee avoids it.
Knee listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A nice leg kick lands there from Griss.
Knee lands a nice shot that snaps Griss's head back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knee tries to clinch but Griss moves out of range.
Knee lands a head kick. Griss smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Ricky Knee is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Griss tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Griss throws a head kick but Knee moves out of range.
Griss jabs at Knee's body.
Knee wants to clinch.

Griss feints and as Knee raises his hands in defense, Griss changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Griss decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Griss throws a nice outside leg kick.
Griss pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Griss looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Griss misses with a leg kick.
Knee misses with a wild body shot.
Knee tries to close the distance and clinch up but Griss swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knee scores with a jab to the body.
Knee lands a high kick!
Knee scoring well with a low kick there.
Griss thuds his shin into the meat of Knee's side.
Knee is looking to clinch.
No joy there for Griss, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A low kick from Griss misses
and Knee counters with a left to the body.
Knee throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Griss stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Knee doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Griss connects with a solid leg kick.
Knee throws a chopping leg kick but Griss manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Griss connects with a high kick.
Griss tries a head kick but it misses.
Knee misses with a head kick.
Knee scoring well with a low kick there.
A head kick misses from Knee.
Knee moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Griss throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knee throws a head kick that misses

and Griss counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Griss has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Knee is proving hard to escape from.

Griss got a little sloppy there for a moment and Knee has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Griss has managed to get both his arms back between Knee's legs - danger averted.
Griss wants to stand and escape but instead Knee has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Griss working for a triangle but Knee defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Knee's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griss avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Griss working for a triangle but Knee defends it easily.
Knee throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Griss has his foot on Knee's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Knee works his way back into a safe position though.
Griss keeping moving, preventing Knee from controlling successfully.
Knee postures up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Griss wriggles free and stands up.
Griss misses with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takla Griss dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Griss shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Griss attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Knee tries to clinch but Griss is having none of it.
Knee lands with a thumping leg kick.
Griss throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A head kick by Knee misses

and Griss counters with a nice double leg into side control. Knee won't be happy with that.

Griss stands up and beckons Knee to his feet.
Knee lands a body shot.
Griss feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Knee's calf.
Griss throws a leg kick but Knee sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Griss throws a sloppy head kick and Knee moves out of range easily.
Knee tries to close the distance and clinch but Griss swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Knee scores with a jab.

Griss gets a takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
It looks like Griss is going to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griss is thwarting Knee's attempts to control the position.

Griss decides to return to a standing position.
An inside leg kick lands from Griss.
Griss misses with a head kick.
Good leg kick by Griss there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

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.
Griss chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Griss throws a leg kick

and Knee counters by moving into the clinch.
Knee tries to work over Griss's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knee misses with a knee to the head.
Knee using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Griss has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Griss can't break the clinch.
Knee misses with a knee strike.
Griss blocking some punches.

Griss escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Griss - that will leave a mark!
Knee moves out of range of the body kick from Griss.
Knee takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Griss misses with a body kick.
Knee cracks the inside of Griss's front leg.
Knee tries a low kick but Griss avoids it.
Griss misses with a body shot.
Knee is looking to land body kicks.
Takla Griss is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Griss misses with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griss throws a leg kick but Knee moved away.
A good leg kick by Griss.
Knee takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Griss throws a nice head kick!
A decent looking body kick lands there for Griss.
Knee thows a body shot but no joy.
Griss throws a nice outside leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Knee misses the body punch

and Griss counters with a single leg into guard. Knee didn't expect that.
Knee looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Griss wants to stand but Knee is controlling his posture from full guard.
Griss is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knee wants to sweep but no luck.
Griss trying to stand up but can't free himself from Knee's guard.

Griss decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Knee, up you get!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Knee dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Griss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takla Griss showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Knee throws the kick towards the body but Griss avoids it.
Griss is looking to slow Knee down with leg kicks.
A head kick from Griss lands but Knee takes it in his stride.
Griss shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Griss moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Griss tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Knee misses with a hook to the body
and Griss counters with a nice body shot.
Knee misses with a kick to the body.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Griss.
You can see the frustration on Knee's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Griss decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Griss looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Griss seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Griss postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Knee to stand up.
Knee is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Griss takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knee throws a head kick but Griss moves out of range.
Griss just misses with a punch to the body.
Griss wants to slow Knee down by chopping away at his legs.
Griss tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Griss misses with a low kick.
Griss fakes the leg kick and cracks Knee in the body.
Griss keeps Knee at a distance using the push kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griss lands with a thumping leg kick.
Knee checks a leg kick.
Griss misses with a kick to the body
and Knee counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Knee wants to clinch.
Knee throws a head kick but Griss moves out of range.
Griss tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Knee is able to avoid easily.
Knee ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Griss moves away.
Griss lands a nice looking kick to the body. Knee takes a step back to recover.
Griss tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Knee throws a good cross that connects.
Knee swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Knee pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A head kick by Knee misses
and Griss counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knee throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ricky Knee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Griss throws the kick towards the body but Knee avoids it.
Griss pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Knee throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Griss throws a head kick that misses.
Knee is looking to clinch but Griss is avoiding it.
Knee tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Griss stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Knee.
Knee is looking to slow Griss down with leg kicks.
Knee throws a head kick that Griss semi-blocks.
Griss misses with a body kick.
Griss tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Griss scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Griss moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Griss lands with a slapping head kick.
Griss feints and then cracks Knee's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Knee down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knee misses with a kick to the body
and Griss counters with an outside leg kick.

Griss closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Griss lands in his opponent's guard.
Knee is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Griss trying to control here.
Takla Griss is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Griss is pressing down on Knee's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Knee is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Knee postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Griss is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Knee, into his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takla Griss comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Griss 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Takla Griss!