PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Forrest Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lionel Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Griffin
vs
Messi

191 cm
21
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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Los Diablos Rojos FightGear//$10 Apparel on Sale\\

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Forrest Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Lionel Messi!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Messi bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Messi prevents Griffin from escaping the position.
Griffin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Messi's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Griffin wants to get back to full guard.
Griffin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Griffin is controlling Messi's trapped leg to prevent Messi from advancing to side control.
Messi trying to control the action but Griffin is working from the bottom.
Griffin works his way to full guard. Good work.
Messi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Griffin has a closed guard, preventing Messi from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Griffin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Griffin works his way into full mount!
Messi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Griffin. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Messi tries to reverse the position but Griffin maintains control.
Poor strikes thrown by Griffin there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Griffin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Griffin trying to control but Messi is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Messi tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Griffin wants to stand but Messi is holding on to him, trying to stop him posturing up.
Griffin wants to control the pace but Messi is squirming around nicely.
Messi tries to reverse the position but Griffin maintains control.
Messi squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Griffin manages to capitalize on a mistake by Messi to take his back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Griffin keeps control of the position as Messi tries to break free.
Messi trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Messi has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Griffin lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Messi hold on?!
Griffin misses with a punch to the head.
Griffin keeps control of the position as Messi tries to break free.
Messi holding on to Griffin's left wrist, preventing the choke.
Griffin lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Griffin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Messi manages to reverse the position and now he's in Griffin's guard. Nice work there by Messi.
Messi tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.
Messi is looking to work some ground and pound but Griffin has wrist control.
Griffin wants to improve his position but instead Messi has moved into half guard.
Messi wants to pass to mount but Griffin is defending the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Griffin looking for submissions off his back.
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 Forrest Griffin 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.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Messi.
Griffin is looking to reverse the position.
Griffin is working hard here to advance position.
Messi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Griffin keeps working.
Messi in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Messi working the head with strikes.
Griffin gets back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Griffin manages to get to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Griffin trying to strike off his back.
Messi tries to free his leg and advance position but Griffin is retaining full guard.

Messi is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Griffin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Griffin has escaped and now he's on top!
Messi wants to sweep here but Griffin controlling him for the moment.

That's two 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.
Messi throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Griffin stands up over Messi, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Messi pulls Griffin in to control the position.
Messi is trying to control the position but Griffin postures up.
Griffin pushing down on Messi's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Messi looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi trying to hold on to Griffin's head to control him but Griffin postures up.
Messi is looking for a sweep. Griffin is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Griffin wants to stand up but Messi is controlling the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Griffin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Messi shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Messi is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Griffin slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Messi wants to get up but he can't break Griffin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lionel Messi 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Griffin tries to clinch but Messi is having none of it.
Messi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Messi shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Griffin is trying to defend but Messi finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Messi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Messi seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Griffin looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Messi is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Messi stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Griffin to get to his feet.

Messi closes the distance and clinches.

Messi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Messi throws a lazy head kick

and Griffin counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Messi's guard now.
Griffin trying to control but Messi is working from the bottom.
Griffin stopping the sweep attempt from Messi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi working a defensive guard here.
Messi pulls Griffin in close to prevent any damage.
Griffin is looking to work some ground and pound but Messi has wrist control.
Messi working a defensive guard here.
Messi pulls Griffin in to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Messi has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Griffin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Griffin looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Messi is looking to get back to full guard here but Griffin has managed to pass to side control instead.
Messi wants to hold on but Griffin pushes him away.
Messi swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Forrest Griffin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Messi working to try and regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Griffin with shots to the head and body - Messi looks very uncomfortable down there.
Messi tries to hold on but Griffin pushes him away.
Griffin tries to control but Messi wriggling away.
Messi wants to hold on but Griffin pushes him away.
Griffin wants to take Messi's back but he can't do it this time.
Messi's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Forrest Griffin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Griffin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Forrest Griffin!