PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Blake Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santino Di Vaio (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
Di Vaio

180 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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, Blake Griffin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Santino Di Vaio!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Griffin lands a left and a right that send Di Vaio crashing to the mat, dazed. Griffin thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Di Vaio is rocked!

It looks like Santino Di Vaio has been cut.
Griffin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Di Vaio.
Di Vaio is still on wobbly legs! Can Griffin finish him?

Di Vaio looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Di Vaio seems to have recovered his senses.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Griffin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Di Vaio must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Griffin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Griffin manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Griffin could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Griffin fails with the takedown

and Di Vaio counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Di Vaio.
Di Vaio content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Griffin wants to stand up but Di Vaio is controlling him.
Griffin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Di Vaio working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Griffin is trying to keep Di Vaio in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Di Vaio makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Di Vaio is looking to work some ground and pound but Griffin has wrist control.
Di Vaio lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Di Vaio accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Di Vaio content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Di Vaio throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Di Vaio throwing strikes but missing.
Griffin wants to sweep here but Di Vaio controlling him for the moment.
Di Vaio with a flurry of punches that miss.
Di Vaio postures up.
Di Vaio loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Di Vaio shoots in and bounces Griffin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Di Vaio looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Di Vaio postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Di Vaio postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Di Vaio makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Di Vaio missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Di Vaio connects with a couple of short punches.
Di Vaio trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Di Vaio throwing strikes but missing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Griffin shoots and misses

so Di Vaio counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Di Vaio postures up in Griffin's guard and throws a big left but Griffin blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffin working for a triangle but Di Vaio defends it easily.
Di Vaio in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Di Vaio with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Griffin looking to control.
Di Vaio with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Di Vaio in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Griffin trying to keep a closed guard but Di Vaio is proving a slippery customer.
Di Vaio throws a strike but Griffin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Di Vaio looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Griffin passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Di Vaio tries to get back to half guard but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Santino Di Vaio will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Santino Di Vaio's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Di Vaio has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Griffin tries for a takedown but Di Vaio circles away easily

and Di Vaio counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Griffin is trying to control but can't.

Griffin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Griffin has hold of Di Vaio's hands but Di Vaio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nice strikes from Di Vaio there.
Griffin has hold of Di Vaio's hands but Di Vaio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Di Vaio scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Di Vaio working the head and body with strikes.
Di Vaio lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Griffin tries to roll over but Di Vaio keeps him under control.
Di Vaio working over Griffin with some ground and pound. Griffin looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Griffin has hold of Di Vaio's hands but Di Vaio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Griffin taking some punishment here, with Di Vaio in his half guard.
Di Vaio lands strikes from half guard.
Di Vaio working the head and body with strikes.
Di Vaio lands strikes from half guard.
Di Vaio lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Di Vaio throwing shots but Griffin is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Di Vaio not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Di Vaio lands a nice short elbow.
Di Vaio thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Di Vaio thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Griffin's head.

Griffin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

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

and Di Vaio counters with a takedown into side control.
Griffin dodges the ground and pound from Di Vaio.
Di Vaio lands some shots froms side control.
You can see the frustration on Griffin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is trying to buck Di Vaio off.
Di Vaio works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Griffin struggling a bit here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Di Vaio scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Di Vaio cracks Griffin with a big elbow.
Santino Di Vaio has got the better of the ground game so far.
Griffin tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Di Vaio scores with punches from side control.
Di Vaio scores with a couple of short elbows.
Griffin regains half guard.
Di Vaio missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nice strikes from Di Vaio there.
Di Vaio sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Griffin defending well though.
Di Vaio not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Griffin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Di Vaio is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Di Vaio lands a nice short elbow.
Griffin looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santino Di Vaio showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Santino Di Vaio's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Griffin darts in trying to clinch

and Di Vaio counters with a nice double leg into side control. Griffin won't be happy with that.
Griffin takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Griffin takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Di Vaio cracks Griffin with a big elbow.
Griffin tries to escape but Di Vaio is in control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Di Vaio lands a few punches from side control.
Di Vaio cracks Griffin with a big right hand but Griffin just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Di Vaio in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Griffin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Di Vaio is working away from the top position though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Di Vaio working over Griffin with some ground and pound. Griffin looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Di Vaio slips a nice elbow through Griffin's hands, connecting with Griffin's forehead.
Di Vaio slips a nice elbow through Griffin's hands, connecting with Griffin's forehead.
Griffin trying to control here.
Di Vaio scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Di Vaio landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Griffin keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Griffin taking some punishment here, with Di Vaio in his half guard.
Griffin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Griffin has hold of Di Vaio's hands but Di Vaio slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Di Vaio looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Griffin with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Di Vaio is thwarting Griffin's attempts to control the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Di Vaio lands a nice short elbow.
Ground and pound from Di Vaio.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Di Vaio connects with a nice short shot to Griffin's temple.
Griffin trying to hold on to Di Vaio's head to control him but Di Vaio postures up.
Griffin is looking to improve his position.
Di Vaio is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin wants to control but Di Vaio is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Griffin throws a body punch but Di Vaio moves out of range.

Di Vaio shoots in and bounces Griffin off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Di Vaio throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Griffin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Di Vaio scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Di Vaio in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Di Vaio landing with the ground and pound.
Griffin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Di Vaio is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Di Vaio is bucking up trying to escape but Griffin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santino Di Vaio comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Di Vaio 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santino Di Vaio!