PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Antone Griffith (ranked 25394 p4p, 0 weight class) and Check Zonium (ranked 6006 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Griffith
vs
Zonium

216 cm
19
177 lbs
0 - 3 - 1

185 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite 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 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Antone Griffith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Check Zonium!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffith slaps away a takedown attempt from Zonium, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Griffith wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Zonium.
Zonium fails with a takedown attempt.
Griffith is looking to counter with a body kick.
Antone Griffith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Check Zonium.
Griffith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zonium swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Griffith sets himself, and Zonium steps forward looking for the clinch! Griffith avoids it this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zonium looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Griffith is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Zonium.
Check Zonium seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffith avoids the head kick by Zonium.
Nice takedown defense from Griffith. No joy for Zonium on that attempt.
Griffith is looking to counter the offense by Zonium and move into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith moves out of range of the body kick.
Zonium misses the shot to the body.
Zonium shoots for a takedown but Griffith saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Griffith displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Zonium.
Griffith stuffs the takedown attempt from Zonium. Zonium gets slowly back to his feet.
Zonium looks winded!
Zonium shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Griffith as he avoids it easily.
Zonium misses with a takedown

and Griffith counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Griffith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Griffith's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A head kick from Griffith lands but Zonium takes it in his stride.
Griffith fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Zonium drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Griffith defends it well.

Zonium clinches up with Griffith and pushes him back against the cage.
Zonium is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Griffith is defending well.
Zonium is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Griffith to keep the fight standing.
A frustrated look appears on Griffith's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Zonium tries to pull guard but Griffith won't allow it.

Zonium jumps guard and drags Griffith to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Griffith has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Griffith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Zonium looking to control.
Griffith is looking to work some ground and pound but Zonium has wrist control.
Griffith throws a big right hand that misses.
Zonium is pulling down on Griffith's head. It's preventing any offense from Griffith, at least for the moment.
Griffith won't allow Zonium to sweep him here.

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.
Zonium managing to control the position.
Zonium looking to hit a scissor sweep but Griffith is one step ahead there.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Zonium looks to throw the jab but Griffith is out of range.
Zonium tries for a takedown but Griffith sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Griffith really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zonium throws the left hand but Griffith avoids the punch easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Zonium.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antone Griffith dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Zonium avoids the head kick by Griffith.
Zonium shoots in looking for a takedown but Griffith manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zonium's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Zonium looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Griffith is fending him off so far but Zonium persists. Nope, Griffith circles away and we're back to standing.
Zonium has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Griffith.

Zonium drives through and clinches with Griffith against the cage.

Zonium breaks from the clinch.
Zonium throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Griffith's waist but Griffith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zonium off to one side.
Griffith is looking for a counter combo.
Antone Griffith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Check Zonium.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zonium with a poor takedown

and Griffith counters by moving into the clinch.
Griffith tries to break free but Zonium pushes him back against the cage.
Zonium is breathing heavily.
Zonium tries to pull guard but Griffith holds him up against the cage and eventually Zonium drops back down to his feet.
A shot in the inside from Zonium.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith is trying to push Zonium away but Zonium has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Zonium is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Griffith to keep the fight standing.
Griffith wants to break free but Zonium has control.
Zonium tries to pull guard but Griffith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Griffith - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Griffith pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Zonium tries to score a power double leg takedown but Griffith sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Zonium somewhat.

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.

Zonium gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Zonium manages to escape and get back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zonium is defended easily by Griffith.
Griffith tries to counter by clinching up but Zonium breaks away and moves out of range.
Zonium throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Griffith's waist but Griffith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zonium off to one side.
Griffith is looking to counter the offense by Zonium and move into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffith gets a clinch.
Zonium has Griffith pressed against the cage, preventing Griffith from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Griffith is trying to break the clinch but Zonium has him pressed against the cage.
Griffith working hard to break the clinch.
Zonium tries to pull guard but Griffith won't allow it.

Zonium escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Zonium misses with a body kick.
Zonium looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Griffith is fending him off so far but Zonium persists. Nope, Griffith circles away and we're back to standing.
Zonium with a poor takedown

and Griffith counters by clinching up.
Griffith prevents Zonium from breaking the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Griffith holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Griffith prevents the takedown attempt.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Griffith is trying to push Zonium away but Zonium has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zonium looking for a takedown.
Zonium tries to land knees in the clinch but Griffith avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antone Griffith dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffith throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Griffith slaps away a takedown attempt from Zonium, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Zonium throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Zonium slaps away a takedown attempt from Griffith, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Zonium moves out of range of the body kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Zonium shoots in but no luck this time.
Griffith wants to clinch up but Zonium keeps it at a distance.
Zonium looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Griffith is fending him off so far but Zonium persists. Nope, Griffith circles away and we're back to standing.
Antone Griffith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Check Zonium.
Zonium takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Zonium unleashes a big counter combination but Griffith bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Zonium fails with a takedown attempt.
Griffith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Antone Griffith is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zonium shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Griffith defends it nicely.

Zonium clinches up with Griffith and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffith looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Zonium keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Griffith's efforts to push away.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Zonium.

Griffith escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Zonium shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Zonium was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Griffith struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Zonium is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Check Zonium has got the better of the ground game so far.
Zonium slows the pace down.
Zonium prevents Griffith from escaping the position.
Griffith wants to control but Zonium postures up.
Zonium advances nicely into full mount.

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.
Zonium controlling from the full mount.
Griffith is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Zonium can do to turn this around?
Griffith prevents any damage by holding on tight.
Griffith is desperately trying to improve his position but Zonium has a good base and remains in mount.
Griffith tries to improve his position but instead Zonium has taken his back!
Griffith covering up well and avoiding damage.

Griffith preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Zonium.
Zonium keeps control of the position easily here as Griffith tries to buck him off.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Griffith wants to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Check Zonium comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Griffith 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antone Griffith!