PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Derek Vinyard (ranked 185 p4p, 21 weight class) and Archie Griffiths (ranked 285 p4p, 39 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.

Vinyard
vs
Griffiths

167 cm
24
145 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

175 cm
33
147 lbs
18 - 6 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derek Vinyard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 6 - 1, fighting out of London, Archie Griffiths!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Donald Grub and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffiths connects with a body shot.
Griffiths fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Griffiths lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Griffiths bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vinyard swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vinyard throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Griffiths.
Vinyard throws a right hand that Griffiths ducks under and follows up with a left that Griffiths also avoids with ease.
Griffiths takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Archie Griffiths seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vinyard on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Vinyard avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Griffiths throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Vinyard stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Vinyard throws a right and a left that Griffiths avoids nicely.
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!
Griffiths ducks under a wild hook from Vinyard.
Griffiths moves out of range of the strikes.
Vinyard scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Griffiths swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Vinyard.
An inside leg kick from Griffiths misses.
Griffiths connects with a high kick.
Vinyard throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Griffiths misses the target.
Vinyard moves out of range of the strikes.
Vinyard misses with a leg kick
letting Griffiths counter with a right hand.
Griffiths fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vinyard manages to avoid it.

Vinyard clinches with his opponent.
Vinyard misses with a hook from the clinch.

Griffiths's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vinyard on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Griffiths. Griffiths obviously looking to wear him down.
Vinyard on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Griffiths scores with a jab. Vinyard acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Vinyard takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Vinyard misses with a hook.
Griffiths throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Griffiths throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Griffiths wants to slow Vinyard down by chopping away at his legs.
Vinyard looks to land a right hand but Griffiths moved out of range.
Griffiths fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Vinyard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vinyard misses with a shot to the body
and Griffiths counters with a three punch combo that has Vinyard backing up. Vinyard nods at Griffiths to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths throws a jab when Vinyard was well out of range.
Griffiths tests Vinyard's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vinyard turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Griffiths jabs at Vinyard's body.
A left lands for Griffiths.
Vinyard just misses with a punch to the body.
Griffiths ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Vinyard lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Vinyard swings widly with a right hand
and Griffiths counters with a series of strikes. Vinyard will be more careful next time no doubt.
Vinyard jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Griffiths throws a wild body kick that Vinyard sees coming a mile off.
Griffiths lands a head shot.
Vinyard throws a right and a left that Griffiths avoids nicely.
Vinyard is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Griffiths's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Vinyard avoids a kick to the body.
Griffiths with a hook.
Griffiths has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vinyard walks forward, straight into a front kick from Griffiths.
Griffiths thumps Vinyard with a low kick.
Vinyard moves out of range of the strikes.
Crunch! Griffiths slams his shin into Vinyard's torso.
Griffiths slips a jab from Vinyard.
Vinyard blocks a head kick by Griffiths.
Vinyard throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Griffiths.
Vinyard throws a right hand that misses
and Griffiths counters with a slapping leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Vinyard checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Griffiths takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Good exchange - Vinyard coming out on top.
Vinyard's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Griffiths connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Vinyard scrambles back to his feet.
Vinyard looks to land a combination. Griffiths sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vinyard throws a big shot that misses.
Griffiths feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Vinyard's calf.
Griffiths misses with a hook. Vinyard ducked under it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths throws a head kick that half lands.
Griffiths throws out a leg kick but Vinyard moves out of range and Griffiths only half commits.
Vinyard throws a low kick but it's checked well by Griffiths.
Griffiths scores with a crisp jab that stopped Vinyard in his tracks.
Griffiths is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Vinyard had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Griffiths looks for the body kick but Vinyard saw that one coming.
Vinyard avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Vinyard misses with a wild body shot.
Vinyard thows a leg kick but Griffiths checks it
and Griffiths counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Griffiths throws a low kick, looking for Vinyard's leg but Vinyard calmly moves out of range.
Vinyard tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A left lands for Vinyard.
A chopping leg kick lands by Griffiths.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Griffiths connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nice uppercut there from Griffiths.
Griffiths just misses with a punch to the body.
Griffiths has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Vinyard throws a hook but Griffiths avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Archie Griffiths dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Griffiths scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Vinyard throws a right and a left that Griffiths avoids nicely.
Griffiths throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vinyard misses with a combination
and Griffiths counters with an outside leg kick.
Griffiths is looking to slow Vinyard down with leg kicks.
An inside leg kick lands from Griffiths.
Vinyard drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Crunch! Griffiths slams his shin into Vinyard's torso.
Griffiths has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Griffiths cracks the inside of Vinyard's front leg.
Griffiths slips under a jab.
Griffiths takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Griffiths throws a leg kick that misses.
Griffiths ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
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!
Griffiths blocks a jab.
Vinyard sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Griffiths tries a head kick but it misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lazy left from Griffiths finds it's target.
Griffiths throws a head kick that Vinyard semi-blocks.
Griffiths misses with a hook. Vinyard ducked under it nicely.
Griffiths misses with a straight right.
Both fighters circling a little - Griffiths finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Nice cross by Vinyard.
A slow jab from Vinyard misses its intended target.
Vinyard misses with a hook. Griffiths ducked under it nicely.
Griffiths steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Griffiths keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Vinyard throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Griffiths counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vinyard misses with a straight right.
Griffiths throws out a counter right but Vinyard avoids it with no problem.
Vinyard misses with a straight right.
A jab from Griffiths does it's job there.
Griffiths connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Griffiths staying out of range there.
Vinyard misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Griffiths. That's going to slow Vinyard down.
Vinyard jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A jab lands there for Griffiths.
Vinyard blocks a leg kick.
Vinyard swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Vinyard misses with a low kick.
Griffiths digs a good hook to Vinyard's body.
Griffiths delivers a nice body kick.
Griffiths ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Griffiths tests Vinyard's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Griffiths pushes Vinyard away with a front kick.
Vinyard misses with a looping left.
Griffiths throws a low kick but Vinyard avoids it.
Vinyard takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Griffiths with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Vinyard feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Griffithss jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vinyard throws a leg kick but Griffiths sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Vinyard throws a leg kick but Griffiths sees it coming and moves out of range.
Griffiths scores with a jab to the head.
Vinyard blocks a head kick by Griffiths.
Griffiths tries a low kick but Vinyard avoids it.
Vinyard was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A big right from Vinyard misses.
Griffiths checks the leg kick nicely there.
Griffiths lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Vinyard lands a jab.
Vinyard throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Griffiths misses the jab.
Archie Griffiths seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A shot to the liver by Griffiths. Beautiful body shot.
Griffiths swings for the body but Vinyard moves out of range.
Griffiths throws a body punch but Vinyard moves out of range.
Vinyard takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Vinyard lands a two punch combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vinyard walks forward, straight into a front kick from Griffiths.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffiths takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Griffiths misses with a low kick.
Griffiths throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Griffiths staying out of range there.
Griffiths scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Vinyard misses with a looping right.
Vinyard takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Griffiths thumps Vinyard with a low kick.
Griffiths with a nice cross.
Griffiths keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Vinyard.
Griffiths throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Vinyard misses with an uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Vinyard.
A big left from Vinyard misses.
Griffiths looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Vinyard slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Vinyard attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Archie Griffiths showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Vinyard lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Vinyard throws a hook but Griffiths avoids it easily.
Vinyard checks a low kick from Griffiths.
Vinyard misses with a body shot.
Griffiths misses with a straight left.
Griffiths misses with a right hand
and Vinyard counters with a three punch combo that has Griffiths backing up. Griffiths nods at Vinyard to acknowledge the strikes.
A head kick misses from Griffiths.
Nice body kick from Griffiths.
Vinyard ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Vinyard throws out a loose jab but Griffiths uses good head movement to avoid it.
Griffiths lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Vinyard throws a right hand that Griffiths ducks under and follows up with a left that Griffiths also avoids with ease.
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!
Griffiths lands a nice shot that snaps Vinyard's head back.
A nice inside leg kick there by Griffiths. That's going to slow Vinyard down.
Griffiths lands with a kick to the temple. Vinyard shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Vinyard will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Griffiths feints and then cracks Vinyard's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Vinyard down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffiths throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Vinyard stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Griffiths scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Griffiths, right into the meat.
A swing and a miss from Griffiths.
Griffiths lands a leg kick that knocks Vinyard off balance momentarily.
Griffiths takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Griffiths throws a leg kick but Vinyard sees it coming and moves out of range.
Griffiths throws a wild body kick that Vinyard sees coming a mile off.
Griffiths fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Vinyard.
A shot to the liver by Griffiths. Beautiful body shot.
Nice defenses there by Vinyard.
Vinyard throwing a counter right hand but Griffiths manages to avoid it.
Griffiths blocks a jab.
Griffiths flicks out a counter leg kick but Vinyard steps away.
Vinyard missing with a left hand there. Griffiths was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Vinyard connects with a right hand. Griffiths shakes it off.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vinyard throws the left hand but Griffiths avoids the punch easily.
Griffiths steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vinyard.
Derek Vinyard has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vinyard pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Griffiths fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Vinyard has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Vinyard is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The fighters circling - Vinyard throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vinyard connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Griffiths momentarily.
Vinyard takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Griffiths lands a leg kick that knocks Vinyard off balance momentarily.
A swing and a miss from Vinyard.
Vinyard swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Griffiths throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Griffiths throws a sloppy head kick and Vinyard moves out of range easily.
Griffiths tries to score with a low kick but Vinyard moves his leg out of the way.
Vinyard looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Vinyard missing with a left hand there. Griffiths was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Griffiths lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Archie Griffiths is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vinyard stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Griffiths.
Vinyard misses with an uppercut
and Griffiths cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Vinyard waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Griffiths.
Griffiths dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Vinyard. That did some damage!
Griffiths tries a head kick but it misses.
Vinyard has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Vinyard there as he acknowledges the shot.
Griffiths connects with a high kick.
Vinyard throws the left hand but Griffiths avoids the punch easily.
Griffiths throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Griffiths scores with a leg kick.
Griffiths tries a head kick but it misses.
Vinyard throws a hook to the side of Griffiths's head but Griffiths sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Vinyard clinches with his opponent.
Vinyard misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vinyard misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Vinyard fails to land.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vinyard makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Vinyard tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffiths.
I was talking to Vinyard's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vinyard.
Griffiths lands a left hand that snaps the head of Vinyard backwards.
Griffiths blocking some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Griffiths.
Vinyard working aggressively here.
Vinyard misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vinyard has a couple of punches blocked by Griffiths.

Griffiths breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffiths staying out of range there.
Griffiths uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vinyard.
Griffiths misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Archie Griffiths comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Griffiths 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Archie Griffiths!
An out of breath Archie Griffiths thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.