PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dalinar Kholin (ranked 2525 p4p, 353 weight class) and George Granger (ranked 1249 p4p, 195 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Kholin
vs
Granger

187 cm
20
217 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

195 cm
26
207 lbs
7 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dalinar Kholin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, George Granger!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kholin scores with a body shot.
Granger misses with a double jab.
Granger throws a right hand that Kholin ducks under and follows up with a left that Kholin also avoids with ease.
Granger stuffs the takedown attempt from Kholin. Kholin gets slowly back to his feet.
Kholin lands a jab to the nose.
Kholin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Kholin moves into the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kholin.
Kholin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Kholin lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Granger misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kholin swings wildly with an uppercut but Granger uses good head movement to avoid it.
Kholin looking for a takedown.
Kholin is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Granger is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dalinar Kholin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kholin looking for a takedown.
Kholin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kholin takes a shot to the head.
Granger is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Granger misses with a body punch.
Kholin misses with a hook from the clinch.
Kholin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Kholin lands a left hand that snaps the head of Granger backwards.
Kholin lands a nice shot to the body.
Granger misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kholin lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kholin misses with the head strike.
Kholin changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Granger fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A lazy left from Kholin finds it's target.
Granger fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kholin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Granger scores with a hook to the body. Kholin takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kholin throws an overhand right that lands on Granger's shoulder, as Granger tries to avoid the shot.
Kholin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A jab from Granger misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Granger takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Kholin throws a lazy uppercut
and Granger counters with a stiff right hand.
Granger scores with a jab to the jaw.
A left lands for Granger.
Granger has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Granger keeps the fight on the outside.
Granger throws a jab when Kholin was well out of range.

Kholin looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Granger!
Kholin cracks Granger with a big elbow.
Granger taking punishment in the form of punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Granger is looking for a sweep.
Kholin lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kholin works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Kholin works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Kholin trying to control the position but Granger is working away.
Kholin scores with punches from side control.
Kholin throws an elbow but Granger slips to the side and avoids it well.
Kholin tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Kholin scores with punches from side control.
Granger regains half guard, as Kholin was trying to land strikes.
Granger on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kholin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kholin is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Kholin misses with a head shot. Granger uses the momentum to regain guard.
Kholin tries to free his leg and advance position but Granger is retaining full guard.
Kholin connects with a couple of short punches.
Kholin trying to control the position from guard on top but Granger is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kholin landing some decent shots from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Kholin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Granger paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Granger ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Granger cracks Kholin with a right hand to the side of the head.
A combination from Granger does no damage.
Granger changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Kholin closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Kholin is trying to control the action in half guard but Granger is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
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. Kholin connects with a nice short shot to Granger's temple.
Kholin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Kholin thows a huge punch but Granger dodges it nicely.
Kholin looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kholin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Kholin lands a nice short elbow.
Granger wants to improve his position but Kholin is controlling well.
Kholin looks to land a strike but Granger avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kholin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Kholin definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Granger utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kholin postures up in Granger's guard and throws a big left but Granger blocks it.
Granger keeping full guard, as Kholin tries to pass.
Kholin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kholin in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Granger has his hands on Kholin's head, controlling the position.
Kholin scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Granger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kholin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Kholin lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kholin advances to half guard.
Kholin lands strikes from half guard.
Kholin throwing shots but Granger is blocking nicely.
Granger avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kholin.
Kholin throws a strike but Granger avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Kholin trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kholin working some strikes from top position.
Granger not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kholin engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Kholin throws a big elbow that misses.
Kholin with a nice head shot there.
Kholin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Granger is keeping the position for now.
Kholin throws a big right hand that misses.
Dalinar Kholin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kholin throwing strikes from guard but Granger blocks nicely.
Granger keeping moving, preventing Kholin from controlling successfully.
Kholin is really struggling to control Granger but he's trying to hold on to the position.

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.
Kholin with a flurry of punches that miss.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Kholin misses the shot to the body.
Kholin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Granger can do to turn this around?
Kholin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Granger as he avoids it easily.
Granger misses with a wild combination.
Kholin takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Granger swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kholin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Granger sprawls and moves away.
Kholin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Granger lands a body shot.
Kholin misses with a wild body shot.
Kholin misses the shot to the body.
Kholin misses with a shot to the body
enabling Granger to counter with a crisp jab.
George Granger is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kholin tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Granger was well out of range. Poor timing from Kholin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dalinar Kholin dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Kholin misses with a hook to the body
and Granger counters with a straight right hand.
Kholin avoids the body shot from Granger.
Granger throws a shot from downtown. Kholin moves away and avoids it.
Granger misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Kholin.
Kholin misses with a looping right.
Granger has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Kholin throws a sloppy body shot
and Kholin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Granger swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Kholin.
Granger throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kholin sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kholin changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Kholin on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Granger throws out a loose jab but Kholin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Granger throws a body shot but no joy.

Kholin drives through with a takedown into Granger's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kholin is looking to work some ground and pound but Granger has wrist control.
Granger wants to stand and escape but Kholin is having none of it.
Kholin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kholin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kholin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Kholin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Granger works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kholin connects with a couple of short punches.
Kholin content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Granger can't keep his opponent in guard - Kholin advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Kholin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Granger has his hands clasped together around Kholin's back. He's all about the action.
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. Kholin connects with a nice short shot to Granger's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Granger regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Kholin.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kholin is looking to work some ground and pound but Granger has wrist control.
Kholin connects with a couple of short punches.
Kholin is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kholin throwing strikes but missing.
Kholin trying to control but Granger is working from the bottom.
Kholin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Granger swivels though and keeps the full guard.
George Granger has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kholin won't allow Granger to sweep him here.
Kholin is in close to Granger's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kholin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kholin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Granger looking for a sweep. Not yet Granger, not yet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Kholin is looking to wear down Granger with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Kholin has managed to clinch.
Granger prevents a takedown attempt there.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Kholin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Still in the clinch, Kholin scores with a nice short uppercut.
Kholin is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Kholin tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Granger misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kholin softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Kholin drops down looking for an ankle pick but Granger pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dalinar Kholin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kholin drives through and clinches with Granger against the cage.
Kholin has Granger pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Granger manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kholin wants to take the fight to the mat but Granger manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kholin tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Granger lands with a left to the head.
Granger wants to break free but Kholin has control.
Kholin blocking some punches.
Granger tries a body shot but Kholin blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Dalinar Kholin.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Kholin, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dalinar Kholin!