The Sports Informant

By Patrick Ibarra
Editor

Sacramento-area native Mark Munoz climbed another rung of the UFC ladder on Saturday night, defeating veteran fighter Kendall Grove in the “UFC 112: Invincible” pay-per-view event held in the United Arab Emirates.

The back-and-forth battle went deep into the second round before Munoz’s comeback was completed with a ground-and-pound victory.

A full breakdown of the fight follows.

Round 1:

Grove implemented a sound strategy early, keeping Munoz at bay with several jabs, while moving from side to side around the Octagon. Munoz made several attempts to get close and grab Grove, but they were stopped by Grove punches or pushes. Unfortunately, that only lasted 30 seconds.

Munoz shot in for his first takedown 35 seconds into the fight and secured it, despite Grove’s sprawl. Munoz maneuvered Grove on his back against the cage to get a dominant position, raining down heavy punches.

Grove saw an opening during these punches and sprung up to his feet with his back against the cage, but ate a vicious right hook by Munoz on his way up. He shook it off and circled away from Munoz and the cage.

The tide turned, though, as Munoz’s next takedown attempt was stuffed quickly by an on-the-button uppercut to his chin thrown by Grove. Munoz buckled and fell, rattled by the hit, but before Grove could jump on top of him to finish, Munoz rolled over and grabbed a single leg to try to take Grove down again.

Still shaken up, Munoz clung to an ankle of Grove’s while Grove delivered multiple hammer fists to the site of Munoz’s head. Eventually, Munoz stood up and pushed Grove back against the cage, clinging to a single leg and then a double.

With less than two minutes left in the round, the referee separated the two fighters who seemed to stall against the cage and put them back into the middle of the Octagon to fight. Munoz shot in again for a takedown, but was denied, and Grove tried to lock in a choke once the two fell to their knees. They rolled once before Munoz escaped and jumped back to his feet.

Kendall Grove puts Mark Munoz in a choke. (Photo courtesy UFC)

At the 1:17 mark, Munoz, seemingly tired and frustrated, threw a right-handed haymaker, which landed between Grove’s chin and chest, pushing Grove back with the power. Munoz then missed with a right and landed a left hook square on Grove’s chin, staggering him back into the cage. Munoz, trying to take advantage, shot in for a takedown, was stuffed and put into a guillotine choke by Grove against the cage.

Munoz squeezed his head out seconds later and grabbed a single leg again. Munoz tried for a double-leg takedown, but Grove locked in a power guillotine immediately and rolled Munoz to his back, where he survived and escaped with just seconds left before the round ended.

Round 2:

Munoz wasted no time going for a takedown, but another Grove uppercut landed. Munoz threw a flurry of punches that missed. The two were separated. Munoz came forward and threw a solid right hand, which grazed Grove’s face and sended his mouthpiece flying across the ring. Munoz threw another right, which missed, and Grove grabbed Munoz’s neck with both hands to throw some Muy Thai knees, one which landed square on Munoz’s face and sended him to his knees near the cage.

Munoz grabbed a single leg to survive, but gave up part of his back to Grove, who tried to implement position for a rear-naked choke. Munoz fought it off with wrestling and ended up on his knees fighting off an armbar attempt. Munoz’s better wrestling got him out of the submission and on top, where he rained down heavy punches on Grove, who was on his back throwing upkicks.

Mark Munoz rained heavy punches down on Kendall Grove. (Photo courtesy UFC)

Munoz then jumped into Grove’s full guard and issued several ground and pound punches to the body and face. Despite several attempts by Grove to push off with his legs, Munoz continued to attack both standing and kneeling, landing several punches to Grove’s face.

The punches eventually became too much, forcing Grove to cover his face with both hands. Refusing to fight back or defend himself intelligently, the referee deemed Grove unable to continue fighting and called and end to the battle, issuing Munoz the victory with 2:10 left in the second round.