PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bina Raga (ranked 3308 p4p, 3499 weight class) and Cathail Murphy (ranked 415 p4p, 437 weight class). Bina Raga has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Raga
vs
Murphy

171 cm
25
182
5 - 8 - 0

175 cm
26
175
5 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary

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 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Bina Raga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Cathail Murphy!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, James Ackerman and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Raga drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Raga wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Murphy seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Raga looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Murphy looking to control.
Raga pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Murphy is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy is adopting a defensive guard.
Raga postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raga trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Raga has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Raga stops Murphy from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Murphy looks to score with a jab to the body but Raga is just out of range.
Murphy tries to clinch but Raga moves out of range.

Murphy drives through and clinches with Raga against the cage.
Raga working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Raga has picked Murphy up - he's going for a ride! Raga dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Raga is looking to advance position but Murphy won't allow it.
Raga prevents Murphy from standing back up.
Murphy is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Raga trying to mount his opponent but Murphy defends it.
Murphy keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raga working over Murphy with some ground and pound. Murphy looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Murphy wants to get back to his feet.
Raga looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Murphy has hold of Raga's hands but Raga slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Raga is trying to control. Murphy wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Raga thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Murphy's head.
Raga seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Murphy does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Raga wants to pass to mount but Murphy is defending the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Murphy wants to get back to his feet.
Raga sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Murphy defending well though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raga looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Murphy with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Murphy trying to hold on to Raga's head to control him but Raga postures up.

Murphy makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Murphy swings widly with a right hand
and Raga cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Murphy tries to bum rush Raga with a series of wild strikes but Raga uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Murphy is looking to clinch but Raga is avoiding it.
Raga throws a quick counter kick to the body but Murphy avoids it.
Raga throws a head kick that half lands.
Murphy fails with a takedown attempt.
Raga lands with an uppercut that bounces Murphy off the cage and back into range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy moves in looking to clinch but Raga pushes him off.
Raga throws a big counter combination but Murphy scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
A head kick misses from Murphy.

Raga is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Murphy's half guard.
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!
Murphy is looking to escape.
Murphy tries to get to full guard but Raga has control of the leg.
Raga works his way into side control.
Raga trying to control the position but Murphy is working away.
Raga misses with the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bina Raga dominated that round.
That's time! Raga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Murphy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murphy doesn't manage to clinch there - Raga circles away.

Murphy gets caught flat footed, as Raga shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Raga with a flurry of punches that miss.
Raga is in close to Murphy's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Raga from controlling successfully.
Bina Raga overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Murphy escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Raga gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Raga postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy is pulling down on Raga's head to control his posture.
Raga postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Raga working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Raga from controlling successfully.
Murphy is pulling down on Raga's head. It's preventing any offense from Raga, at least for the moment.
Raga lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Raga trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Raga working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Murphy's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Raga postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Raga is looking to advance position but Murphy has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Murphy sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Let's hope that Murphy has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Raga is looking to improve his position but Murphy isn't that keen on the idea.
Murphy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Raga is looking to escape.
Murphy might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Raga haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Murphy won't let Raga get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raga is squirming around, avoiding Murphy's attempts to control the action.
Murphy controlling the pace for now.
Raga tries to hold on but Murphy postures up.
Murphy controlling the pace for now.
Raga is wriggling around trying to escape.
Raga wants to get back to his feet.
BOOM! Murphy connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raga is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Murphy tries to control but Raga wriggling away.
Murphy controlling the position easily from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cathail Murphy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Raga takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Raga throws a nice looking combination but Murphy bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Raga shoots in looking for a takedown. Murphy tries to sprawl out of it but Raga keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Murphy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy throws a lazy head kick

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

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy tries to clinch up.
Raga tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Murphy manages to circle out of the way.
Bina Raga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy is looking to clinch.
Murphy just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromRaga.
Raga stuffs the takedown attempt from Murphy. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.
Raga looks to land a combination. Murphy sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Murphy has a takedown stuffed.
Raga appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Murphy swinging wildly here.
Murphy throws a right hand that Raga ducks under and follows up with a left that Raga also avoids with ease.
A slow jab from Murphy misses its intended target.
Raga fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Raga thuds his right hand into Murphy's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murphy closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Murphy pulls guard successfully.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Raga from controlling successfully.

Raga postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Murphy is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Raga, into his guard.

Raga is working an open guard so Murphy takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Murphy lands with a cross.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Raga avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Raga moves away.
A head kick misses from Murphy.
Raga half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Murphy misses with a few strikes there.
Murphy moves in looking to clinch but Raga pushes him off.
Murphy throws a head kick that misses.
Murphy fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murphy shoots for a takedown but Raga saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Raga looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Bina Raga has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cathail Murphy.
Raga dodges the punch combination from Murphy.
Murphy tried to score with a low kick but Raga checks it.
Raga tries to counter with a takedown but Murphy is quick to defend against it.
Raga shoots in for a takedown but Murphy shows good takedown defense.
Murphy steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Raga.
Raga avoids the body shot from Murphy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raga shoots for a takedown but Murphy saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Murphy tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Raga manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Raga tries to counter by clinching up but Murphy breaks away and moves out of range.
A nice combination there by Murphy.
Cathail Murphy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Raga takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Murphy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Raga shoots in but Murphy avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Raga pulls out of a head kick attempt.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murphy fails with the takedown.
Raga shoots in but no luck this time.

Murphy gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cathail Murphy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Murphy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cathail Murphy!
Cathail Murphy gave a mention to Brooklyn Apothecary in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).