PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cathail Murphy (ranked 3707 p4p, 5601 weight class) and Cajetan Shashi (ranked 464 p4p, 612 weight class). Cajetan Shashi told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Murphy
vs
Shashi

175 cm
34
175
8 - 14 - 0

185 cm
42
169
17 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

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 8 - 14 - 0, fighting out of London, Cathail Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cajetan Shashi!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Summer Carpenter and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shashi scores with a nice strike.

It looks like Cathail Murphy has been cut.
Shashi swinging wildly here.
Shashi with a poor takedown

and Murphy counters with a nice double leg into side control. Shashi won't be happy with that.
A lull in the action here as Murphy stalls from top position.
Shashi is looking for a sweep.
Shashi is letting Murphy control him for a moment.
Murphy working the ground and pound from side control.
Shashi is trying to get back to half guard.
Murphy taking a breather here.
Shashi struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shashi trying to remain calm as Murphy controls from the top position.
Shashi is trying to improve his position.
Shashi trying to remain calm as Murphy controls from the top position.
Murphy seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Shashi for as long as he can get away with.
Shashi tries to buck Murphy off but Murphy is having none of it.
The referee asks Murphy politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Murphy prefers to stall for the moment though.
Shashi pushes Murphy away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Murphy gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Check out the look on Murphy's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Murphy controls the position.
Murphy working away.
Murphy definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy controlling the position from side mount.
Murphy continues to stall.
Shashi manages to work his way to half guard, despite Murphy's best efforts.
Shashi on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Murphy controlling the action here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Murphy lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy controlling the action here.
Shashi wants to get back to full guard.
Murphy has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Murphy content to control rather than advance.
Murphy takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Murphy is nestled in close to Shashi, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Shashi is not content to let Murphy control the position.
Shashi is looking for a sweep. Murphy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Murphy sitting and controlling from the half guard.
More hug and hope from Murphy.
Murphy landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Shashi is trying to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Shashi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Well, if Murphy is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cathail Murphy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Cathail Murphy's cut.
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.

Shashi fails with the takedown
and Murphy counters with a left to the body.
Shashi throws a sloppy head kick

and Murphy counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Shashi gets underhooks to prevent Murphy's takedown attempt.

Murphy breaks the clinch.
Murphy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Shashi as he avoids it easily.
Shashi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Murphy moves in looking to clinch but Shashi pushes him off.
Shashi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murphy is fending him off so far but Shashi persists. Nope, Murphy circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy tries to counter by clinching up but Shashi breaks away and moves out of range.
Murphy stuffs the takedown.
Cathail Murphy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cajetan Shashi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shashi throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Murphy on the side of the head.
Murphy keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Murphy shoots in looking for a takedown but Shashi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Murphy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Murphy shoots in but no luck this time.
Shashi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Shashi moves away.
Shashi throws a sloppy head kick and Murphy moves out of range easily.
Cajetan Shashi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Shashi throws a right and a left that Murphy avoids nicely.
Murphy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Shashi is fending him off so far but Murphy persists. Nope, Shashi circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy misses with a hook to the body
and Shashi counters with a head kick. That will keep Murphy thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Shashi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Shashi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Murphy manages to avoid it.
Murphy darts in trying to clinch
and Shashi counters with a series of strikes. Murphy will be more careful next time no doubt.
Shashi dives in for a single leg takedown but Murphy sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Murphy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Shashi tries to avoid it but Murphy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Shashi to the ground. Shashi escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A little jabbing left from Shashi on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shashi connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Murphy throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Shashi tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Murphy is in Shashi's guard.

Shashi has his feet on Murphy's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Shashi lands with a slapping head kick.

Murphy gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Murphy manages to break the clinch.
Shashi walks into a left hand.
Shashi works Murphy's body with a nice hook.
Murphy has his takedown stuffed
and Shashi counters with a head kick.
Murphy misses with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Shashi looks for a takedown but Murphy sprawls well.
Murphy is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Shashi.
The fight stays on the outside here - Shashi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Murphy appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Murphy fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Shashi to the ground. Murphy is now in Shashi's guard.
Shashi wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Murphy manages to pass to side control.

Shashi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Murphy decides to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shashi tries to land a body kick

and Murphy counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Shashi!
Shashi tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murphy controls the position.
Murphy loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Shashi hold on?

Shashi defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Murphy's arms.
Shashi is taking damage to the body and head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Cajetan Shashi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Cathail Murphy's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Murphy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Shashi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Murphy somewhat.
Shashi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murphy swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Murphy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A looping hook to the body misses from Shashi. Murphy does a little dance to reset his feet.
Murphy shoots in but no luck this time.
Shashi shoots in but no luck this time.
Murphy swats away the attempt to clinch by Shashi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy looks for a takedown but Shashi sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cathail Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Shashi misses with a straight right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shashi looks to land a combination but Murphy avoids it well.
Murphy seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Cajetan Shashi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Shashi catches Murphy with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Murphy scores with a body shot.
Murphy fails with a takedown attempt.
Shashi tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Murphy defends well and Shashi ends up having to push Murphy into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Shashi tries for a takedown but Murphy circles away easily
and Murphy counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Shashi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Shashi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murphy.
Murphy closes the distance and clinches up with Shashi, looking for a takedown. Murphy pushes Shashi against the cage but Shashi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Shashi swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Shashi with that takedown attempt.
Murphy tries to counter by clinching up but Shashi breaks away and moves out of range.
Shashi lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Cathail Murphy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Shashi throws a right and a left that Murphy avoids nicely.
It looked like Murphy was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Shashi.

Murphy closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shashi trying to hold on to Murphy's head to control him but Murphy postures up.
Murphy seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shashi wants to control but Murphy is keeping busy.
Murphy looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Shashi is looking to improve his position.
Nice strikes from Murphy there.
Murphy slows the pace down in half guard.
Cathail Murphy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Shashi works his way to full guard. Good work.

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.
Murphy tries to free his leg and advance position but Shashi is retaining full guard.
Murphy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Murphy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Shashi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Shashi preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Murphy gets to his feet - Shashi follows without any prompting.
Nice takedown defense from Shashi. No joy for Murphy on that attempt.
Shashi is looking to clinch but Murphy is avoiding it.
An attempted straight right counter from Murphy misses the target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Murphy clinches up with Shashi and pushes him back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Shashi decides to pull guard.

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 Cathail Murphy.
I think Murphy 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!