PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hinski Grang (ranked 1057 p4p, 2199 weight class) and James Murray (ranked 141 p4p, 282 weight class). Grang comes to the cage accompanied by JID - Ed, Edd & Eddy. Murray has chosen Walkin - Denzel Curry as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Grang
vs
Murray

186 cm
32
222
15 - 7 - 0

185 cm
23
197
8 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Katman Drip Inc.

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hinski Grang!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Murray!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Yves DeLean and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Grang misses with a straight left.
Murray takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Murray fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Murray scores with a hook.
Grang swings for the body but Murray moves out of range.
Murray slips a jab from Grang.
It seemed like Murray was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Murray uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Grang.
Grang throws a shot from downtown. Murray moves away and avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murray with a nice cross.
Grang misses with a looping right.
A slow jab from Grang misses its intended target.
Grang takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good shot there by Murray.
Grang throws a hook to the side of Murray's head but Murray sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Murray staying out of range there.
Grang misses with an uppercut. Murray saw that one coming.
James Murray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Grang misses with an uppercut.
Grang swings for the body but Murray moves out of range.
Murray tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
An attempted straight right counter from Grang misses the target.
Grang takes one on the button.
Grang definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Murray throws a head kick but Grang moves out of range.
Murray scores with a nice right hand.
Jab by Murray.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Grang has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Murray with a nice calf kick.
Murray lands with a cross.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murray slips under a jab.
Murray is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Grang had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Grang takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Grang defending well as Murray loads up on a big left hand.
Grang is looking to counter punch.
Grang throws a right and a left that Murray avoids nicely.
Grang loads up on a big right hand but Murray slips the punch.
Murray looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Grang avoids a kick to the body.
Jab, jab by Murray - just one landing.
Murray staying out of range there.
Murray looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Murray lands a nice looking body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grang misses with a wild body shot.
Murray lands a glancing blow to the side of Grang's head.
Grang jabs Murray right on the nose. Murray blinks but takes it well.
Grang misses with an uppercut
and Murray cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Murray has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Grang takes one to the side of the head.
Grang throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Murray throws out a counter right but Grang avoids it with no problem.
Murray uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Murray ducks under a wild hook from Grang.
An inside leg kick lands from Murray.
Murray with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Murray lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Murray.
Murray misses with a looping right.
Grang was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murray moves out of range as Grang strikes.
Murray looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Murray scores with the left hand. Grang knows he should have avoided that one.
Grang avoids the head kick by Murray.
Grang swings for the body but Murray moves out of range.
Grang has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Grang there as he acknowledges the shot.
Murray throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Murray.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Murray dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Murray connects with a nice looking jab.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Murray. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Grang scores with a jab to the head.
Murray misses with a hook.
Grang throws a one two combo.
James Murray seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murray lands an overhand right.
Murray misses with a wild body shot.
Murray misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grang connects with a jab.
Grang throws a poor cross that misses
and Murray counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grang misses with an uppercut. Murray saw that one coming.
A jab from Grang misses.
Murray throws a counter combo.
Murray blocks a jab.
Grang avoids a punch combination nicely.
Grang was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Grang lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Murray backs up against the cage.
Grang walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Grang takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Grang swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Grang throws a poor cross that misses
and Murray counters with a stiff right hand.
The fighters circle momentarily. Murray darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Grang looks to score with a jab to the body but Murray is just out of range.
Grang walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Murray slips a jab from Grang.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Grang ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Grang just misses with a punch to the body.
Murray blocks a jab.
Murray fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Grang has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Murray stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Grang misses with a straight left.
Murray misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray with the inside leg kick.
Murray slips a straight right by Grang.
Murray lands a lovely overhand right.
Murray jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Grang uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murray.
Grang is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Murray slips under a jab.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Murray! But no joy.
Grang checks the leg kick.
Grang misses with a looping left.
Grang looks to score with a jab to the body but Murray is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murray buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Grang looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Murray tests Grang's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Murray takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Grang ducks right into an uppercut from Murray.
Grang scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Grang scores with a decent looking hook.
Murray has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Grang fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Murray connects with an inside leg kick.
Murray slips under a jab.
Murray keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Murray will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Grang throws a jab but it's blocked by Murray.
Grang misses with an uppercut.
Murray listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Grang avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Murray doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A punch combination from Grang misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Murray misses.
Grang lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Murray connects with a good right hand that stumbles Grang. Grang circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Grang looks to land a left hand but Murray moved out of range nicely.
Nice straight punches there by Murray. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Murray.
Murray tests Grang's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray misses with a double jab.
Grang is looking to counter punch.
Murray misses with a jab, cross combination.
Grang waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Murray.
Murray pivots, looking for a leg kick but Grang is out of range and Murray settles back down.
Grang throws a big counter combination but Murray scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Murray throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murray closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Grang takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Murray scores with a three punch combo!
Grang throws a looping overhand right but Murray ducks down to avoid it.
Grang misses with an uppercut.
Murray connects with an inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grang slips under a jab from Murray.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Grang might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Danga de danga de dang - Grang scores with a four punch combination!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Grang throws a lazy right hand but Murray sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Murray unleashes a big counter combination but Grang bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
A right-left combo lands from Murray.
Nice straight punches there by Murray. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Murray.
Grang misses with a looping left.
Murray slips under a jab.
Grang throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Murray swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Grang walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Murray goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Grang throwing a counter right hand but Murray manages to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Murray works the jab nicely.
Murray misses with a body shot.
A jab from Grang finds it's way through Murray's defenses.
Murray misses with a double jab.
Grang was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Grang misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murray.
Murray scores with a decent looking hook.
Grang throws a body punch but Murray moves out of range.
Murray throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Murray connects with a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Grang looks to land a combination but Murray avoids it well.
A head kick misses from Murray.
Grang ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Grang ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Murray moves away.
It seemed like Murray was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Grang on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Murray. Murray obviously looking to wear him down.
Grang takes a swing at Murray's ribcage but misses.
Murray misses the jab.
Grang throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Murray sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A punch lands to the side of Grang 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Good shot there by Murray.
Hinski Grang has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Murray displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Grang throws out the jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Murray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Murray has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Murray!
James Murray is the new light heavyweight champion!
James Murray seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Hinski Grang was interviewed post fight and said 'Well, not feeling great after that, been the champ for years, 10 defences, and now I'm handing it over to James. All the respect to him though, he won for a reason and he's the champ now.'.