PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Murdock (ranked 3188 p4p, 5676 weight class) and AJ Menendez (ranked 483 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Menendez's choice of entrance music: Kurt Angle Theme. AJ Menendez will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Murdock
vs
Menendez

170 cm
18
200
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
22
220
4 - 6 - 2

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Frank Murdock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, AJ Menendez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Murdock.

Murdock moves into the clinch successfully.
Menendez letting Murdock take a breather here.

Menendez gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Menendez wants to work for an arm triangle but Murdock is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Murdock has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Menendez is working away from the top position though.
Menendez seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menendez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menendez wants to take a breather but Murdock is having none of it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Murdock is trying to stand.
Murdock could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Murdock looking for submissions off his back.

Menendez is looking for a kimura here.

Menendez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Murdock tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Murdock plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

It looks like AJ Menendez has been cut.
Menendez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Frank Murdock has been cut.
Menendez has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.

Murdock looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Murdock with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Menendez keeping hold of Murdock's head, controlling as best he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murdock controlling the action here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Menendez landing a few short strikes.
Menendez wants to control but Murdock is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Murdock not doing much here.
Murdock drops an elbow to the side of Menendez's head.

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.
Murdock is thwarting Menendez's attempts to control the position.
Murdock is trying to control. Menendez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Murdock missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Murdock decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Menendez shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Menendez showed some decent athleticism there.
Menendez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Murdock knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Menendez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but AJ Menendez will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Menendez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Murdock throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Menendez stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Murdock has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Murdock there as he acknowledges the shot.

Menendez tries to keep at a distance but Murdock has taken the fight into the clinch.
Murdock wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Murdock.
Menendez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Menendez tries to stall but Murdock uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Menendez is pressed up against the cage. Murdock has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Menendez down to the mat. Menendez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Murdock fails with a takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menendez fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Murdock sprawls well initially but Menendez persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Murdock wants to get back to full guard.
Murdock scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Menendez manages to mount him!
Menendez fails to move to back control.
Menendez avoids the attempt from Murdock to control.
Murdock tries to reverse the position but Menendez maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menendez lands a nice shot to the head.

Menendez working for a submission but Murdock is keeping him at bay.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murdock is squirming around, avoiding Menendez's attempts to control the action.
Menendez postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Murdock looks a forlorn figure.
Murdock is looking to get to half guard.
Murdock tries to hold on but Menendez postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menendez controlling from mount.
Menendez punching from mount but Murdock doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Menendez controlling from mount.
Murdock working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Menendez swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Murdock is now in Menendez's guard. A big mistake from Menendez there, giving up the dominant position!
Murdock trying to control but Menendez is working from the bottom.
Menendez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Murdock controls the pace.
Menendez is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Menendez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Menendez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Murdock shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Murdock tries to clinch but Menendez moves away

and Menendez counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Menendez stands up from half guard.
Menendez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

Murdock rushes Menendez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Menendez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Murdock managing to block the knees to the body from Menendez.
Murdock trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murdock tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Murdock tries to pull guard but Menendez won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Frank Murdock. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murdock misses with a body punch.
Menendez is trying to pull guard but Murdock turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Menendez gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Murdock regains guard.
Murdock looking to hit a scissor sweep but Menendez is one step ahead there.
Murdock is trying to control the position but Menendez postures up.
Menendez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Murdock working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Menendez.
Menendez passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murdock wants to get back to his feet.
Murdock is trying to escape back to his feet but Menendez uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Menendez working the body and head with strikes.
Murdock being controlled for a moment.
Menendez misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murdock on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Menendez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Murdock is trying to control Menendez's posture but Menendez avoids it.
The strikes coming from Menendez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murdock tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Menendez easily slips into full mount!
Menendez lands a big elbow.
Menendez in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Frank Murdock's cut is getting worse.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Frank Murdock's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Frank Murdock's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:28 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). AJ Menendez!