PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Aiden Murphy (ranked 4544 p4p, 5045 weight class) and Finley Nielsen (ranked 274 p4p, 291 weight class). Aiden Murphy has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Murphy
vs
Nielsen

160 cm
25
145
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
25
150
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Aiden Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Finley Nielsen!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nielsen throws a big shot that misses.

Nielsen feints and as Murphy raises his hands in defense, Nielsen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Nielsen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Murphy has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nielsen has managed to get both his arms back between Murphy's legs - danger averted.
Murphy trying to keep a closed guard but Nielsen is proving a slippery customer.
Nielsen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Murphy keeping full guard, as Nielsen tries to pass.
Nielsen works over Murphy with some ground and pound from guard.

Murphy throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Murphy had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nielsen defends it easily.

Murphy is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Nielsen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Nielsen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Murphy could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Murphy wants to sweep here but Nielsen controlling him for the moment.
Nielsen trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Murphy has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nielsen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nielsen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Murphy is trying to keep Nielsen in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nielsen got a little sloppy there for a moment and Murphy has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nielsen has managed to get both his arms back between Murphy's legs - danger averted.
Nielsen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Nielsen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Murphy's head.
Nielsen connects with a couple of short punches.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nielsen is working Murphy over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Nielsen trying to control the position from guard on top but Murphy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Nielsen has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Nielsen is in close to Murphy's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Murphy lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Murphy tries to free his leg and advance position but Nielsen is retaining full guard.
Nielsen is trying to keep Murphy in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Murphy haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Nielsen is looking for a triangle but Murphy pushes his legs off easily.
Nielsen lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Nielsen stopping the sweep attempt from Murphy.
Murphy not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Nielsen works over Murphy with some ground and pound from guard.

Murphy is looking for a triangle here but Nielsen uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Murphy on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Murphy tries to get out of the position.
Murphy can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is looking for a sweep.
Murphy is working hard here to advance position.
Nielsen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murphy keeps working.
Nielsen is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Murphy tries to buck Nielsen off but Nielsen is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murphy regains half guard there - taking advantage of Nielsen's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Nielsen winds up and cracks Murphy with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finley Nielsen dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Murphy fails with a takedown attempt.
Nielsen drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Murphy defends it well.
Murphy displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Nielsen throws out the jab.
Nielsen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Murphy uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Nielsen.

Nielsen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Murphy!
Nielsen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Murphy is looking to regain half guard here but Nielsen keeps moving and retains side control.
Murphy takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Murphy manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nielsen's best efforts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy is staying active underneath Nielsen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Murphy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Murphy tries to get to full guard but Nielsen has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen trying to control from half guard but Murphy is working away.
Nielsen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Nielsen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Nielsen lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Murphy is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Murphy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ground and pound from Nielsen.
Nielsen drops an elbow to the side of Murphy's head.
Murphy tries to roll over but Nielsen keeps him under control.

Murphy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nielsen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Murphy tries to get to full guard but Nielsen has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen is nestled in close to Murphy, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Nielsen wants to control but Murphy is keeping him busy.
Nielsen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Murphy is looking to improve his position.
Nielsen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Murphy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nielsen stalling.
Nielsen slips a nice elbow through Murphy's hands, connecting with Murphy's forehead.
Nielsen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nielsen trying to control from half guard but Murphy is working away.
Murphy is trying to get back to full guard.
Murphy gets full guard.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Nielsen from controlling successfully.
Nielsen cracks Murphy with a solid left hand.
Nielsen trying to control the position from guard on top but Murphy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murphy wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Murphy is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Nielsen trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finley Nielsen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Nielsen throws a low kick but Murphy avoids it.
Nielsen throws a big shot that misses.
Murphy ducks under a wild hook from Nielsen.
Murphy half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Murphy slips under a jab.
Murphy tries to counter by clinching up but Nielsen breaks away and moves out of range.
Nice defenses there by Murphy.
Nielsen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Murphy tries to sprawl but Nielsen drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Murphy has hold of Nielsen's hands but Nielsen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Murphy is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Nielsen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Murphy moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Murphy escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nielsen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Nielsen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nielsen cracks Murphy with a solid left hand.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Nielsen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Nielsen trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Murphy can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Nielsen controls the pace.
Murphy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Nielsen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Murphy working a defensive guard here.

That's two 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.
Nielsen scoring with some ground and pound.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Nielsen from controlling successfully.
Murphy has momentary wrist control but Nielsen slips an elbow through the middle.
Murphy working a defensive guard here.
Nielsen won't allow Murphy to sweep him here.
Nielsen lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Nielsen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Nielsen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Murphy's guard.
Murphy trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Nielsen manages to pass to mount!
Nielsen raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy can't escape the position.
Nielsen punishing his opponent with strikes.
The referee warns Murphy that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Murphy is rocked!
Murphy sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Nielsen is thwarting Murphy's attempts to control the position.
Nielsen lands strikes from half guard.
Aiden Murphy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Oh Murphy is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nielsen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Murphy works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nielsen works over Murphy with some ground and pound from guard.

Murphy has his foot on Nielsen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Nielsen works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nielsen lands a couple of elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy keeping full guard, as Nielsen tries to pass.
Murphy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nielsen is one step ahead there.
Nielsen scoring with some ground and pound.
Nielsen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Murphy 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.
Murphy seems to have got his legs back now.
Nielsen wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nielsen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Finley Nielsen is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nielsen trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Finley Nielsen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nielsen 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finley Nielsen!