PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between YB Sol (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sanitha Muralitharan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sol comes to the cage accompanied by SFIV - Theme of Ryu 2. Muralitharan has chosen The Sri Lankan National Anthem as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sol
vs
Muralitharan

185 cm
28
210 lbs
15 - 5 - 0

186 cm
24
205 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Londons Best Nutrition
Stamin-A --> 144Q Stam-Boost

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 15 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, YB Sol!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sanitha Muralitharan!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Muralitharan throws a hook but Sol avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Sol.
A punch combination from Muralitharan misses.
Sol throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sol throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Muralitharan.
Muralitharan slips a jab from Sol.
Muralitharan takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sol fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Muralitharan avoids it really well and circles away.
Sol getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Sol shoots in for a takedown but Muralitharan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for YB Sol. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sol lands a with a good body shot.
Sol is looking to clinch but Muralitharan is avoiding it.

Muralitharan bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Muralitharan happy to just control the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sol struggling a bit here.
Sol tries to bench press Muralitharan off him but Muralitharan keeps the position.
Muralitharan tries to stand but Sol is controlling his head.
Sol struggling a bit here.

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.

Muralitharan decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sol to his feet.
Muralitharan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
An inside leg kick from Sol misses.
Muralitharan looks to land a left hand but Sol moved out of range nicely.
Muralitharan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sol lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Muralitharan circles away quickly and effectively.
Sol looks to score with a jab to the body but Muralitharan is just out of range.
Muralitharan tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Sol misses.
Muralitharan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sol.
Sol gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Muralitharan counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Sol gets a clinch.
Muralitharan wants to break the clinch but can't.
Muralitharan wants to get back to striking at distance but Sol won't allow it.

Sol escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Muralitharan closes the distance and clinches up with Sol, looking for a takedown. Muralitharan pushes Sol against the cage but Sol circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sol uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Muralitharan has time to react.
Muralitharan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Sol feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sol trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sol stopping the sweep attempt from Muralitharan.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sol slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Muralitharan wants to stand and escape but Sol is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that YB Sol will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Muralitharan darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Muralitharan is thwarting Sol's attempts to control the position.
Muralitharan is keen to just control but Sol is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muralitharan is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Sol is trying to maintain the position but Muralitharan is very close to passing his half guard.
Sol preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Sol has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Muralitharan is working away from the top position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Muralitharan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Muralitharan takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sol ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Muralitharan moves away.
Sol missing with a left hand there. Muralitharan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Sol digs a good body shot into Muralitharan's ribs.
Muralitharan misses with an uppercut.
Muralitharan throws a lazy right hand but Sol sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Muralitharan shoots in for a double leg but Sol sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Muralitharan slips a straight right by Sol.
Sol throws a combination that misses
and Muralitharan counters with a straight right hand.
Muralitharan wants to clinch up but Sol keeps it at a distance.
Good exchange - Sol coming out on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sol shoots for a double leg takedown but Muralitharan sprawls well. He's pushed Sol's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sol misses with a straight right.
Sol is looking to clinch.
Muralitharan takes one on the button.
Sol swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Sol misses with an uppercut.
Some wild striking there from Muralitharan.
Sol ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Muralitharan stuffs the takedown attempt from Sol. Sol gets slowly back to his feet.
Sanitha Muralitharan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice shot by Sol.
Sol is looking to clinch but Muralitharan is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muralitharan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sol throws a hook but Muralitharan avoids it easily.
Muralitharan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
letting Sol counter with a right hand.
Muralitharan throws a big shot that misses.
Sol buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Muralitharan is breathing heavily.
Sol blocks a jab.
Sol works Muralitharan's body with a nice hook.
Muralitharan dodges the punch combination from Sol.
Sol shoots in looking for a takedown. Muralitharan tries to sprawl out of it but Sol keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Muralitharan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for YB Sol. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Muralitharan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sol.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

YB Sol dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Muralitharan tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sol moves into the clinch.

Sol tightens his grip and picks Muralitharan up, before dumping him to the ground. Muralitharan manages to land in guard.
Muralitharan trying to keep a closed guard but Sol is proving a slippery customer.
Sol wants to pass the guard but Muralitharan is keeping the position.
Sol trying to control the position from guard on top but Muralitharan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sol stops Muralitharan from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sol trying to control the position from guard on top but Muralitharan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Muralitharan wants to stand and escape but Sol is having none of it.
Sol trying to control the position from guard on top but Muralitharan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Muralitharan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sol is controlling him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sol misses with a looping right.
YB Sol is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sol blocks a head kick by Muralitharan.
Sol doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Muralitharan counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Muralitharan has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Sol shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Muralitharan but Muralitharan pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Muralitharan throws a lazy right hand but Sol sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sol throws a combination that misses
and Muralitharan counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like YB Sol has been cut.
Sol has his takedown stuffed
and Sol takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for YB Sol. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sol throws a lazy right hand but Muralitharan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Muralitharan takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Sol dodges the punch combination from Muralitharan.
Sol throws a hook but Muralitharan blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muralitharan leaves Sol with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Muralitharan darts in trying to clinch
and Muralitharan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sol fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Muralitharan on the side of the head.
Sanitha Muralitharan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Muralitharan misses with a takedown attempt - Sol sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sol gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Muralitharan counters with a straight right hand.
Sol changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Muralitharan tries to avoid it but Sol manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Muralitharan to the ground. Muralitharan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Muralitharan misses with a straight left.
Muralitharan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sol as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muralitharan fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Sol on the side of the head.
Muralitharan scores with a jab. Sol acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Sol blocks a head kick by Muralitharan.
Sol wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

Muralitharan drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sol is not content to let Muralitharan control the position.
Sol wants to control but Muralitharan postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sanitha Muralitharan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sol 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!