PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bob Bailey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ross Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ross Murray will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Bailey
vs
Murray

187 cm
19
195 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
18
200 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Real-Deal Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Bob Bailey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ross Murray!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Daniel Bishop and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bailey moves away from the strike by Murray.

Bailey closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Murray did well to prevent Bailey getting side control.
Murray wants to improve his position but Bailey is controlling well.
Bailey trying to mount his opponent but Murray defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bailey wants to take a breather but Murray is having none of it.

Murray actively working from the bottom here.
Bailey with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Murray tries to get to full guard but Bailey has control of the leg.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bailey lands a nice short elbow.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Murray scores with a hook to the body. Bailey takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Murray looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Bailey closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bailey lands in his opponent's guard.
Murray wants to sweep here but Bailey controlling him for the moment.
Bailey stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murray swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bailey won't allow Murray to sweep him here.
Bailey controlling from the top position.
Murray looking to hit a scissor sweep but Bailey is one step ahead there.
Bailey wants to pass the guard but Murray is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bailey not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Bailey preventing the sweep.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Bailey takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Murray tries to bum rush Bailey with a series of wild strikes but Bailey uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Murray tries to clinch but Bailey moves out of range.

Bailey closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Murray did well to prevent Bailey getting side control.
Bailey is breathing heavily.
Bailey looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Murray is staying active underneath Bailey, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Murray moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bailey advances position into side control!
Murray is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Murray throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Murray thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bailey is pressing down on Murray's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Bailey looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murray trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Murray working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Murray keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Bailey's head.
Bailey bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murray's guard.
Murray thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Bailey throws and elbow that misses. Murray uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bailey's guard. Nice move by Murray!
Murray throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murray postures up.
Murray throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Bailey works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Bailey is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Murray actively working from the bottom here.
Murray is looking for a sweep. Bailey is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Bailey gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Bailey throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Murray's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A jab from Murray finds it's way through Bailey's defenses.
Murray lands a with a good body shot.
Murray tries to clinch but Bailey moves out of range.
A combination from Murray does no damage.
Murray shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
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 Bob Bailey will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Murray throws out a loose jab but Bailey uses good head movement to avoid it.
Murray thows a left - swing and a miss!

Bailey gets a takedown into half guard.
Bailey slows the pace down in half guard.
Bailey seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Murray for as long as he can get away with.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Bailey lands a nice short elbow.
Murray punching from the bottom.
Bailey prevents Murray from improving his position.

Murray looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bailey controlling the action here.
Murray tries to roll over but Bailey keeps him under control.
Bailey looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Bailey passes to side control.
Murray prevents Bailey from moving into mount.
Murray is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two 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.
Bailey staying calm.
Bailey throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Murray wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Bailey is working Murray over with some ground and pound from side control.
Murray sneaks back into half guard.
Murray tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Still in half guard, Bailey seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bailey wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murray keeps working.
Murray tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Murray has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Bailey blocks the strikes from Murray.
Murray is not content to let Bailey control the position.
Bailey prevents Murray from improving his position.
Bailey wants to control but Murray is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Murray misses the jab.
Bailey takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

It looks like Bob Bailey has been cut.
Bob Bailey is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bailey circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bailey gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Murray wants to clinch up but Bailey keeps it at a distance.
Murray misses the jab.
Murray tries to clinch up.

Bailey 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.
Murray throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Murray doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Murray wants to sweep but no luck.
Bailey scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bailey showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Bailey from controlling successfully.
Bailey trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bob Bailey will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bob Bailey's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Murray throws out a powerful jab.
Murray lands a jab.
Murray scores with a shot to the body.
Bailey closes this distance looking for a takedown but Murray circles away.
Murray cracks Bailey with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Ross Murray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Murray does it's job there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murray fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bailey looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Murray lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bailey circles away quickly and effectively.
Murray cracks Bailey with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bailey takes one to the side of the head.
A left lands for Murray.
Murray lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Murray might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Murray lands with an overhand left.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Murray scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Murray wants to clinch.

Bailey throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Murray was covering up waiting for the punch and Bailey finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Bailey controlling from the top position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bailey wants to pass the guard but Murray is keeping the position.
Murray is striking but Bailey is not phased and passes to half guard.
Bailey is keen to just control but Murray is a slippery customer.
Murray punching from the bottom.
Murray moves into full guard.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Bailey from controlling successfully.

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.
Murray looking for a sweep. Not yet Murray, not yet.
Bailey's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Murray throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Murray striking off his back but it's not causing Bailey any problems.
Bob Bailey overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bailey trying to control the position from guard on top but Murray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murray being controlled here, momentarily.
Bailey looking to pass the guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Murray throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Bob Bailey is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Murray scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Murray scores with a jab to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Murray tries to clinch there but Bailey circles away.
Murray misses with a hook.
Murray lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A big right from Murray misses.
Murray tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bailey swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Bailey scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Bailey moves into full mount!
Murray working to try and regain half guard.
Ross Murray has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bailey blocks Murray's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Bailey controlling the pace for now.
Poor strikes thrown by Bailey there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Bailey connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Murray tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Murray sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Bailey is taking a breather. Murray says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Murray tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bailey thows a huge punch but Murray dodges it nicely.
Bailey trying to control from half guard but Murray is working away.
Murray throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Murray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bailey 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Bob Bailey!