PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicky Salita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kirk Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Salita
vs
Murphy

194 cm
20
217 lbs
10 - 1 - 0

188 cm
24
222 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Battalion Athletics

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 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 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nicky Salita!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kirk Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salita misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Murphy misses with the combination.
Murphy does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Murphy displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
No joy there for Salita, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Salita uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
Murphy misses with a wild combination.
Kirk Murphy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murphy throws a series of punches but Salita moves out of range.
Salita fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Murphy avoids it really well and circles away.
No joy there for Murphy, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Murphy misses with a two punch combination.
A jab from Murphy misses.
Murphy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Murphy misses with a double jab
and Salita counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Kirk Murphy has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Murphy goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Salita misses with a hook.
A combination from Murphy does no damage.
Murphy swinging wildly here.
Nice takedown defense from Murphy. No joy for Salita on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nicky Salita. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphy scores with a spinning back kick!
Murphy paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Murphy lands with a nice combination. Salita backs away looking to recover.
A left and a right from Murphy both land. Nice combination.
Salita jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Murphy throws a left and a right that both miss

and Salita counters with a nice double leg into side control. Murphy won't be happy with that.

Salita tries for a kimura but Murphy is defending well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Murphy manages to work his way to half guard, despite Salita's best efforts.
Salita is breathing heavily.
Murphy wants to improve his position but Salita is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy works his way to full guard. Good work.

Murphy is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
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.
Salita pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Murphy is keeping the position for now.
Murphy is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Murphy 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salita manages to get to full guard.
Salita working a defensive guard here.
Salita manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salita takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Murphy is trying desperately to improve position.
Salita lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy tries to reverse the position but Salita maintains control.
Salita lands a big elbow.
Murphy keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Murphy taking shots to the head.
Salita prevents Murphy from getting the reversal.
Salita connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Salita goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Murphy turns into him and now he's in Salita's guard.
Salita utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphy with a flurry of punches that miss.
Murphy wants to control from the top but Salita keeps moving.
Murphy tries to free his leg and advance position but Salita is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicky Salita dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Kirk Murphy's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A punch combination from Salita misses.
Nice straight punches there by Salita. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Salita.
Murphy has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Murphy there as he acknowledges the shot.
Salita takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Salita fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murphy lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Salita has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Murphy finds it's way round the side to connect with Salita's head.
Murphy is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Salita tries to bum rush Murphy with a series of wild strikes but Murphy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Salita misses with an uppercut. Murphy saw that one coming.
Salita showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Murphy.
Nicky Salita is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Salita is looking to clinch but Murphy is avoiding it.
Salita avoids a punch combination nicely.
Salita tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Murphy paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Murphy jabs at Salita's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salita lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Murphy throws a left and a right that both miss
and Salita counters with a nice body shot.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Murphy throws a sloppy head kick and Salita moves out of range easily.
Salita slips a jab and a cross from Murphy.
Kirk Murphy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Salita is defended easily by Murphy.
Murphy digs a good hook to Salita's body.
Murphy goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A swing and a miss from Salita.
Murphy thows a left - swing and a miss!
Salita misses with a looping right.
Murphy misses with a two punch combination.
No joy there for Murphy, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Murphy misses with a two punch combination.
Murphy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salita lands a body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Murphy gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That has opened up Kirk Murphy's cut even more.
Murphy misses the shot to the body.
A combination from Salita does no damage.
Salita shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Murphy as he jumps to the side.
A leg kick checked by Salita.
Murphy cracks Salita with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Murphy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Murphy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Salita counters with a series of strikes. Murphy will be more careful next time no doubt.
Murphy throws a combination that misses
and Salita counters with a one-two to the body.

The cut above Kirk Murphy's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Murphy keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Murphy throws a looping overhand right but Salita ducks down to avoid it.
Murphy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Murphy looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice combination there by Murphy.
Salita stalks Murphy and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Murphy's face. Murphy staggers backwards, shaken.

Kirk Murphy's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:16 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Nicky Salita!
Nicky Salita retains his light heavyweight title!