PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nobu Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Murphy
vs
Mason

200 cm
18
168 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
172 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nobu Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Mason!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mason circles away.
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 misses with a body shot.
Murphy fails in his attempt to clinch.
Murphy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Murphy is defended easily by Mason.

Mason closes the distance and clinches.
Murphy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mason has him pressed against the cage.

Mason breaks from the clinch.
Murphy tries to clinch up

and Mason counters by clinching up.

Mason escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Murphy shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Mason counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nobu Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphy misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Murphy really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mason lands with a right to the head.
Mason lands a body shot.
Mason slowing the pace effectively.

Mason breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy shoots and misses

and Mason counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mason.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy wants to sweep here but Mason controlling him for the moment.
Mason landing with the ground and pound.
Mason missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mason wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Murphy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mason.
Mason trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Mason thows a big elbow that misses.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Murphy tries to clinch up

and Mason counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Murphy's guard now.
Murphy is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Murphy trying to control the position.

Mason drops back looking for a leg! Murphy is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Murphy manages to kick Mason off! Mason jumps back into Murphy's guard.

Mason drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Murphy dives on top into guard.
Murphy stopping the sweep attempt from Mason.
Murphy wants to stand but Mason has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murphy has gone for a leg lock! Mason slips out almost immediately though and dives into Murphy's guard.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Murphy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mason might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Murphy kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Mason won't allow Murphy to sweep him here.

That's four 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.

Mason thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Mason is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Murphy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Murphy has escaped and now he's on top!

Murphy is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Mason is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Mason has escaped and now he's on top!

Mason drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mason jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Mason dominated that 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.

Murphy wants to clinch but Mason slips to the side

and Mason counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Murphy!
Mason prevents Murphy from getting the reversal.
Murphy tries to hold on but Mason postures up.
Murphy in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Murphy has given up his back here.

Murphy fending off the submission attempt from Mason.
Mason has Murphy flattened out and is raining down punches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murphy tries to escape but Mason has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Mason working for a choke but Murphy is defending well.

Mason looking for the choke from the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Murphy wants to control his opponent's hands but Mason gets his hands free.
Murphy holding both Mason 's hands and preventing any damage.
Jack Mason has got the better of the ground game so far.
Murphy rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murphy missing with punches from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Murphy trying to hold on to Mason's head to control him but Mason postures up.

Mason is looking for a kimura here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Mason clinches up with Murphy and pushes him back against the cage.
Murphy tries to score a body lock takedown but Mason shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Murphy looking for a takedown.
Mason controlling the action here for a moment.
Mason landing knees to the body.
Mason taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Murphy is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Mason pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nobu Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Mason's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mason looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nobu Murphy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mason goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Mason closes the distance and clinches.
Mason stalls.

Mason manages to break the clinch.
Murphy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Murphy sizes up Mason with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
An inside leg kick from Murphy misses.
Murphy tries to clinch but Mason moves away

and Mason holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Mason pushes Murphy back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Mason's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Murphy gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Mason to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Mason drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mason jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Murphy has his foot on Mason's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Mason works his way back into a safe position though.
Mason loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mason won't allow Murphy to sweep him here.
Murphy is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mason throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murphy works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Murphy controls Mason momentarily but Mason frees himself.
Mason working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Murphy's head.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mason moves in looking to clinch but Murphy pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Mason showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Mason tries to clinch there but Murphy circles away.

Murphy has Mason up against the cage in a clinch.

Mason manages to break the clinch.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Mason circles away easily
and Mason counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mason looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Murphy wants to clinch
and Mason counters with a left to the body.

Mason closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mason throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Murphy blocks it with crossed arms.
Murphy looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Mason lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Murphy backwards.

Mason has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Murphy uses from the top position.
Mason is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mason moves nicely into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy is trying to control Mason's posture but Mason avoids it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mason working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Mason wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Murphy, who protects the arm well.

Mason tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mason has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Mason tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

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 wants to control but Mason postures up.
Murphy is trying to buck Mason off.

Mason thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mason works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Murphy manages to work his way to half guard, despite Mason's best efforts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason wants to take a breather but Murphy is having none of it.

Mason is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Murphy defends it well.
Mason performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Mason prevents Murphy from standing back up.
Murphy is looking to control Mason's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Murphy avoid being mounted?
Mason moves nicely into side control.

Mason looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Mason has hold of Murphy's arm here. He's working for an Americana. It looks like he might have it! Murphy tries to escape but he's just digging himself in deeper - Mason cranks the arm and Murphy screams in pain! The ref makes a decision and ends the fight before the tap - no complains from Murphy, who is just happy to have his arm attached to his body.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Jack Mason!