PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Barrett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kirk Murphy (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.

Barrett
vs
Murphy

188 cm
22
205 lbs
6 - 2 - 1

188 cm
26
222 lbs
10 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 6 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, John Barrett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Kirk Murphy!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A left lands for Barrett.

It looks like Kirk Murphy has been cut.
Barrett throws out a powerful jab.
Barrett lands with a shot to the body.
Murphy swinging wildly here.
Nice jab there from Barrett.
Barrett paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Murphy fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Barrett sprawls well initially but Murphy persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Murphy seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Barrett does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Barrett keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Barrett is trying to get back to full guard.
Barrett keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Barrett is looking for a sweep. Murphy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Murphy tries to pass the half guard into mount. Barrett knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Murphy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Murphy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Barrett is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murphy with the ground and pound but Barrett uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Barrett is looking to stand up but Murphy isn't so interested in that idea.
Barrett trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Murphy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Barrett works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Barrett preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murphy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Barrett trying to control the position here.
Barrett utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Barrett on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Barrett tries to get out of the position.

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.
Murphy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Barrett is keeping the position for now.
Murphy is looking to advance position but Barrett has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Murphy is trying desperately to improve position.
Barrett controlling from mount.
Murphy is trying desperately to improve position.
Murphy is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barrett trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Barrett controlling from the full mount.

We're going to have a standup here because John Barrett wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Murphy moves away from the strike by Barrett.
Murphy scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Barrett misses with a series of wild punches.

That's four 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.
Barrett misses with a few strikes there.
Barrett throws a shot to the body.
Murphy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barrett connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Murphy's hands.
Barrett thows a body shot but no joy.
Barrett uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
Barrett falls off balance throwing a combination
and Murphy counters with a nice uppercut.

Murphy scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Barrett is trying to stand.
Murphy wants to pass the guard but Barrett is defending well.
Murphy throws a strike but Barrett avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphy tries to free his leg and advance position but Barrett is retaining full guard.
Murphy wants to control from the top but Barrett keeps moving.
Murphy throwing strikes but missing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Barrett 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.

Barrett throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Murphy counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Barrett takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Barrett circles away from the clinch attempt.
John Barrett is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Left hook, right uppercut from Barrett.
Barrett scores with a body shot.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Barrett sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Barrett swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Murphy lands a nice looking kick to the body. Barrett takes a step back to recover.
Murphy ducks under a wild hook from Barrett.
Barrett looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Barrett connects with a jab.
Murphy dodges the punch combination from Barrett.
A big right from Barrett misses.
Barrett throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Murphy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Barrett on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Murphy. Murphy obviously looking to wear him down.
Barrett scores with a punch to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Barrett gets caught flat footed, as Murphy shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Murphy thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barrett has momentary wrist control but Murphy slips an elbow through the middle.
Murphy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Murphy lands a couple of elbows.
Barrett throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Barrett wants to stand up but Murphy is controlling him.
Barrett knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Murphy on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barrett lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Murphy!
Murphy really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Murphy is squirming around, avoiding Barrett's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barrett controlling the pace for now.
Murphy is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Barrett trying to control but Murphy is having none of it.
Barrett looking to control and managing it successfully.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Murphy regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barrett content to control rather than advance.

John Barrett has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Murphy slips a jab and a cross from Barrett.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Barrett swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Murphy holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Murphy is trying to drag Barrett to the mat but Barrett just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Barrett working aggressively here.
Barrett has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Barrett waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Murphy.
John Barrett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murphy misses with a body shot.
Barrett throws a series of punches but Murphy moves out of range.

Murphy closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Barrett slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barrett looking for a sweep. Not yet Barrett, not yet.
Murphy thows a big elbow that misses.
Barrett wants to stand but Murphy is controlling the position.
Barrett 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 in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Barrett keeping full guard, as Murphy tries to pass.
Barrett 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphy passes Barrett's left leg - he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kirk Murphy will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Kirk Murphy's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Murphy 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.
Murphy loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Barrett avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Murphy loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Murphy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Murphy looking to pass the guard.
Barrett wants to stand but Murphy is controlling the position.
Murphy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Barrett is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Murphy postures up and lands a big shot to Barrett's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Murphy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Barrett working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Murphy.
Barrett is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Barrett is working for a submission of some sort.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murphy regains full guard. Nicely done.
Kirk Murphy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barrett preventing the sweep.
Barrett trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Barrett won't allow Murphy to sweep him here.
Barrett has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Murphy looking for subs off his back but Barrett has passed one foot through into half guard.
Murphy won't allow Barrett to pass to mount.
Still in half guard, Barrett seems content to control.
Murphy wants to improve his position but Barrett is controlling well.
Murphy regains full guard. Nicely done.

Murphy working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Barrett doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Barrett manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Barrett wants to stand but Murphy is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy wants to sweep here but Barrett controlling him for the moment.
Barrett stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murphy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Barrett trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Barrett won't allow Murphy to get back to his feet.
Murphy looking for a sweep. Not yet Murphy, not yet.
Barrett wants to stand but Murphy has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Barrett gets to his feet. Murphy looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Barrett swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Barrett lands with a nice body punch.
Murphy connects with a good right hand that stumbles Barrett. Barrett circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Murphy thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Barrett if he has to take too many more of those.

Murphy shoots in and bounces Barrett off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Murphy accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Murphy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Barrett avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Murphy in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Murphy is looking to advance position but Barrett has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Barrett looking to control but Murphy is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Murphy regains half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kirk Murphy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Murphy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kirk Murphy!