PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ilkka Mursu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Quigley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mursu comes to the cage accompanied by Someday I'll be the Champ. Ilkka Mursu has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Mursu
vs
Quigley

193 cm
22
272 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

200 cm
21
275 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ilkka Mursu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joseph Quigley!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Arvi Lind and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Quigley manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Mursu on his heels. He'll look to pass Mursu's guard now, I'm sure.
Quigley controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Mursu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Mursu holds on and takes a little breather.
Mursu bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Quigley's guard.
Quigley looking for a sweep. Not yet Quigley, not yet.
Quigley has his hands on Mursu's head, controlling the position.
Quigley looking for a sweep. Not yet Quigley, not yet.
Quigley wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Quigley gets the takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mursu tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Quigley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Mursu's face as Quigley controls the position.
Quigley taking a break here but Mursu is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mursu wants to improve his position but Quigley is controlling well.
Mursu keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Mursu moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Quigley engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Quigley being controlled here momentarily.
Quigley must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Ilkka Mursu just wasn't active enough.
Quigley swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Quigley has his takedown stuffed
and Mursu counters with a good low kick that Quigley was not able to check.
Quigley misses with a lunging right hand

and Mursu counters with a nice double leg into side control. Quigley won't be happy with that.
Quigley is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Quigley is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Mursu staying calm.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilkka Mursu dominated that round.
That's time! Mursu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Mursu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Quigley catches Mursu with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Mursu throws a hook to the side of Quigley's head but Quigley sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Quigley bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Mursu's head.
Mursu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Quigley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A shot to the body from Mursu misses

and Quigley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Mursu is positioning himself well to prevent Quigley advancing to mount.
Quigley prevents Mursu from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Quigley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Ilkka Mursu has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Mursu looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Quigley misses with a takedown
and Mursu counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Quigley closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Quigley controlling the action here.
Mursu is trying to stand up here but Quigley is controlling him well.
Mursu controlling the position for now.
Quigley slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ilkka Mursu wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Quigley shoots in and bounces Mursu off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Quigley sitting in guard here, content to control.
Quigley wants to control from the top but Mursu keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mursu manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Quigley manages to get himself to full guard.
Quigley looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mursu is one step ahead there.
Mursu trying to control but Quigley is working from the bottom.
Mursu is looking to work some ground and pound but Quigley has wrist control.
Quigley has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Mursu has passed into side control.
Quigley is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joseph Quigley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Quigley closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Mursu's guard.
Quigley being controlled here momentarily.
Quigley controlling from the top position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Let's hope that Quigley has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mursu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Quigley swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Mursu shoots and misses
and Quigley makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Quigley throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Mursu's waist but Mursu gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Quigley off to one side.
Quigley wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Mursu has his takedown stuffed
and Mursu takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Mursu fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ilkka Mursu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mursu slaps away a takedown attempt from Quigley, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Mursu moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mursu throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Quigley connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Quigley avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Quigley misses with a hook
and Mursu counters with a stiff right hand.
Mursu will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mursu misses with a takedown

so Quigley counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mursu tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Quigley is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mursu misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Quigley to counter with a crisp jab.
Sloppy strikes from Quigley. Those never looked like landing.

Quigley scores a takedown into full mount!
Quigley takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mursu bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Quigley trying to control the position.
Mursu tries to free his leg and advance position but Quigley is retaining full guard.
Joseph Quigley has got the better of the ground game so far.

Mursu drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mursu jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Quigley is trying to control the position but Mursu postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Quigley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Quigley 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joseph Quigley!