PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Rolla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murray's entrance music is Fire-Kasabian. A fine choice. 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.

Murray
vs
Rolla

182 cm
22
140 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

170 cm
26
144 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jimmy Murray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Rolla!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murray tries to land a body kick

and Rolla counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rolla.
Rolla trying to control the position from guard on top but Murray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murray wants to get back to his feet but Rolla is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Rolla wants to control from the top but Murray keeps moving.
Murray on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Murray tries to get out of the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Mike Rolla hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Murray forces Rolla back against the cage and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rolla wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Murray has him pressed against the cage.
Rolla using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Murray has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rolla prevents a takedown attempt there.
Rolla connects with a knee to the head.
Rolla tries to score a body lock takedown but Murray shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Murray is trying to trip Rolla. He has hold of a leg but Rolla is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Murray persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Rolla is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Murray stopping the sweep attempt from Rolla.
Murray trying to control the position from guard on top but Rolla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray content to stall in guard here.
Rolla throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Murray trying to control the position from guard on top but Rolla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jimmy Murray.
Rolla wants to clinch.
Murray throws a series of punches but Rolla moves out of range.
Rolla tries to clinch there but Murray circles away.
Murray throws a sloppy head kick

and Rolla counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rolla is trying to control the action in half guard but Murray is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Rolla stalling away here and it's allowed Murray to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murray preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Murray really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Murray has his feet on Rolla's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Murray throws a combination that misses

and Rolla counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Rolla.
Murray is breathing heavily.
Rolla trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Murray being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rolla has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Murray is proving hard to escape from.
Rolla slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rolla trying to control the action but Murray is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Rolla dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Murray looks for a takedown but Rolla sprawls well.

Murray closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Rolla quickly recovers to half guard.
Rolla wants to control but Murray passes into side.
Murray working away.
Rolla manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Rolla trying to control from Murray's half guard. Murray has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Rolla pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Murray is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rolla trying to control the position from guard on top but Murray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rolla slips nicely into half guard.
Rolla trying to control the action but Murray is working from the bottom.
Rolla wants to free his trapped foot but Murray is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Rolla wants to take a breather but Murray is having none of it.

Mike Rolla has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Rolla shoots for a takedown but Murray saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rolla works the jab nicely.
Murray will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Rolla gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Murray counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Rolla's guard now.
Rolla utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Murray stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rolla swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Rolla managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray postures up.
Rolla preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rolla is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Mike Rolla.
Rolla throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Murray's waist but Murray gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rolla off to one side.
Jimmy Murray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Rolla.
Murray swats away the attempt to clinch by Rolla.
Rolla wants to clinch.
Rolla thows a body shot but no joy.
Rolla looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murray is fending him off so far but Rolla persists. Nope, Murray circles away and we're back to standing.

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.
Murray misses with a left hand

and Rolla decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Murray's guard.
Rolla sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Murray's guard.
Rolla looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Murray keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Murray is trying to get back to full guard.
Rolla performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
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 Jimmy Murray will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Murray closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Murray lands in his opponent's guard.
Rolla wants to sweep but no luck.
Murray slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
You can see the frustration on Rolla's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Rolla is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Murray is staying active.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murray wants to control but Rolla is keeping him busy.
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.
Murray is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Murray scoring with punches and elbows.

Murray tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Murray has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Rolla can't do much from the bottom here.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Murray with the ground and pound but Rolla regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

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.

Rolla looking for submissions off his back.
Rolla is looking for a sweep. Murray is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rolla trying to hold on to Murray's head to control him but Murray postures up.
Murray wants to control but Rolla is keeping him busy.
Murray stalling.
Rolla is refusing to be controlled, as Murray sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Jimmy Murray wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Rolla tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Murray manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rolla moves out of range of the body kick from Murray.
Rolla shoots in looking for a takedown. Murray tries to sprawl out of it but Rolla keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Murray manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Murray throws a sloppy head kick and Rolla moves out of range easily.

Murray shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Murray showed some decent athleticism there.
Mike Rolla has got the better of the ground game so far.
Rolla is looking for a sweep. Murray is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Rolla is trying to stand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rolla keeping control of the position.
Murray wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rolla keeps working.
Murray is thwarting Rolla's attempts to control the position.
Murray seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rolla does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Rolla gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Murray counters with a shoot takedown. Rolla fights it but they end up in guard.
Murray throws a big right hand that misses.
Murray postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Murray showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Murray has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Mike Rolla!