PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Paul Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kokou Dossevi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dossevi has chosen "Killers" by Motörhead as his entrance music. Kokou Dossevi is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Murray
vs
Dossevi

192 cm
23
181 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
19
199 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paul Murray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Kokou Dossevi!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murray walks into a jab.
Murray tries to clinch there but Dossevi circles away.
Murray lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Murray throws a combination. Dossevi tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Dossevi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Murray sprawls well initially but Dossevi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Dossevi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Murray's head.
Dossevi is looking to take a break and control but Murray is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Murray avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dossevi.
Dossevi throwing shots but Murray is blocking nicely.
Dossevi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Dossevi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murray keeps working.
Dossevi stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dossevi wants to take a breather but Murray is having none of it.
Dossevi stalling away here and it's allowed Murray to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Dossevi wants to control from the top but Murray keeps moving.

That's two 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.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Kokou Dossevi was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Dossevi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Dossevi is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Murray's shoulder. That is not cool.
Dossevi is working Murray over with some ground and pound from side control.
Dossevi throws an elbow but Murray slips to the side and avoids it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The ground and pound from Dossevi seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dossevi working the ground and pound.
Dossevi throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Dossevi in side control lands a decent elbow.
Dossevi is trying to ground and pound but Murray uses the momentary lack of control by Dossevi to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray wants to get back to his feet.

Dossevi is working for a kimura but Murray is defending it quite comfortably.
Dossevi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

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.
Still in half guard, Dossevi seems content to control.
Dossevi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Murray avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Dossevi.
Dossevi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Dossevi performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Dossevi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Dossevi 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.

Kokou Dossevi dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Murray swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Dossevi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dossevi.

Dossevi is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Murray is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Murray has escaped and now he's on top!
Murray wanted to stand there but Dossevi had control of the position.
Dossevi seems keen to control Murray's posture.

Dossevi kicks Murray off and gets to his feet.
Dossevi circles away from the clinch attempt
and Dossevi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray misses with a wild body shot.
Dossevi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
No joy there for Dossevi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Murray falls off balance throwing a combination

and Dossevi counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Dossevi throws a big right hand that misses.
Dossevi trying to control but Murray is working from the bottom.
Dossevi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murray works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dossevi throwing strikes from guard but Murray blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dossevi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Murray is looking to stand up but Dossevi isn't so interested in that idea.
Kokou Dossevi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Dossevi wants to control from the top but Murray keeps moving.
Dossevi pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Murray is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Dossevi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Dossevi slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Dossevi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Murray throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Dossevi sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Dossevi scores a takedown into full mount!
Murray wants to get back to his feet.
Dossevi thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dossevi throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Murray because Dossevi loaded up on that one.
Dossevi controlling his opponent.
Dossevi scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Dossevi is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Murray can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kokou Dossevi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A telegraphed right hand from Dossevi misses the target.
Dossevi lands a slapping body shot.
Murray will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Dossevi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Murray counters with a series of strikes. Dossevi will be more careful next time no doubt.
A punch combination from Murray misses.
Dossevi misses with a looping left.

Dossevi scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Dossevi wants to take a breather but Murray is having none of it.
Dossevi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Murray keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dossevi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Murray is staying active underneath Dossevi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dossevi looks to land a strike but Murray avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Murray controlling the position.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Dossevi from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Murray preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dossevi throws and elbow that misses. Murray uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dossevi's guard. Nice move by Murray!
Murray wants to stand and escape but instead Dossevi has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two 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.
Dossevi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Dossevi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Dossevi makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Dossevi keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Murray's head.
Dossevi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Paul Murray has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dossevi wants to pass the guard but Murray is keeping the position.
Murray avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Dossevi from controlling successfully.
Dossevi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Dossevi from controlling successfully.
Dossevi looking to sit in guard and control but Murray gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Dossevi has his feet on Murray's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Dossevi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murray.
Murray rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Dossevi moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Paul Murray is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dossevi shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Dossevi checks the leg kick nicely there.
Murray throws a series of strikes that have Dossevi backpedaling.
Murray works over Dossevi's head and body with a nice combination.
Murray throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Dossevi fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Murray on the side of the head.
Kokou Dossevi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kokou Dossevi.
I've got Dossevi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kokou Dossevi!