PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Manny Barry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steeve Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barry comes into the arena with Dropkick Murphys - "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Barry
vs
Murray

188 cm
18
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

178 cm
22
190 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Manny Barry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steeve Murray!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barry circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barry throws a low kick but Murray avoids it.
Barry misses with a jab, cross combination.
Murray tries to clinch but Barry moves out of range.
Murray shoots in for a takedown but Barry shows good takedown defense.
Barry throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Murray.

Murray shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Murray was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Murray with shots to the head and body - Barry looks very uncomfortable down there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Murray working for a guillotine from mount but Barry is in no mood to give up.
Barry gets back to half guard.
Murray wants to pass the guard but Barry is defending well.
Barry wants to get back to full guard.

Murray is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Barry has managed to free his arm - good work.
Murray is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murray is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Barry is just riding it out for now. Murray eventually gives up the hold.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Barry is trying to maintain the position but Murray is very close to passing his half guard.
Murray really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Barry. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Barry keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Murray fails to land the takedown.
Murray looks gassed!
Murray tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Murray shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Barry as he avoids it easily.
Manny Barry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steeve Murray.
Murray slips a jab and a cross from Barry.
Barry listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Murray changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Barry tries to avoid it but Murray manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Barry to the ground. Barry escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's two 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.
Murray tries to clinch up.
Barry shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Murray pinned against the cage. Murray gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Barry throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Barry closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Murray tries for a takedown but Barry circles away easily
and Barry counters with a low kick, right behind Murray 's knee.
Barry avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Barry drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Barry wants to pass the guard but Murray is keeping the position.
Murray is pulling down on Barry's head. It's preventing any offense from Barry, at least for the moment.
Barry wants to pass the guard but Murray is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barry advances position into side control!

Barry is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Murray has escaped the position, nice work there.

Barry working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Murray gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Murray keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Murray is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murray gets back to full guard.
Murray throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barry preventing the sweep.

Murray had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Barry is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Murray Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Barry's back instead.
Murray cracks Barry with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Barry from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Barry trying to control but not successfully.
Barry covers up after that shot from Murray.

Murray working for the choke.

Murray looking for the choke but no joy.
Murray misses with punches from the back.
Barry is really stuck here.
Murray lands shots from the back.
Murray lands a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Manny Barry will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Murray has his takedown stuffed
and Barry counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Murray blocks a leg kick.
Murray will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Murray tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Barry drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Murray is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Murray is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Barry wants to get back to full guard.
Murray wants to control but Barry is keeping him busy.

Murray escapes and gets back to his feet.
Barry throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Murray tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barry swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Barry misses with a double jab.
Murray shoots in but no luck this time.
Manny Barry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Steeve Murray.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray moves in looking to clinch but Barry pushes him off.

Murray fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Barry, pushing him back against the cage.
Barry gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Murray.
Murray tries for a takedown. No joy.
Barry tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Murray just stands there and leans against the cage.
Barry gets underhooks to prevent Murray's takedown attempt.
Murray gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Barry.
Murray tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Barry just stands there and leans against the cage.
Murray has Barry pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Barry manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray has Barry pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Barry manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Barry connects with a nasty looking knee right to Murray's face.

Murray is trying to trip Barry. He has hold of a leg but Barry is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Murray persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Murray preventing the sweep.
Murray passes into half guard.
Murray takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Murray is trying to work for a kimura but Barry is defending well.

Barry looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Murray is nestled in close to Barry, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Murray sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Barry defending well though.
Murray trying to pass the guard but Barry defending well.
Murray not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Murray trying to control from half guard but Barry is working away.

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.
Barry will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Manny Barry is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Barry misses with a two punch combination.
Barry shoots for a double leg takedown but Murray sprawls well. He's pushed Barry's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Murray gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Murray has Barry pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Barry manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Barry misses with a knee to the head.
Barry gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Murray.
Barry is pressed up against the cage. Murray has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Barry down to the mat. Barry avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Murray fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four 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.
Murray fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barry fails with the takedown.
Murray with a poor takedown

and Barry counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Murray is looking to improve his position.
Murray gets full guard.
Murray wants to sweep here but Barry controlling him for the moment.

Barry avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Barry preventing the sweep.

Murray pushes Barry off and scrambles back to his feet.

Murray shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Murray was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murray tries to control but Barry wriggling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steeve Murray 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! This is the final round!

Murray misses with a takedown attempt - Barry sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Murray tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A jab from Barry finds it's way through Murray's defenses.
Murray wants to clinch.
Murray fails with the takedown
and Barry connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Murray takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Barry looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Murray wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Murray looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Barry passes Murray's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murray gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barry stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murray swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Murray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Barry manages to get himself to full guard.
Murray wants to control from the top but Barry keeps moving.
Murray is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Barry keeping moving, preventing Murray from controlling successfully.
Murray slips nicely into half guard.

Murray is looking for a kimura here.
Barry is trying to get back to full guard.
Murray performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barry is staying active underneath Murray, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Barry regains full guard. Nicely done.
Murray stopping the sweep attempt from Barry.

Murray is sitting in close to Barry's body. Barry has gone for a guillotine from the bottom. Oh damn, that looks pretty tight! Murray is panicking - it looks like this one could be all over! Yes, Murray is tapping! That was a very nice submission by Barry.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Manny Barry!