PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Hogan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank McMurdoch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hogan comes to the cage accompanied by The Faint - The Geeks Were Right. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Hogan
vs
McMurdoch

180 cm
28
140 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

170 cm
20
148 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Hogan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank McMurdoch!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Anthony Taglia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McMurdoch scores with a shot to the body.
Hogan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hogan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McMurdoch.
McMurdoch throws an off balance right hand
and Hogan counters with a three punch combo that has McMurdoch backing up. McMurdoch nods at Hogan to acknowledge the strikes.
McMurdoch looks to throw the jab but Hogan is out of range.
Hogan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from McMurdoch.
McMurdoch ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hogan moves away.
Hogan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hogan throws the left hand but McMurdoch avoids the punch easily.
McMurdoch swings widly with a right hand
and Hogan counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hogan misses with a wild body shot.
Hogan misses with an uppercut.
Hogan takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Hogan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Frank McMurdoch is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hogan closes the distance and lands a one-two.
McMurdoch connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Hogan momentarily.
McMurdoch missing with a left hand there. Hogan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hogan moves into range and clinches up with McMurdoch.
McMurdoch has Hogan pressed against the cage, preventing Hogan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
McMurdoch lands a shoulder strike.
McMurdoch presses Hogan against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Hogan really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hogan is trying to break free.
McMurdoch lands a shoulder strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hogan works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
McMurdoch manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
McMurdoch lands a body punch.
McMurdoch tries to throw a body punch but Hogan avoids it by throwing McMurdoch back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hogan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
McMurdoch lands a shoulder strike.
Hogan blocks an uppercut.
Hogan managing to block the knees to the body from McMurdoch.
McMurdoch lands a hook that snaps the head of Hogan backwards.
Hogan blocks a body shot from McMurdoch.
McMurdoch lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
McMurdoch lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
McMurdoch lands a body shot.
Hogan is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
McMurdoch stalling against the cage.
McMurdoch tries a body shot but Hogan blocks it.
McMurdoch scores with a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McMurdoch misses with a hook from the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from McMurdoch.
McMurdoch lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hogan backwards.

McMurdoch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
McMurdoch misses with a body shot.
McMurdoch throws a poor cross that misses
and Hogan counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hogan misses with a double jab
and McMurdoch counters with a nice uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hogan connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between McMurdoch's hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank McMurdoch dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

McMurdoch shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hogan eats them both and turns towards McMurdoch to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Hogan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. McMurdoch sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McMurdoch takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
McMurdoch misses with an uppercut. Hogan saw that one coming.
A combination from Hogan does no damage.
McMurdoch fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hogan manages to avoid it.
Hogan tries for a takedown but McMurdoch circles away easily
and McMurdoch counters with a solid body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McMurdoch takes a swing at Hogan's ribcage but misses.
Hogan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and McMurdoch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Hogan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
McMurdoch works on Hogan's body with a couple of short punches.
McMurdoch lands a body shot.
Hogan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
McMurdoch lands an uppercut.
McMurdoch throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
McMurdoch is working Hogan over against the cage.
Hogan being controlled against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McMurdoch is working Hogan over against the cage.

McMurdoch manages to break the clinch.
Paul Hogan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hogan looks to land a left hand but McMurdoch moved out of range nicely.
McMurdoch throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hogan tries to bum rush McMurdoch with a series of wild strikes but McMurdoch uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hogan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McMurdoch circles away quickly and effectively.
McMurdoch takes a swing at Hogan's ribcage but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hogan pushes McMurdoch up against the cage in a clinch.
McMurdoch struggles to land a body shot inside as Hogan controls his hands.
McMurdoch lands a hook to the side of the head.
McMurdoch digs a right hand into Hogan's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Hogan's gas tank.
Hogan can't find room to land a body shot as McMurdoch controls the action.
Hogan being controlled against the cage.
Still in the clinch, McMurdoch scores with a nice short uppercut.
McMurdoch can't find room to land a body shot as Hogan controls the action.
McMurdoch slows down the pace here.

McMurdoch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McMurdoch digs a good body shot into Hogan's ribs.
McMurdoch swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hogan misses with a few strikes there.
Paul Hogan is winning the standup battle so far.
Hogan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Hogan gets in close and instigates a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hogan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hogan is trying to force a seperation but McMurdoch has the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank McMurdoch 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

McMurdoch takes a swing at Hogan's ribcage but misses.
McMurdoch scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hogan doesn't seem bothered though.
McMurdoch swings for the body but Hogan moves out of range.
No joy there for Hogan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hogan throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
McMurdoch misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hogan.
Hogan takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
McMurdoch throws out a powerful jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hogan throws a series of strikes that have McMurdoch backpedaling.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
McMurdoch tests Hogan's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hogan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
McMurdoch is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hogan.
Hogan fails with the takedown.
McMurdoch lands a nice looking kick to the body. Hogan takes a step back to recover.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McMurdoch loads up on a big right hand but Hogan slips the punch.
A swing and a miss from McMurdoch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hogan drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
A jab lands there for McMurdoch.
McMurdoch scores with a crisp jab that stopped Hogan in his tracks.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
McMurdoch missing with a left hand there. Hogan was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hogan rushes McMurdoch and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Frank McMurdoch seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
McMurdoch cracks Hogan with a nice body shot.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Hogan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
McMurdoch tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Frank McMurdoch is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hogan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hogan wants to break free but McMurdoch has control.
McMurdoch gets through Hogan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Paul Hogan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hogan wants to break the clinch but can't.
McMurdoch will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hogan up against the cage.
McMurdoch presses Hogan against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A hook to the body from McMurdoch.

McMurdoch pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McMurdoch throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A telegraphed right hand from McMurdoch misses the target.
A slow jab from Hogan misses its intended target.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank McMurdoch comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well McMurdoch has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frank McMurdoch!