PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Sanders (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nobu Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sanders
vs
Murphy

150 cm
20
180 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

200 cm
23
168 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter striker
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike Sanders!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nobu Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Bruno Hogan and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanders tries to clinch up but Murphy circles away and keeps his distance.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Murphy.

Murphy wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sanders, who protects the arm well.

Murphy thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Sanders can't do much from the bottom here.

Murphy thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanders defending against the ground and pound.

Murphy wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Sanders, who protects the arm well.

Murphy swings around for an armbar but Sanders sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Murphy's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Murphy working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Sanders doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Sanders manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Sanders working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Sanders content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Sanders is working Murphy over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Murphy throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Sanders got a little sloppy there for a moment and Murphy has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sanders has managed to get both his arms back between Murphy's legs - danger averted.
Murphy looks gassed!
Sanders distracts Murphy with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sanders landing some decent shots from guard.
Sanders stands up over Murphy, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sanders postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sanders working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Murphy had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sanders defends it easily.
Sanders is working Murphy over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Murphy is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanders passes into half guard.
Sanders is nestled in close to Murphy, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Sanders connects with a nice short shot to Murphy's temple.
Ground and pound from Sanders.
Sanders working over Murphy with some ground and pound. Murphy looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Murphy looking for submissions off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sanders lands a nice short elbow.
Sanders working the head and body with strikes.
Sanders frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murphy is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sanders scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Murphy?
Sanders with shots to the head and body - Murphy looks very uncomfortable down there.
Sanders lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanders with the ground and pound from mount.

Murphy is rocked!
Sanders loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Murphy scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Sanders land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Sanders stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:23 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mike Sanders!
In his post fight interview, Mike Sanders started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.