PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Erick Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Flinch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robert Flinch looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Murphy
vs
Flinch

184 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
167 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Erick Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Robert Flinch!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Shirou Masuda and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Flinch looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Murphy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy throws a low kick, looking for Flinch's leg but Flinch calmly moves out of range.
Murphy shoots in but no luck this time.
Murphy doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Flinch counters with a nice double leg into side control. Murphy won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erick Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Murphy can't do much from the bottom here.
Murphy manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Murphy is positioning himself well to prevent Flinch advancing to mount.
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.
Flinch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Murphy pushes Flinch off looking to stand but Flinch dives back in and keeps control.
Flinch takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Murphy is looking for a sweep. Flinch is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Murphy keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Flinch thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Flinch throws a strike but Murphy avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Flinch postures up and lands a big shot to Murphy's brow.
Murphy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Murphy working a defensive guard here.
Murphy utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Flinch postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flinch stopping the sweep attempt from Murphy.
Murphy bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Flinch's guard.
Murphy is looking to stand up but Flinch won't let him.

We're going to have a standup here because Erick Murphy wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Flinch shoots in for a takedown but Murphy shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murphy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Murphy pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Murphy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Flinch at a distance.
Murphy shoots for a takedown but Flinch saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Murphy misses with a straight left.
Murphy throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Flinch's waist but Flinch gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Murphy off to one side.
Murphy looks for a takedown but Flinch sprawls well.
Murphy lands a slapping body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Murphy duly obliges.
Murphy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy tries to clinch there but Flinch circles away.
Murphy shoots in and drives through. Flinch sprawls well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphy with a lazy takedown attempt

and Flinch counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Murphy's guard now.
Murphy doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Robert Flinch will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Murphy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murphy shoots in but Flinch avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Flinch shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Murphy is desperately trying to improve his position but Flinch has a good base and remains in mount.
Murphy wants to control but Flinch is having none of it.
Flinch throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Flinch throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Murphy because Flinch loaded up on that one.
Murphy is in all sorts of trouble here.
Flinch thowing shots but they're missing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Murphy is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Flinch breaks from Murphy's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Murphy taking shots to the head.
Flinch avoids the attempt from Murphy to control.
Robert Flinch has got the better of the ground game so far.
Flinch in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Murphy tries to hold on but Flinch pushes him away.
Flinch scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Flinch lands with some strikes.
Flinch looking to ground and pound but Murphy is blocking nicely.
Flinch is landing with some decent strikes but Murphy is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy can't escape the position.
Flinch cracks Murphy with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Murphy is bucking up trying to escape but Flinch cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Flinch with shots to the head and body - Murphy looks very uncomfortable down there.
Murphy wants to control but Flinch is having none of it.
Flinch lands with some strikes.
Murphy taking shots to the head.
Flinch scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Murphy?
Poor strikes thrown by Flinch there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Murphy is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flinch lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Flinch lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Murphy bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Murphy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Flinch keeping full guard, as Murphy tries to pass.
Murphy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy trying to control but Flinch is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Erick Murphy wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Murphy shoots in looking for a takedown. Flinch tries to sprawl out of it but Murphy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Flinch manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Flinch avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Flinch showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Murphy closes the distance and clinches.
Murphy manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Murphy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Murphy prevents the takedown attempt.

Murphy has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Flinch uses from the top position.
Murphy bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Flinch's guard.
Flinch takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Murphy is looking to stand up but Flinch won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy wants to pass the guard but Flinch is keeping the position.
Murphy is working hard here to advance position.
Flinch keeping moving, preventing Murphy from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Erick Murphy wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
No joy there for Murphy, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Murphy wants to clinch.
Murphy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Flinch sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Murphy somewhat.
Murphy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Flinch swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murphy instigates a clinch.
Murphy taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Murphy drags the fight down to the ground.
Flinch loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Murphy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Flinch postures up in Murphy's guard and throws a big left but Murphy blocks it.
Murphy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Flinch has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Flinch is looking to work some ground and pound but Murphy has wrist control.
Murphy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Flinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flinch postures up and lands a big shot to Murphy's brow.
Murphy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Murphy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Flinch is one step ahead there.
Flinch lands a couple of digs.
Flinch throws a big right hand that misses.
Flinch content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Flinch works over Murphy with some ground and pound from guard.

Murphy pushes Flinch off and gets back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphy has a takedown stuffed.

And that's the end of the fight!
Erick Murphy showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Flinch has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Flinch!
As Robert Flinch got his breath back, he grabbed the microphone and managed to blurt out the following: I have respect for my opponent but theirs always gonna be one winner... ME'.