PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Salomon Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Benoit (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Benoit is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: TNT - ACDC. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Murphy
vs
Benoit

193 cm
25
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
25
255 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Salomon Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Bobby Benoit!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Trevor Gratis and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Benoit avoids it really well and circles away.
Murphy shoots for a double leg takedown but Benoit sprawls well. He's pushed Murphy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Benoit stuffs the takedown attempt from Murphy. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salomon Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benoit throws a right and a left that Murphy avoids nicely.
Murphy misses with a head kick.
Jab by Benoit.
Murphy looks to score with a jab to the body but Benoit is just out of range.
Murphy misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Murphy fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Murphy slips under a jab from Benoit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Murphy shoots in looking for a takedown. Benoit tries to sprawl out of it but Murphy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Benoit manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy with a lazy takedown attempt
and Benoit counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Benoit misses with an uppercut.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Murphy.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Benoit circles away easily
and Benoit counters with a three punch combo that has Murphy backing up. Murphy nods at Benoit to acknowledge the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Benoit uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
Benoit lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Murphy circles away quickly and effectively.
Bobby Benoit is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Murphy swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Benoit fails to land with a series of punches.
Benoit fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Murphy looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benoit misses with an uppercut. Murphy saw that one coming.
Benoit misses with an uppercut. Murphy saw that one coming.
Murphy has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Murphy there as he acknowledges the shot.
A jab lands there for Benoit.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Benoit circles away easily
and Benoit counters with a straight right hand.
Murphy walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Murphy shoots in looking for a takedown but Benoit manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Murphy's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Benoit throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Benoit might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Benoit misses with a wild combination.
Benoit misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy dodges the punch combination from Benoit.
Benoit stuffs the takedown attempt from Murphy. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.
Murphy throws a big shot that misses.
Benoit smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Murphy moves out of range of the strikes.
Benoit throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Benoit swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Murphy misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Murphy has his takedown stuffed
and Benoit counters with a three punch combo that has Murphy backing up. Murphy nods at Benoit to acknowledge the strikes.
Benoit throws a jab but it's blocked by Murphy.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Murphy avoids them all with ease.
Murphy misses the shot to the body.
Murphy takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Murphy. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
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!
Benoit uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Benoit misses with a wild body shot.
Nice defenses there by Benoit.
Benoit uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Benoit dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Benoit doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Bobby Benoit seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Benoit misses with a wild body shot.
Murphy fails to land the takedown.
Benoit leaves Murphy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Benoit displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Murphy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salomon Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benoit displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Murphy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Benoit scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Murphy dodges the punch combination from Benoit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy shoots in but no luck this time.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Murphy might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Benoit swinging wildly here.
No joy there for Benoit, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Benoit avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Murphy looks to score with a jab to the body but Benoit is just out of range.
Benoit leaves Murphy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Benoit works the jab nicely.

It looks like Salomon Murphy has been cut.
Murphy has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Some wild striking there from Benoit.
A nice combination there by Benoit.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Murphy moves out of range.
Murphy looks for a takedown but Benoit sprawls well.
Benoit throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Murphy connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Murphy shoots in and drives through. Benoit sprawls well.
Benoit just misses with a punch to the body.
Benoit feints a jab promting Murphy to slip. Benoit then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Murphy slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy fails with a takedown attempt.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Benoit, as that shot connected.
Murphy blocks a jab.
Murphy looks for a takedown but Benoit sprawls well.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Murphy is defended easily by Benoit.
Benoit throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Murphy misses.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Murphy moves out of range.
Murphy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Benoit works over Murphy's head and body with a nice combination.
Benoit throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Murphy moves in looking to clinch but Benoit pushes him off.
Benoit rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Murphy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Murphy shoots in for a double leg but Benoit sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Benoit throws a right and a left that Murphy avoids nicely.
Murphy is looking to wear down Benoit with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Benoit misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Benoit showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Salomon Murphy's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Murphy shoots in and drives through. Benoit sprawls well.
Murphy shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Benoit sprawls well. Benoit wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.
Murphy shoots for a double leg takedown but Benoit sprawls well. He's pushed Murphy's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salomon Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Benoit shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Murphy eats them both and turns towards Benoit to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Benoit throws a shot from downtown. Murphy moves away and avoids it.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Murphy moves out of range.
Murphy is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Benoit.
Murphy with a poor takedown
and Benoit counters with a three punch combo that has Murphy backing up. Murphy nods at Benoit to acknowledge the strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murphy shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Benoit sprawls well. Benoit wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy slips under a jab.
Benoit misses with an uppercut. Murphy saw that one coming.
Murphy misses with a straight left.
Murphy lands a nice shot to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Murphy.
Murphy takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sloppy strikes from Benoit. Those never looked like landing.
Murphy swings for the body but Benoit moves out of range.
Bobby Benoit seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Murphy.
Benoit lands a two punch combo.
Benoit misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murphy.
Murphy closes the distance and clinches up with Benoit, looking for a takedown. Murphy pushes Benoit against the cage but Benoit circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Benoit misses with a double jab.
Murphy throws a right and a left that Benoit avoids nicely.
Benoit has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Murphy misses with a straight right.
Murphy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Benoit.
Benoit throws a series of punches but Murphy avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benoit throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Murphy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Benoit circles away easily
and Benoit counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Murphy looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Benoit sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Benoit bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Murphy displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Benoit throws out the jab.
Nice shot lands for Benoit.
Benoit slaps away a takedown attempt from Murphy, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Murphy throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Benoit's waist but Benoit gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Murphy off to one side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benoit misses with a looping right.
Murphy lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Benoit backs up against the cage.
Murphy takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Benoit darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Murphy shoots and misses
and Benoit connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Murphy tries to score a power double leg takedown but Benoit sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Murphy somewhat.
Jab, jab by Benoit - just one landing.
Salomon Murphy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bobby Benoit is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benoit slaps away a takedown attempt from Murphy, before circling back to the center of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Benoit comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Benoit 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bobby Benoit!
A very excited looking Bobby Benoit made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.