PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marti Pico (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nobu Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nobu Murphy struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 156.9lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Marti Pico is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Pico
vs
Murphy

173 cm
27
145 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

200 cm
26
168 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marti Pico!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nobu Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, John Mangel and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Murphy clinches with his opponent.
Pico drops down looking for an ankle pick but Murphy pulls his leg out and moves away.
Murphy tries a head kick but it misses.
A left and a right from Murphy both land. Nice combination.
Pico shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murphy as he avoids it easily.
Pico shoots and misses
and Murphy finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marti Pico. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphy scores with a three punch combo!
Pico with a lazy takedown attempt
and Murphy counters with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pico shoots and misses
and Murphy counters with a one-two to the body.
Murphy throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Pico has his takedown stuffed
and Murphy counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Pico thinking.
Pico is breathing heavily.
Murphy tries to clinch but Pico moves out of range.
Murphy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pico misses with a takedown attempt
and Murphy counters with a one-two to the body.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Sloppy strikes from Murphy. Those never looked like landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pico with a poor takedown
and Murphy counters with a two punch combo.
Nobu Murphy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
That kick from Murphy tenderised Pico's leg. Pico is trying to keep his angry face on.
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!
Murphy misses with a head kick.
Pico tries for a takedown but Murphy circles away easily
and Murphy counters with a big head kick but Pico shrugs it off.

Murphy rushes Pico and presses him up against the cage.
Murphy lands an elbow inside that Pico shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pico can't break the clinch.
Pico looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Pico is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Murphy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Murphy is working the combinations to good effect here.
Murphy throws a series of strikes that have Pico backpedaling.
Pico misses with a takedown attempt
and Murphy counters with a nice body kick.
Pico misses with a takedown
and Murphy counters with a nice kick to the body.
Pico fails with the takedown

and Murphy counters by clinching up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pico tries for a takedown. No joy.

Murphy breaks the clinch.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Pico. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Pico shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Murphy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Murphy rushes Pico and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Murphy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pico fails with the takedown
and Murphy makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Murphy connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Murphy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Murphy is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Murphy throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Murphy fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Murphy throws a head kick that misses

and Pico counters with a nice double leg into side control. Murphy won't be happy with that.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Pico thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
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!
Pico prevents Murphy from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pico tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Pico has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murphy stands and steps away. Pico gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A punch combination from Murphy misses.
Murphy thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Pico if he has to take too many more of those.
Marti Pico is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pico gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Murphy counters with a good, hard body kick but Pico shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pico shoots and misses
and Murphy counters with a big head kick but Pico shrugs it off.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pico swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pico with a lazy takedown attempt
and Murphy counters with a nice body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marti Pico. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphy thuds his right hand into Pico's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Murphy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pico moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Murphy throws a sloppy head kick and Pico moves out of range easily.
Nobu Murphy seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murphy lands a two punch combo.
Pico with a lazy takedown attempt
and Murphy counters with a three punch combo that has Pico backing up. Pico nods at Murphy to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pico takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Murphy slaps away a takedown attempt from Pico, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Pico misses with a takedown attempt
and Murphy counters with a low kick, right behind Pico 's knee.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murphy lands with a slapping head kick.
Pico misses with a takedown
and Murphy makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Pico really felt that one!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nobu Murphy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Murphy lands a high kick!
Pico showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Murphy.
Pico fails with the takedown
and Murphy counters with a body kick.

Murphy fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Pico, pushing him back against the cage.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pico doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Murphy counters with a left and a right that stings Pico.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Murphy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Pico shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Pico showed some decent athleticism there.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Murphy makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pico closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Pico lands in his opponent's guard.
Pico stops Murphy from standing up.
Pico stands and throws Murphy's legs to the side, diving into side control.
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!
Murphy stops Pico from passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pico is trying to get an arm triangle but Murphy is defending well.

Pico working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Marti Pico overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy bucks up and tries to throw Pico off but instead Pico has got his back!
Nobu Murphy is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Murphy holding both Pico 's hands and preventing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marti Pico.
I think Murphy 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nobu Murphy!