PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Craig Murdock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Glover Teixeira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Glover Teixeira acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Murdock
vs
Teixeira

210 cm
25
220 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
24
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Craig Murdock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Glover Teixeira!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Murdock drives through and clinches with Teixeira against the cage.
Teixeira tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Teixeira jumps guard but Murdock turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Murdock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Teixeira throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Teixeira misses with a double jab.
Murdock lands with a nice combination. Teixeira backs away looking to recover.
Murdock swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Teixeira counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Murdock closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Murdock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Murdock lands with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murdock thows a body shot but no joy.
Murdock throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Murdock!
Teixeira fails with a takedown attempt.
Craig Murdock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Glover Teixeira.
Murdock throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Teixeira.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock scores with a three punch combo!
Murdock misses with a double jab.
Murdock fails in his attempt to clinch.
Murdock fails to land with a series of punches.
Teixeira tries for a takedown but Murdock circles away easily
and Murdock counters with a nice uppercut.
Murdock is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Teixeira tries to keep at a distance but Murdock has taken the fight into the clinch.

Murdock breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murdock lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murdock misses with a double jab.
Teixeira throws a right and a left that both miss.
Teixeira looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Murdock really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Murdock scores with a takedown into Teixeira's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Teixeira preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Murdock trying to control the position from guard on top but Teixeira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Murdock got a little sloppy there for a moment and Teixeira has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Murdock has managed to get both his arms back between Teixeira's legs - danger averted.

Murdock stands up and waves to Teixeira to follow him.
Teixeira is trying desperately to land a takedown but Murdock is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Teixeira.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murdock closes the distance and clinches.
Teixeira tries to pull guard but Murdock holds him up against the cage and eventually Teixeira drops back down to his feet.
Teixeira tries to pull guard but Murdock holds him up against the cage and eventually Teixeira drops back down to his feet.
Teixeira misses with a punch to the body.

Murdock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Murdock has closed the distance and engaged Teixeira in a clinch.
Murdock stalls.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock lands a left hand.

Murdock pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Murdock tries to close the distance and clinch up but Teixeira swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Teixeira tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Horrible takedown by Teixeira or perhaps it was just good defense by Murdock which made him look bad.
Teixeira takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Murdock clinches.
Murdock manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Teixeira drags the fight down to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Murdock 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.

Teixeira misses with a takedown attempt
and Murdock counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Murdock throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Murdock shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Teixeira napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Teixeira tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Murdock wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Murdock stands up.

Murdock closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Teixeira did well to prevent Murdock getting side control.
Teixeira taking some punishment here, with Murdock in his half guard.

Murdock stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Teixeira to get to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Murdock drives through and clinches with Teixeira against the cage.
Teixeira goes for a takedown attempt but Murdock pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Teixeira shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Murdock but Murdock pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Craig Murdock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Glover Teixeira.
Teixeira is breathing heavily.
Murdock tries to clinch up.
Craig Murdock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murdock throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Teixeira avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from Murdock does no damage.
A right-left combo lands from Murdock.
A punch combination from Teixeira misses.
Teixeira takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murdock circles away from the clinch attempt.
Murdock fails to land with a series of punches.
Teixeira throws a sloppy head kick and Murdock moves out of range easily.
Teixeira throws a lazy uppercut
and Murdock cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Teixeira shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murdock as he avoids it easily.
Murdock fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Teixeira walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Teixeira looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Some wild striking there from Murdock.
Murdock lands a jab-cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murdock lands a nice hook to Teixeira's body. Teixeira takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Teixeira takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Murdock shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Teixeira napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Teixeira wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Murdock has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Murdock is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Teixeira takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Murdock misses with the combination.
Teixeira fails with the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Teixeira gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Murdock to score an easy takedown into full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Murdock passes Teixeira's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Murdock is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Teixeira can do to turn this around?

Murdock decides to stand up.
Teixeira fails with a takedown attempt.
Murdock is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Teixeira takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Murdock dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Murdock misses with a few strikes there.
Teixeira swats away the attempt to clinch by Murdock.
Teixeira shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murdock as he avoids it easily.
Teixeira takes a jab right on the kisser.
Teixeira has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Murdock finds it's way round the side to connect with Teixeira's head.
Teixeira shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Murdock counters with a takedown into side control.
Teixeira wants to get back to his feet but Murdock drags him back down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murdock trying to control the position but Teixeira is working away.
Teixeira is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Teixeira takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Murdock stands up and beckons Teixeira to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Murdock misses with a series of wild punches.
Craig Murdock is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Murdock scores with a jab.
Murdock moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Murdock misses with a few strikes there.
Murdock throws a series of punches but Teixeira avoids them all with ease.

Murdock darts in and clinches Teixeira up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murdock tries to land a knee to the head but Teixeira blocks with his arms.
Teixeira tries to pull guard but Murdock holds him up against the cage and eventually Teixeira drops back down to his feet.
Craig Murdock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Glover Teixeira.
Teixeira misses with a punch to the body.
Murdock tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Murdock breaks the clinch.
Murdock stuffs the takedown attempt from Teixeira. Teixeira gets slowly back to his feet.
Murdock fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Murdock stuffs the takedown attempt from Teixeira. Teixeira gets slowly back to his feet.
Murdock stuns Teixeira with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Teixeira takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Teixeira fails with the takedown
and Murdock counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Murdock defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Teixeira.
A right-left combo lands from Murdock.
Murdock thuds a left hand into Teixeira's body.
Murdock throws a right and a left that Teixeira avoids nicely.

Murdock scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Murdock is working Teixeira over with some ground and pound from side control.
Murdock will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Teixeira regains half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Murdock takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Murdock wants to stand up but Teixeira is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock trying to control from half guard but Teixeira is working away.
Murdock wants to get back to his feet.
Murdock has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Teixeira works to full guard.
Glover Teixeira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Teixeira working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Murdock doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Teixeira is tightening it up a little... Murdock has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Murdock reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Murdock taps out! Nice BJJ there by Teixeira!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Glover Teixeira!
A determined Glover Teixeira didn't want to dwell on this fight in his post fight interview. Instead he was more keen to state he wants a title shot. Let's see if he gets it!