PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sully Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Haruki Murakami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murphy kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genuis that is Godsmack - Whiskey Hangover. Sully Murphy has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Murphy
vs
Murakami

178 cm
20
163 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

179 cm
23
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very confident

The Next Level Nutrition

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sully Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Haruki Murakami!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy throws a hook but Murakami avoids it easily.
Murphy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sully Murphy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murphy jabs at Murakami's body.
Murphy looks for a takedown but Murakami sprawls well.
Murphy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murakami.
Murakami throws a body punch but Murphy moves out of range.
Murakami uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
Murakami slips under a jab.
Murakami throws a nice head kick!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Murphy has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Murakami.
Murphy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Murakami moves away.
Murphy misses with the combination.
Murphy thows a left - swing and a miss!

Murakami has Murphy up against the cage in a clinch.
Murakami creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Murphy's defenses.
Murakami landing knees to the head.

It looks like Sully Murphy has been cut.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Murakami trying to land knees to the body.
Murakami lands a nice elbow.
Murakami lands a damaging elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Nice elbow from Murakami.
Murakami lands an elbow just above Murphy 's eye.
Murphy tries to pull guard but Murakami holds him up against the cage and eventually Murphy drops back down to his feet.
Murakami tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Murakami lands an elbow that stopped Murphy in his tracks for a moment.
Murakami lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Murakami escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Murphy throws a right hand that Murakami ducks under and follows up with a left that Murakami also avoids with ease.
Murakami throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nice sprawl there from Murakami as Murphy shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sully Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murakami throws a head kick that Murphy semi-blocks.
Murakami misses with a series of wild punches.
Murakami slips under a jab from Murphy.
Murakami throws a sloppy head kick and Murphy moves out of range easily.
Murphy blocks a head kick by Murakami.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murakami uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
Murakami wants to clinch.

Murakami rushes Murphy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Murakami throws an elbow but it misses.
Murphy blocking some punches.
Murphy takes an elbow to the forehead.
Murakami comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Murakami is pushing Murphy up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Murphy avoids the elbow strike from Murakami, against the cage.
Murakami lands an elbow that stopped Murphy in his tracks for a moment.
Murakami controlling the action here for a moment.
Murphy avoids the elbow strike from Murakami, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murakami lands an elbow inside.
Murphy avoids the elbow strike from Murakami, against the cage.

Murakami breaks the clinch.
Murakami throws a sloppy head kick and Murphy moves out of range easily.
Murakami keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Murakami checks a leg kick.

Murakami closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Murakami is pressed up against the cage. Murphy has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Murakami down to the mat. Murakami avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Murakami fails in his attempt to clinch.
Murakami dodges the punch combination from Murphy.

Murakami moves into the clinch.
Murakami misses with an elbow over the top.

Murakami manages to break the clinch.
Murphy takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Crunch! Murakami slams his shin into Murphy's torso.

Murakami darts in and clinches Murphy up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murphy.
Murakami lands an elbow inside that Murphy shrugs off.
Murakami comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Murakami breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Murphy walks forward, straight into a front kick from Murakami.

Murakami forces Murphy back against the cage and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Murakami with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Murakami landing knees to the body.
Murphy takes an elbow to the forehead.
Murakami tries to land knees in the clinch but Murphy avoids the damage to the body.
Murakami lands a nice elbow.
Murakami creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Murphy's defenses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Murakami lands an elbow that stopped Murphy in his tracks for a moment.
Murakami lands an elbow just above Murphy 's eye.
Murakami lands an elbow just above Murphy 's eye.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haruki Murakami dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sully Murphy's cut.
That's time! Murphy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Murphy takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Murakami tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Murakami tries to close the distance and clinch up but Murphy swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Murphy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murakami is fending him off so far but Murphy persists. Nope, Murakami circles away and we're back to standing.
Murakami displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
A head kick misses from Murakami.
Haruki Murakami is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Murphy blocks a head kick by Murakami.
Murphy lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Murakami tries to clinch up but Murphy circles away and keeps his distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Murphy misses the target.
Murakami goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Murphy fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Murakami scores with a spinning back kick!

Murakami takes the fight into the clinch.

Murakami escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Murphy lands a nice shot that snaps Murakami's head back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murphy misses with a jab, cross combination.
Murakami lands with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Murakami throws a head kick but Murphy moves out of range.
Murakami fails to land with a series of punches.
A solid body kick from Murakami.
Murakami walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Murphy scores with a nice head shot.
Murakami swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murakami uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murphy.
Murakami misses the shot to the body.
Murphy throws a jab but it's blocked by Murakami.
Murakami connects with a high kick.
Murphy thows a body shot but no joy.
Murakami throws a nice head kick!
Murphy ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Murakami moves away.
Murakami lands a head kick. Murphy smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Haruki Murakami seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murphy lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Murakami throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Murakami throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy throws a jab but it's blocked by Murakami.
Murakami tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Murphy throws a shot to the body.
Murakami swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murphy looks to score with a jab to the body but Murakami is just out of range.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murakami throws a nice looking combination but Murphy bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Murphy cracks Murakami with a good jab.
Murakami tries to clinch there but Murphy circles away.
Murakami throws a wild body kick that Murphy sees coming a mile off.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Murakami.
Murphy tests Murakami's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Murakami displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Murphy throws out the jab.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murakami misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Murakami counters with a head kick. That will keep Murphy thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Murakami tries a head kick but it misses.
Murphy avoids the head kick by Murakami.
Murakami is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Murphy rather than just go for the knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy swings for the body but Murakami moves out of range.
Murakami feints and then cracks Murphy's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Murphy down.
Murphy misses with a series of wild punches.

Murakami has Murphy up against the cage in a clinch.
Murakami tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Murphy wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Murakami has him pressed against the cage.
Murakami lands an elbow that stopped Murphy in his tracks for a moment.
Murphy avoids the elbow strike from Murakami, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Murakami throws an elbow but misses.
Murakami working aggressively here.
Murakami misses with the head strike.

Murakami breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murakami moves out of range of the strikes.
Murakami fakes the leg kick and cracks Murphy in the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Murakami misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy lands a nice shot to the body.
Murakami takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Murakami pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Murphy lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Murakami at a distance.
Murphy connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murphy looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A big left from Murakami misses.
Murphy goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Murphy waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Murakami.
A head kick from Murakami lands but Murphy takes it in his stride.
Murakami on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murphy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murakami.
Murphy cracks Murakami with a good jab.
Murphy uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Murakami.
Murakami needs to keep his hands up - Murphy had a free shot at his head there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haruki Murakami showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sully Murphy's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Murakami plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Murakami drives through and clinches with Murphy against the cage.
A short right from Murakami on the inside.
Murphy blocks the elbow strike.
Murakami working aggressively here.

Murakami breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Murakami misses with a head kick.
Murphy fails to land with a series of punches.
Murphy throws a hook to the side of Murakami's head but Murakami sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Murakami stuffs the takedown attempt from Murphy. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.
Murakami lands a nice leg kick that just misses Murphy's sensitive parts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murakami.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murakami throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Murakami moves in looking to clinch but Murphy pushes him off.
Murakami bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Murakami takes one on the button.
Murphy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crunch! Murakami slams his shin into Murphy's torso.
Murakami explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Murakami wants to clinch.
Murphy scores with a one two! Murakami had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Haruki Murakami is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Murphy takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Murphy scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Murakami pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses.
A lazy left from Murphy finds it's target.
Murphy misses with a straight right.
Murakami takes a swing at Murphy's ribcage but misses.
Murakami throws a nice head kick!
Murakami throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murakami misses with a head kick.
No joy there for Murphy, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Murakami ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Murphy moves away.
Murakami gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Murphy pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Murakami lands a head kick!
Murakami keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Murphy.
Murakami feints and then cracks Murphy's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Murphy down.
Well,Murphy is on his way to losing a decision here. Can he use his experience to pull something off in the closing minutes?
Murakami throws a head kick that half lands.
Murakami steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Murphy.
A head kick misses from Murakami.
A head kick misses from Murakami.
Murakami avoids the body shot from Murphy.
Murakami misses with the combination.
Murphy bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Murakami pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Murakami takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A combination from Murphy does no damage.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murphy connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A head kick misses from Murakami.
Murphy scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Murakami doesn't seem bothered though.
Murakami misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murphy.
Murphy will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Murphy's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Murphy duly obliges.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses.
Murphy scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A head kick misses from Murakami.
Murphy fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Murphy throws a leg kick
and Murakami counters with an inside leg kick.
Murakami throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Murakami throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Murakami tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Murphy scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Murphy cracks Murakami with a right hand to the side of the head.
Murphy shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Murakami makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Murphy really felt that one!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Murakami throws a head kick that half lands.
Murakami avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Murphy misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murakami.
Murakami fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Murphy manages to avoid it.

Murakami pushes Murphy up against the cage in a clinch.

Murakami manages to break the clinch.
Murphy thows a leg kick but Murakami checks it
and Murakami counters with a solid body kick.
Murakami tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Murakami lands a head kick!
Murakami uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Murphy.
Murakami has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Murphy finds it's way round the side to connect with Murakami's head.
Murphy takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Murphy misses with the combination.
Sully Murphy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Murakami throws a nice inside leg kick.
Murphy blocks a head kick by Murakami.
Haruki Murakami is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Murakami slips a straight right by Murphy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haruki Murakami comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Murakami 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight for Haruki Murakami!
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight for Haruki Murakami!
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight for Haruki Murakami!

Haruki Murakami wins by unanimous decision!