PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aleksei Ljosha Putin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lee Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Putin comes to the cage accompanied by INTERNATIONALE. Both these fighters are unbeaten, so somebody's 0 has got to go!This should be a great matchup!

Ljosha Putin
vs
Murray

187 cm
21
219 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
208 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aleksei Ljosha Putin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lee Murray!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Alyssa Summers and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Putin misses with a body kick.
Putin lands a head kick!
A nice inside leg kick there by Putin. That's going to slow Murray down.
Murray blocks a head kick by Putin.
We've been informed that Murray has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Putin throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Putin misses with an attempted mid kick.
Putin wants to clinch
letting Murray counter with a right hand.
Murray fails with a takedown attempt.
Murray thows a body kick. Putin tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Murray throws a push kick but Putin slaps the foot to one side.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Putin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray tries to close the distance and clinch up but Putin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Putin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Murray counters with a nice leg kick.

Murray darts in and clinches Putin up against the cage.
I was talking to Putin's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Putin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murray.
Murray wants a takedown.
Murray tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Putin tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Murray's elbow.
Putin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Murray is defending well for now.
Murray tries to work over Putin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Murray.
Nice body punch from Putin.
Putin cracks Murray with a nice body shot.
Murray tries to throw a body punch but Putin avoids it by throwing Murray back against the cage.
Putin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Murray takes an elbow to the temple.
Putin pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Putin lands a nice knee to the body.
Putin lands a damaging elbow.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Murray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Murray working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Putin scores with a hook to the body.
Murray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Murray swings wildly with an uppercut but Putin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Murray prevents a body shot from Putin.
Good body shot from Putin.
Putin missing with knees to the body.
Murray lands a nice shot to the body.
Murray tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Murray avoiding damage as Putin throws knees to the body.
Murray tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Putin's elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Putin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Murray backwards.
Murray has a couple of punches blocked by Putin.
Murray works on Putin's body with a couple of short punches.
Putin throws an elbow but it misses.
Murray tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Murray can't find room to land a body shot as Putin controls the action.
Murray tries a body shot but Putin blocks it.
Putin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Murray is defending well for now.
Putin's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Murray managing to block the knees to the body from Putin.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Putin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Murray has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Murray lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Putin misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murray tries to work over Putin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Murray as Putin tries to tie him up.
Murray tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Putin's elbow.
Murray swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Putin can't find room to land a body shot as Murray controls the action.
Putin is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Murray is defending well for now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Murray as Putin tries to tie him up.
Murray managing to block the knees to the body from Putin.
Murray gets through Putin's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Murray misses with some punches.
Murray can't find room to land a body shot as Putin controls the action.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Murray digs a right hand underneath Putin's ribcage. Putin let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Murray stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Murray misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Lee Murray will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A leg kick checked by Putin.
Murray throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Aleksei Ljosha Putin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Putin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Putin tries to clinch but Murray is having none of it.
Putin checks a leg kick.
Putin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Putin ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Putin connects with a leg kick. Murray looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Putin throws a chopping leg kick but Murray manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Putin thows a leg kick but Murray checks it
and Murray counters with a nice body kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murray tries to close the distance and clinch up but Putin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Murray avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Putin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Putin looks to throw a body kick
and Murray connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Putin swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Putin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Putin misses with a double jab.
Putin takes a swing at Murray's ribcage but misses.
Putin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Murray jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A head kick by Murray misses
and Putin counters with a nice low kick that buckles Murray's knee momentarily.
Murray scoring well with a low kick there.
Putin tries to land a front kick but Murray steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Murray scoring well with a low kick there.
Putin fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Murray takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Murray moves in looking to clinch but Putin pushes him off.
Murray connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Putin cracks Murray with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Murray checks a leg kick nicely.

Putin forces Murray back against the cage and clinches.
Murray is leaning against Putin and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Putin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murray.
Murray misses with a body punch.
Putin tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Putin blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Putin doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray misses with a punch to the body.
Murray goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Murray misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Murray.
Murray blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Murray is trying to stall.
Putin misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murray.
Murray lands with a light punch inside.
Murray struggles to land a body shot inside as Putin controls his hands.
Putin using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Murray tries to work over Putin's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Murray tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Putin scores a nice knee to the body.
Murray swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murray lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Murray digs a right hand into Putin's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Putin's gas tank.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Putin tries to throw a body punch but Murray avoids it by throwing Putin back against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Murray.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Murray as Putin tries to tie him up.
Putin tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Murray avoids a wild elbow strike from Putin.
Murray avoiding damage as Putin throws knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Putin trying to land knees to the body.
Putin tries to land knees in the clinch but Murray avoids the damage to the body.
Murray blocks an elbow strike from Putin.
Murray works on Putin's body with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lee Murray 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. This is the final round!

A lazy body kick from Putin
and Murray counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Murray tries to clinch up but Putin circles away and keeps his distance.
Putin throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Murray looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Putin throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Murray on the side of the head.
Putin thows a body shot but no joy.
Lee Murray seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murray attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Putin throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Murray checks a low kick from Putin.

Murray closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Putin to the mat! Putin manages to get full guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Murray works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Murray wants to pass the guard but Putin is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Murray looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Putin won't allow Murray to pass to mount.
Putin tries to get to full guard but Murray has control of the leg.
Murray is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Putin actively working from the bottom here.
Aleksei Ljosha Putin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Putin defending well though.
Putin is pressing down on Murray's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Murray trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Murray tries to free his leg and advance position but Putin is retaining full guard.
Putin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Murray trying to control but Putin is working from the bottom.
Murray throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray wants to pass the guard but Putin is keeping the position.
Murray postures up.
Putin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Murray controlling from the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Putin looks for the body kick but Murray saw that one coming.
Putin thows a leg kick but Murray checks it
and Murray counters with a low kick, right behind Putin 's knee.
Putin throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Murray counters with an outside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Murray throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Putin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Murray's head.
Putin throws a low kick, looking for Murray's leg but Murray calmly moves out of range.
Murray tries to close the distance and clinch up but Putin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Murray shoots in but no luck this time.
Putin pivots, looking for a leg kick but Murray is out of range and Putin settles back down.
Murray connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Putin defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Murray.
Murray lands a high kick!
Putin looks to score with a jab to the body but Murray is just out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Putin motions for Murray to come forward. Putin throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
A big left from Putin misses.
Lee Murray is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Murray cracks the inside of Putin's front leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lee Murray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Murray 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lee Murray!
The defeated Aleksei Ljosha Putin had this to say: 'I am proud communist.'.