PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Murry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frankie Drake (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Murry has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Murry
vs
Drake

170 cm
28
150 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

166 cm
21
152 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter fighter
Insanely flexible

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Murry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Frankie Drake!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Daniel Bishop and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Drake stuns Murry with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Drake is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Murry shoots for a double leg takedown but Drake sprawls well. He's pushed Murry's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Murry stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Drake.
Murry uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Drake.
Drake digs a good hook to Murry's body.
Murry shoots in for a takedown but Drake shows good takedown defense.
Drake cracks Murry with a good jab.
Murry seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Good shot there by Drake.
That kick from Drake tenderised Murry's leg. Murry is trying to keep his angry face on.
Drake tries to clinch up but Murry circles away and keeps his distance.

Murry scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Murry is looking for a kimura here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murry wants to free his trapped foot but Drake is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murry is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Drake doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Murry.
Murry prevents Drake from standing back up.
Drake felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Drake is concentrating on defense, preventing Murry from advancing position.
Murry trying to mount his opponent but Drake defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murry is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Drake is just riding it out for now. Murry eventually gives up the hold.
Murry wants to pass to mount but Drake is defending the position.

Murry is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Murry is looking to advance position but Drake won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake is looking for a sweep. Murry is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Murry is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Drake won't allow Murry to pass to mount.

Murry is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Drake wants to improve his position but Murry is controlling well.
Drake keeps trying to improve his position.
Drake regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murry passes Drake's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Drake manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Drake is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Murry works his way to full guard. Good work.
Murry keeping moving, preventing Drake from controlling successfully.
Drake passes Murry's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Murry looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Drake stalling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murry keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frankie Drake dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Drake lands a slapping body shot.
Murry tries for a takedown but Drake circles away easily
enabling Drake to counter with a crisp jab.
Frankie Drake seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Drake leaves Murry with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Drake shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Murry but Murry pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Drake connects with a body shot that sends Murry's belly button to the back.
Murry on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Drake tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Murry manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Murry with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Murry. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drake is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab by Drake.
Drake lunges at Murry with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Murry's hand.

Murry closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Murry seems to be working for a kimura but Drake defends the submission attempt.
Murry tries to pass the half guard into mount. Drake knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Drake has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Murry is working away from the top position though.
Drake tries to kick Murry off in order to stand up. Murry Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Joe Murry overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drake is trying to improve his position.

Murry is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Drake knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Drake tries to escape but Murry is in control.
Drake can't do much from the bottom here.

Murry is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Drake has escaped the position, nice work there.

Murry tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Murry is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Drake has escaped the position, nice work there.
Murry tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Murry is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Drake has escaped the position, nice work there.

Murry goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Drake rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Murry's guard! Nice work there by Drake!
Murry tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Drake tries to free his leg and advance position but Murry is retaining full guard.
Drake's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Drake advances position into side control!
Murry tries to bench press Drake off him but Drake keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Frankie Drake will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Drake scores with a crisp jab that stopped Murry in his tracks.
Drake tries to close the distance and clinch but Murry swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drake lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Drake loads up on a big right hand but Murry slips the punch.
A jab from Drake finds it's way through Murry's defenses.
Drake connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Murry shoots in and drives through. Drake sprawls well.
Murry shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Drake defends it nicely.
Frankie Drake seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murry displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Drake.
Murry tries for a takedown but Drake circles away easily
and Drake counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Murry. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drake tries a low kick but Murry avoids it.
Murry fails with a takedown attempt.
Murry has his takedown stuffed
and Drake counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Murry takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Drake shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Murry pinned against the cage. Murry gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Drake lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Murry at a distance.

Drake scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Drake passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Murry!
Joe Murry has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murry is wriggling around trying to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Drake scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Murry?
Drake takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Murry taking shots to the head.
Drake sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Drake trying to control but Murry is having none of it.
Murry regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drake looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Murry wants to improve his position but Drake is controlling well.
Murry trying to get back to full guard but Drake takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Murry is trying desperately to improve position.
Drake can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Murry is looking to escape.
Drake sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Murry working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drake with a couple of short strikes.
Drake controlling from the full mount.
Drake trying to control but Murry is having none of it.
Murry in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drake controlling the pace for now.
Drake raining down shots from the mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Frankie Drake comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Drake 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Frankie Drake!