PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesse Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brian Murdock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jesse Thompson has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Thompson
vs
Murdock

195 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

182 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jesse Thompson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brian Murdock!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, John Roberts and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Murdock!

It looks like Jesse Thompson has been cut.
No luck for Thompson with that takedown attempt.

Thompson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Thompson stops Murdock from getting back to his feet.
Thompson is thwarting Murdock's attempts to control the position.
Thompson is tying to control. Murdock wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Thompson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Thompson wants to free his trapped foot but Murdock is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murdock punching from the bottom.
Thompson lands with a punch from half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thompson wants to pass to mount but Murdock is defending the position.
Thompson drops an elbow to the side of Murdock's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock won't allow Thompson to pass to mount.
Thompson prevents Murdock from standing back up.
Murdock moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Murdock is on top in guard.
Thompson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Thompson is working hard here to advance position.
Murdock wants to control from the top but Thompson keeps moving.
Thompson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Murdock forces his way into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson wants to improve his position but Murdock is controlling well.
Thompson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Thompson tries to get out of the position.

Murdock is working for a kimura but Thompson is defending it quite comfortably.
Thompson tries to roll over but Murdock keeps him under control.
Murdock missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is looking for a sweep. Murdock is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Murdock works his foot free and advances to mount.
Thompson working to try and regain half guard.
Thompson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Murdock tries to control but Thompson wriggling away.
Thompson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Murdock on the ground.
Thompson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The referee warns Thompson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Murdock pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
A nice elbow there by Murdock.
BOOM! Murdock connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Murdock breaks from Thompson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Murdock tries to control but Thompson wriggling away.
Murdock working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Murdock lands a nice shot to the head.
Murdock connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

Murdock goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Thompson is on top in guard.
Thompson wants to pass the guard but Murdock is keeping the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murdock is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Murdock dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jesse Thompson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Thompson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Murdock looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Murdock can't do much from the bottom here.
Murdock manages to get back to half guard.

Thompson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Murdock has one foot on Thompson's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Murdock will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Murdock blocks a head kick by Thompson.
Murdock throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thompson.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Thompson shoots in and bounces Murdock off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Murdock is looking to stand up but Thompson isn't so interested in that idea.
Jesse Thompson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Thompson prevents Murdock from getting back to his feet.
Thompson won't allow Murdock to sweep him here.
Murdock lands a good elbow from the bottom.
Thompson landing with the ground and pound.
Thompson tries to free his leg and advance position but Murdock is retaining full guard.
Thompson looking to sit in guard and control but Murdock gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Thompson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

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.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Murdock shoots for a takedown but Thompson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Thompson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Murdock is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Murdock taking punishment in the form of punches.
Murdock gets back to half guard.
Murdock is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Thompson.
Thompson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Murdock works his way to full guard. Good work.

Murdock working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Thompson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Thompson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Murdock trying to control the position.
Thompson tries to stand but Murdock is controlling from the bottom.
Murdock is controlling Thompson's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Murdock has his foot on Thompson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Thompson works his way back into a safe position though.
Thompson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Murdock is on top in guard.

Thompson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Murdock has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Murdock loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Thompson keeping moving, preventing Murdock from controlling successfully.
Thompson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Thompson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse Thompson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jesse Thompson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Thompson throws a series of punches but Murdock moves out of range.
Thompson lands a jab to the nose.
A cross from Murdock lands.

Thompson feints and as Murdock raises his hands in defense, Thompson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Thompson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Murdock wants to sweep but no luck.
Murdock preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thompson won't allow Murdock to get back to his feet.
Murdock keeping moving, preventing Thompson from controlling successfully.
Thompson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Murdock tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
Thompson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Murdock counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Murdock shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Thompson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Murdock's guard now.
Murdock looking to control.
Thompson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Thompson is working Murdock over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Murdock working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thompson.
Murdock is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Thompson postures up in Murdock's guard and throws a big left but Murdock blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murdock wants to stand up but Thompson is controlling him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Murdock looks to score with a jab to the body but Thompson is just out of range.
Thompson shoots in but Murdock avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Thompson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thompson looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Murdock as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jesse Thompson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murdock wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Murdock looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A telegraphed right hand from Murdock misses the target.
Murdock with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Thompson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Murdock is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Thompson throwing strikes from guard but Murdock blocks nicely.
Murdock throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Murdock manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Murdock trying to control but Thompson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock with good strikes from the mount here!
Murdock unloads with some shots from mount but Thompson bucks and avoids them well.
Thompson is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Murdock prevents Thompson from getting the reversal.
Thompson tries to lock up and control but Murdock gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Murdock looking to secure an arm triangle but Thompson defends it well.
Murdock trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse Thompson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thompson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse Thompson!