PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Koji Murosaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bobby Butcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murosaki comes to the cage accompanied by Now We Are Free. Koji Murosaki has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Murosaki
vs
Butcher

185 cm
34
162 lbs
22 - 17 - 0

174 cm
31
167 lbs
23 - 19 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

KAISER
KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Koji Murosaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bobby Butcher!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Butcher drives through with a takedown into Murosaki's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Murosaki is controlling Butcher's posture.
Butcher wants to control from the top but Murosaki keeps moving.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Butcher working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Murosaki has a closed guard, preventing Butcher from standing up.
Murosaki pulls Butcher in to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murosaki controls Butcher momentarily but Butcher frees himself.
Murosaki will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Murosaki controlling Butcher's posture.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Murosaki looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butcher throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Butcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Murosaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Murosaki fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Butcher avoids it really well and circles away.
Murosaki avoids a punch combination nicely.

Butcher closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Butcher lands in his opponent's guard.
Murosaki controls Butcher momentarily but Butcher frees himself.
Butcher advances to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murosaki regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Butcher.
Murosaki utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Murosaki looking for a sweep. Not yet Murosaki, not yet.
Butcher throws a strike but Murosaki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Butcher has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Murosaki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Murosaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Butcher is keeping the position for now.

Butcher throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Murosaki tries to free his leg and advance position but Butcher is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murosaki wants to control from the top but Butcher keeps moving.
Butcher is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Murosaki wants to control from the top but Butcher keeps moving.
Murosaki controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Murosaki has gone for a leg lock! Butcher slips out almost immediately though and dives into Murosaki's guard.

Butcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Murosaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Murosaki looking to control but Butcher passes into half guard.

Butcher stands up from half guard.
Butcher cracks Murosaki with a good jab.

Butcher scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Butcher in side control lands a decent elbow.
Butcher tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Murosaki sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murosaki wants to improve his position but Butcher is controlling well.
Butcher trying to control from half guard but Murosaki is working away.

Butcher is trying to work for a kimura but Murosaki is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bobby Butcher dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Murosaki darts in looking for a takedown but Butcher gets double underhooks and turns Murosaki into the cage.

Butcher throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Murosaki tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Butcher is in Murosaki's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Butcher not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Butcher trying to control but Murosaki is working from the bottom.
Butcher preventing the sweep.
Murosaki trying to control the position.

Butcher drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Murosaki manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Butcher has Murosaki in his guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Butcher working for a triangle but Murosaki defends it easily.
Murosaki trying to control but Butcher is working from the bottom.
Bobby Butcher has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murosaki pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Butcher is keeping the position for now.
Butcher keeping moving, preventing Murosaki from controlling successfully.
Murosaki scoring with punches to the head and body.
Butcher tries to strike from the bottom.
Murosaki passes Butcher's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Butcher moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Murosaki trying to control the position from guard on top but Butcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Butcher is looking for a triangle but Murosaki pushes his legs off easily.
Butcher keeping full guard, as Murosaki tries to pass.
Butcher has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Butcher is looking to sweep but instead, Murosaki has passed into half guard.
Butcher tries to kick Murosaki off but Murosaki keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Butcher is in trouble now - Murosaki has advanced to mount!

Murosaki looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murosaki is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Butcher is surviving well by controlling Murosaki's body position as best he can.
Butcher can't escape the position.
Butcher tries to hold on but Murosaki pushes him away.
Murosaki connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Butcher tries to lock up and control but Murosaki gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Butcher slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Butcher is pressing down on Murosaki's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Murosaki preventing the sweep.
Murosaki scoring with some ground and pound.

Murosaki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murosaki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Butcher swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Murosaki connects with a couple of short punches.
Butcher wants to stand but Murosaki is controlling the position.
Butcher keeping moving, preventing Murosaki from controlling successfully.

Butcher looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Murosaki passes into half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Murosaki looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koji Murosaki dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Butcher throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Butcher shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Murosaki not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Murosaki keeping moving, preventing Butcher from controlling successfully.
Murosaki is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Murosaki controlling Butcher's posture.
Butcher must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Butcher stands and steps away. Murosaki gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Butcher misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murosaki.

Murosaki shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Butcher's guard.

Butcher working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Murosaki has passed into half guard!
Butcher wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murosaki working over Butcher with some ground and pound. Butcher looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

Murosaki is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Butcher is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Butcher moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Butcher manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Murosaki manages to get himself to full guard.

Butcher trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Butcher stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Butcher blocks a head kick by Murosaki.

Murosaki moves into the clinch.
I was talking to Murosaki's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Butcher pulls guard effortlessly.
Murosaki landing with the ground and pound.
Murosaki not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Murosaki looking to sit in guard and control but Butcher gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Butcher pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Murosaki is keeping the position for now.
Murosaki has his hands on Butcher's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butcher throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murosaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Butcher has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Murosaki is proving hard to escape from.
Murosaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Butcher is one step ahead there.
Bobby Butcher is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Butcher wants to control from the top but Murosaki keeps moving.
Butcher tries to free his leg and advance position but Murosaki is retaining full guard.
Koji Murosaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Murosaki manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Butcher manages to get himself to full guard.

Murosaki wants to control from the top but Butcher keeps moving.
Butcher is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Murosaki stopping the sweep attempt from Butcher.
Butcher bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murosaki's guard.

Murosaki throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Butcher trying to control the position from guard on top but Murosaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Butcher might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Murosaki haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Murosaki trying to control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bobby Butcher comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Butcher has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for Bobby Butcher!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Bobby Butcher!
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight for Bobby Butcher!

Bobby Butcher wins by unanimous decision!
An out of breath and clearly excited Bobby Butcher thanked GREEN!160 for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).