PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Taisto Murkula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JR Adams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murkula comes to the cage accompanied by Forever Angel. Adams has chosen 'Looking For The Stone' by Dry Branch Fire Squad as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Murkula
vs
Adams

184 cm
35
188 lbs
35 - 10 - 2

177 cm
34
191 lbs
25 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Museum of Monsters & Madmen
Perkele!

Spartan Nutrition 160Q with Proof
Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 10 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Taisto Murkula!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, JR Adams!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murkula is looking to slow Adams down with leg kicks.
Murkula scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Murkula lands with a straight right. Adams didn't see that one coming.
Murkula throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Adams sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Adams feints the counter takedown.
Murkula tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Murkula throws a sloppy head kick and Adams moves out of range easily.
Adams tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Adams ducks under a wild hook from Murkula.
Murkula misses with a low kick.
Adams appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Adams bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Adams slips a jab and a cross from Murkula.

Murkula shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Murkula was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Murkula wants to control but Adams is keeping him busy.
Murkula working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adams can't do much from the bottom here.
Murkula cracks Adams with a big right hand but Adams just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Adams takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Murkula trying to control the action but Adams is working from the bottom.
Adams is trying to get back to half guard.
Murkula wants to lay and pray for a moment but Adams keeps working.
Murkula in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Adams takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Adams looking for a sweep but Murkula has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Murkula landing strikes from the mount and Adams is in trouble!
Adams keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Adams gets back to half guard.
Murkula slips a nice elbow through Adams's hands, connecting with Adams's forehead.
Adams is looking to improve his position.
Murkula thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Adams's head.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Murkula wants to take a breather but Adams is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murkula is really struggling to control Adams but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Murkula working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Murkula has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Murkula works his way into full mount!
Murkula avoids the attempt from Adams to control.
Adams is desperately trying to improve his position but Murkula has a good base and remains in mount.
Murkula wants to control the pace but Adams is squirming around nicely.
Adams is desperately trying to improve his position but Murkula has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murkula trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Adams regains half guard.
Murkula lands strikes from half guard.
Adams is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Murkula jumps into side control!
Adams wants to control but Murkula postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Adams tries to buck Murkula off but Murkula is having none of it.
Murkula cracks Adams with a big right hand but Adams just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Murkula working away.
Murkula scores with punches from side control.
Adams tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Taisto Murkula 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.

Murkula cracks Adams with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Adams stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Murkula.
Adams throws a quick inside leg kick.
Murkula misses the jab.
Murkula tests Adams's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Adams takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Murkula connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Murkula tries to bum rush Adams with a series of wild strikes but Adams uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Adams cracks a nice hook into Murkula's ribs.
Murkula takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Murkula shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Adams defends it nicely.
Taisto Murkula seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Horrible takedown attempt by Murkula or perhaps it was just good defense by Adams, which made it look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Adams misses with a body kick.
Murkula looks to land a right hand but Adams moved out of range.
Adams throws a counter combo.
Adams throws a body kick that misses.
Murkula lands a nice shot that snaps Adams's head back.
Murkula connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Adams moves away from the strike by Murkula.
Adams has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Adams there as he acknowledges the shot.
Adams tries to clinch but Murkula moves out of range.
Murkula checks the leg kick nicely there.
It looked like Murkula wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Adams swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murkula appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Murkula is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Adams can do to turn this around?
Adams uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Murkula.
Taisto Murkula is winning the standup battle so far.
Murkula throws a nice inside leg kick.

Adams decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Murkula looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Adams is looking to take a break and control but Murkula is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murkula is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Taisto Murkula overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Adams is trying to control. Murkula wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Murkula regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Adams.
Adams cracks Murkula with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murkula is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Murkula has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Adams can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Adams working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Adams postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Murkula has momentary wrist control but Adams slips an elbow through the middle.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Adams working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Adams slips nicely into half guard.
Murkula is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adams is looking to take a break and control but Murkula is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Murkula tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Adams has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Adams looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
BOOM! Adams connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Adams putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Murkula gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but JR Adams will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A telegraphed right hand from Murkula misses the target.
Adams throws a body kick that misses.
Murkula misses with a looping right.

Adams gets a double leg takedown into Murkula's guard.
Adams landing with the ground and pound.
Adams wants to control from the top but Murkula keeps moving.
Murkula manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Adams manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Adams looking to control.
Murkula keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Adams's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Adams working for a triangle but Murkula defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murkula throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Murkula got a little sloppy there for a moment and Adams has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Murkula has managed to get both his arms back between Adams's legs - danger averted.
Murkula landing with the ground and pound.
Adams looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murkula is one step ahead there.
Murkula working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Adams throws his legs up looking for a submission but Murkula uses it to pass to side control.
Adams taking punishment in the form of punches.
Murkula wants to lay and pray for a moment but Adams keeps working.
Adams sneaks back into half guard.
Adams is looking to improve his position.
Adams has hold of Murkula's hands but Murkula slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murkula working over Adams with some ground and pound. Adams looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Adams wants to control but Murkula is keeping busy.
Adams wants to get back to full guard but Murkula has passed into side control.
Murkula connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Adams some visible discomfort.
Adams looks to move to half guard but instead Murkula has passed into mount! Damn!
Murkula connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Adams is wriggling around trying to escape.
Adams is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Adams keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Murkula postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Adams looks a forlorn figure.
Adams is wriggling around trying to escape.
Murkula looking to control but Adams is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Adams can't escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murkula putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Adams is trying desperately to improve position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taisto Murkula showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Murkula has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taisto Murkula!
A less than humble Taisto Murkula misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.
In defeat, JR Adams stepped up to the mic, saying 'Ain't this terrible?!'.