PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rory MacDonald (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

MacDonald
vs
Murphy

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Rory MacDonald!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Martin Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Trevor Gratis and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

MacDonald scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
MacDonald wants to control but Murphy is keeping him busy.

MacDonald tries for a kimura but Murphy is defending well.
MacDonald wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murphy keeps working.
MacDonald tries to move to mount but Murphy blocks the move with his legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy is trying to improve his position.
MacDonald throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy can't do much from the bottom here.
MacDonald wants to control but Murphy is keeping him busy.
A control attempt from Murphy but he's now mounted!
MacDonald looking to control and managing it successfully.
Murphy blocking the ground and pound.
Murphy tries to reverse the position but MacDonald maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacDonald tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
MacDonald can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Murphy is looking to escape.
MacDonald lands a heavy elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murphy is desperately trying to improve his position but MacDonald has a good base and remains in mount.
Murphy is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
MacDonald trying to control but Murphy is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by MacDonald.
Murphy throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
MacDonald lands with some strikes.
Murphy doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Murphy wants to control but MacDonald is having none of it.
Murphy is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
MacDonald can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Murphy is looking to escape.
Murphy is looking to get to half guard.
Murphy tries to hold on but MacDonald postures up.
Murphy is trying to stand.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
MacDonald thowing shots but they're missing.
MacDonald 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.
MacDonald takes Murphy's back, avoiding a couple of desperation strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rory MacDonald 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.

Murphy is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

MacDonald instigates a clinch.
Murphy keeps the fight in the clinch, despite MacDonald's efforts to push away.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Murphy.
Murphy wants to stall.
Murphy working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
MacDonald tries to pull guard but Murphy won't allow it.
MacDonald is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Murphy can do to turn this around?
A quick uppercut on the inside from Murphy.

Murphy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rory MacDonald is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
MacDonald lands the left hand.
Murphy tries to clinch but MacDonald moves out of range.

Murphy gets a clinch.
Murphy lands a right hand that snaps the head of MacDonald backwards.
MacDonald is trying to pull guard but Murphy has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A shot in the inside from Murphy.
Murphy scores with a nice hook to the head.
MacDonald tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Murphy smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rory MacDonald. That's going to take a lot out of him.
MacDonald fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
MacDonald looks for a takedown but Murphy sprawls well.

Murphy has closed the distance and engaged MacDonald in a clinch.
Murphy pushes MacDonald back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Murphy lands a right hand.
Murphy stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Murphy gets through MacDonald's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A nice left hand lands by Murphy.
Murphy lands a hook that snaps the head of MacDonald backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A body shot lands from Murphy.
Murphy throws a blind hook that connects with the side of MacDonalds head.
Murphy lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Still in the clinch, Murphy scores with a nice short uppercut.
Murphy lands an uppercut.
Murphy is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Murphy working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A right handed body shot lands from Murphy.
Murphy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Murphy stalling against the cage.
Murphy taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy lands a hook that snaps the head of MacDonald backwards.
Come on Murphy - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Murphy lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
MacDonald takes a shot to the head.
Murphy will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning MacDonald up against the cage.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Murphy tries to clinch there but MacDonald circles away.

Murphy gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Come on Murphy - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
MacDonald wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy lands a hook to the side of the head.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch but MacDonald swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Murphy scores with a nice body kick.
MacDonald sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Murphy moves into range and clinches up with MacDonald.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A right hand to the body from Murphy.
Murphy gets through MacDonald's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Murphy lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short left from Murphy.
Murphy lands with a short shot to the head.
Murphy scores with an uppercut up the middle.
MacDonald is trying to pull guard but Murphy has him pressed against the cage.
Martin Murphy seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A short right from Murphy.
MacDonald takes a shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Murphy 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. And we move into the final round!

Murphy closes the distance and pushes MacDonald back into the cage.
Murphy stalling in the clinch but MacDonald improves position.
Still in the clinch, Murphy scores with a nice short uppercut.
Murphy lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of MacDonald backwards.
Murphy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Murphy creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
MacDonald changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Murphy fights it off and pushes away nicely.
MacDonald looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murphy is fending him off so far but MacDonald persists. Nope, Murphy circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy tries to counter by closing the distance.

MacDonald tries to keep at a distance but Murphy has taken the fight into the clinch.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An inside leg kick lands from Murphy.

Murphy clinches up with MacDonald and pushes him back against the cage.
A nice left hand lands by Murphy.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Murphy softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Murphy scores with a nice short uppercut.
Murphy lands a right hand that snaps the head of MacDonald backwards.
Murphy gets through MacDonald's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Murphy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Murphy throws a head kick that MacDonald semi-blocks.

Murphy rushes MacDonald and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.
MacDonald swats away the attempt to clinch by Murphy.
Murphy scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Martin Murphy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but MacDonald paws at him with a jab and circles away.
MacDonald appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Murphy wants to clinch.

Murphy rushes MacDonald and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Murphy.
MacDonald takes a shot to the head.
Murphy scores with a shot to the side of MacDonald's head.
Murphy working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Murphy.
Murphy scores with a nice hook to the head.
Murphy working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy lands an uppercut.
Murphy scores with a shoulder strike.
Murphy avoiding damage.
Murphy scores with a shot to the side of MacDonald's head.
Murphy lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Still in the clinch, Murphy scores with a nice short uppercut.
Murphy lands a left hand that snaps the head of MacDonald backwards.
Murphy lands with a short head shot on the inside.

MacDonald is rocked!

Murphy breaks the clinch.
Oh MacDonald is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but MacDonald paws at him with a jab and circles away.
MacDonald tries to counter with a takedown but Murphy is quick to defend against it.
MacDonald seems to have got his legs back now.
MacDonald has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Murphy.

Murphy closes the distance and clinches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch up but MacDonald swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Murphy clinches up against the cage.
Murphy is leaning against MacDonald and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Murphy effectively controlling the action here.
MacDonald takes a shot to the head.
Good body shot from Murphy.
Murphy scores with a shoulder strike.
MacDonald drops down looking for an ankle pick but Murphy pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rory MacDonald. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch but MacDonald swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Murphy lands a front kick.

Murphy has taken the fight to the clinch.
Murphy lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Murphy lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Murphy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Murphy 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:29
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 26:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 26:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Murphy!