PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jose Correa (ranked 371 p4p, 46 weight class) and Chad Murray (ranked 682 p4p, 76 weight class). Murray has chosen Dead man walking as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Correa
vs
Murray

174 cm
31
164 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

180 cm
30
166 lbs
22 - 14 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jose Correa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chad Murray !
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Richard Clark and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murray lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Murray looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Murray ducks under a wild hook from Correa.
Correa misses with a looping right.
Murray uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Correa.

Correa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Murray wants to stand and escape but Correa is having none of it.
Correa keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Murray 's head.
Murray wants to stand but Correa is controlling the position.
Murray utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Correa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Correa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Correa postures up in Murray 's guard and throws a big left but Murray blocks it.
Correa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Correa won't allow Murray to get back to his feet.
Correa loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Correa throws a big elbow that misses.
Correa is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Correa postures up in Murray 's guard and throws a big left but Murray blocks it.
Correa is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Correa from controlling successfully.
Correa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Correa trying to control but Murray is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murray is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Correa is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Correa thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Correa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murray works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Correa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Correa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Correa from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Correa ducks under a wild hook from Murray .
Correa misses with a hook
and Murray counters with a low kick, right behind Correa 's knee.
Correa swings widly with a right hand
and Murray cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Correa comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Murray walks into a stiff left hand from Correa.
Correa just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Murray tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Correa was well out of range. Poor timing from Murray .
Correa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murray .
Correa just misses with a punch to the body.
Murray slips under a jab.
Murray keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A lazy left from Correa finds it's target.
Some bone on bone action there as Correa checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Jose Correa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murray defending well as Correa loads up on a big left hand.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Murray ! But no joy.
Correa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Murray ! But no joy.
Correa waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Murray .
Correa jabs Murray right on the nose. Murray blinks but takes it well.
Murray throws a lazy right hand but Correa sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Correa throws a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Correa misses with a wild body shot.
Correa loads up on a big right hand but Murray slips the punch.
Correa misses with a double jab.
Murray misses with a wild combination.
Correa comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Murray takes a shot to the body in his stride.
A slow jab from Correa misses its intended target.
Nice uppercut lands for Murray . That snapped Correa's head back.
Correa walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Correa throws a hook but Murray avoids it easily.
Correa throws a right hand that Murray ducks under and follows up with a left that Murray also avoids with ease.
Correa throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Murray stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Correa takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Correa dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Correa swings for the body but Murray moves out of range.
The crowd cheers as Correa lands an impressive looking overhand right. Murray doesn't seem phased though.
Donk. Murray catches Correa right on the button with a cross.
Murray throws a low kick but Correa avoids it.
Correa swings widly with a right hand
enabling Murray to counter with a crisp jab.
Correa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Murray manages to avoid it.
Correa has been working on his balance at Spar Bros, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Murray .
Correa's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Correa duly obliges.
Murray swings for the body but Correa moves out of range.
Correa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murray .
Correa misses the body punch
and Murray counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Correa staying out of range there.
Correa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Murray thuds his right hand into Correa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Correa scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Correa tries to bum rush Murray with a series of wild strikes but Murray uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The fighters circling - Murray throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Murray throws a hook to the side of Correa's head but Correa sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Correa gets a takedown into half guard.

Murray manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Correa keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Murray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Murray swings wildly with an uppercut but Correa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Correa lands a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Correa lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Murray backwards.

Correa pulls Murray into guard.
Murray tries to stand but Correa is controlling from the bottom.
Jose Correa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Correa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Correa is trying to control the action in half guard but Murray is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Murray is trying to stand.
Nice strikes from Correa there.
Correa not doing much here.
Murray is looking to escape.
Correa is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Murray can do to turn this around?
Murray on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Correa.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Correa lands with a punch from half guard.
Murray keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Correa 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.
Correa stops Murray from getting back to his feet.

Correa is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Murray defends it well.
Murray is trying to stand back up but Correa is controlling him
Correa throwing shots but Murray is blocking nicely.
Correa lands strikes from half guard.
Correa 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Correa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Murray is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Correa scores with a couple of nice shots.
Correa trying to control from Murray 's half guard. Murray has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Correa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Murray uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Murray swings away with a body shot that misses
and Correa counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Murray throws a nice outside leg kick.
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!
Correa misses the shot to the body.
Murray throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Correa looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murray is fending him off so far but Correa persists. Nope, Murray circles away and we're back to standing.
Correa throws a series of punches but Murray moves out of range.
Correa moves away from the strike by Murray .
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Correa 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!

Murray lands a nice hook to Correa's body. Correa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Correa misses the shot to the body.
Correa lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Correa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Murray sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A jab from Correa misses.
Murray was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Murray slips under a jab from Correa.
Murray ducks under a wild hook from Correa.
Murray throws the left hand but Correa avoids the punch easily.
Correa keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Murray throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Correa to counter with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murray lets loose with a powerful body kick. Correa will feel that in the morning.
A telegraphed right hand from Murray misses the target.
Correa tries to counter with a takedown but Murray is quick to defend against it.
Correa catches Murray with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Correa lands a nice hook to Murray 's body. Murray takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Correa cracks a nice hook into Murray 's ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray scores with a jab. Correa acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Murray misses with a hook. Correa ducked under it nicely.
Correa throws a hook to the side of Murray 's head but Murray sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Murray slips a jab from Correa.
Murray swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Correa throws a hook but Murray blocks it.
Correa lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Murray thows a left - swing and a miss!
Correa lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Correa swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murray appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Correa throws a good cross that connects.
Correa misses the shot to the body.
Murray walks into a jab.
Murray thuds his right hand into Correa's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters circle momentarily. Correa darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Correa lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Murray circles away quickly and effectively.
Murray throws out a counter right but Correa avoids it with no problem.
Murray misses with a straight left.
Chad Murray is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Correa connects with a jab.
Murray throws a body punch but Correa moves out of range.
Correa throws a body punch but Murray moves out of range.
Correa throws a big shot that misses.
Correa misses the body punch
and Murray counters with a nice uppercut.
Murray waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Correa.
Correa throws a hook but Murray blocks it.
Murray takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Murray lands a leg kick that knocks Correa off balance momentarily.
Murray with a hook.
Correa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Chad Murray has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray connects with a leg kick. Correa looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Correa lands a right hook to the body.
Correa throws a body shot but no joy.
Murray misses with a looping left.
Correa throws a hook but Murray avoids it easily.
Jose Correa is winning the standup battle so far.
Correa throws out a powerful jab.
A shot to the liver by Correa. Beautiful body shot.
Correa misses with a wild body shot.
Murray lands a glancing blow to the side of Correa's head.
Correa scores with a nice right hand.
Correa takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Jose Correa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Murray takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Correa misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Murray .
Murray throws a low kick but Correa moves out of range easily.
Correa lands a really nice looking cross but Murray seems unphased.
Correa digs a good hook to Murray 's body.
Correa slips under a jab from Murray .
Murray misses with a left hand

so Correa counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Murray is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Correa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A looping hook to the body misses from Murray . Correa does a little dance to reset his feet.
Correa moves out of range as Murray strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Correa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Correa misses with a body shot.
Correa connects with a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Correa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Correa 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Correa!
Jose Correa decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.