PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight kickboxing rules bout between Michael Murdock (ranked 1305 p4p, 148 weight class) and Bas Rutten (ranked 4312 p4p, 390 weight class). Michael Murdock has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Murdock
vs
Rutten

175 cm
27
164 lbs
13 - 13 - 0

165 cm
38
162 lbs
19 - 10 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

World class boxer
Good gas tank

Sully's Bar & Grill
Dauntless

Sully's Bar & Grill

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 13 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Michael Murdock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Bas Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Shigeki Sano and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murdock avoids the body shot from Rutten.
Murdock connects with a leg kick. Rutten looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Rutten throws an off balance right hand
and Murdock counters with a low kick, right behind Rutten 's knee.
Rutten has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Rutten steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Murdock. That one must have hurt.
Rutten misses with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Murdock attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Rutten rushes Murdock and presses him up against the ropes.

Murdock's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Murdock goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Rutten is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murdock.
Rutten swinging wildly here.
Rutten scores with a nice head shot.
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!
Rutten rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Murdock counters with a nice low kick that buckles Rutten's knee momentarily.
Rutten fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Murdock checks it well.
Murdock avoids a punch combination nicely.
Michael Murdock is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten misses the body punch
and Murdock counters with a good low kick that Rutten was not able to check.
Murdock attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Rutten closes the distance looking to clinch
and Murdock counters with a good low kick that Rutten was not able to check.
Murdock throws a head kick that misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rutten.
Good leg kick by Murdock there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Murdock - that will leave a mark!
Murdock scores with a jab to the head.
Murdock lands with a hook. Rutten tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Murdock swats away the attempt to clinch by Rutten.
Rutten tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Murdock pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten tries to clinch but Murdock moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murdock blocks a leg kick.
Murdock throws a counter high kick but Rutten was just alert enough to avoid it.
Rutten misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The fighters circling - Rutten throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rutten digs a good hook to Murdock's body.
Rutten misses the body punch
and Murdock counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rutten lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Murdock connects with a leg kick. Rutten looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Murdock avoids the head kick by Rutten.
Rutten swings widly with a right hand
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Rutten's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Rutten throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rutten blocks a head kick by Murdock.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rutten tries to clinch but Murdock is having none of it.
Rutten motions for Murdock to come forward. Rutten throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Murdock throws a body shot but no joy.
Murdock scores with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Murdock dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Rutten tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Murdock was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Murdock lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Murdock swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Rutten throws a body punch but Murdock moves out of range.
Rutten blocks a low kick nicely.
Rutten misses with a straight right.
Rutten looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nice defenses there by Murdock.
Murdock throwing a counter right hand but Rutten manages to avoid it.
Murdock moves away from the strike by Rutten.
Rutten misses with a hook.
Murdock appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Murdock scores with a kick to the midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rutten jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rutten throws a lazy uppercut
and Murdock counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rutten throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Murdock.
Rutten throws a low kick but it's checked well by Murdock.
Murdock thinks about countering with a head kick.
Rutten throws a leg kick that is checked
and Murdock counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rutten pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Murdock back to the ropes. Rutten follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten throws a predictable looking body shot
and Murdock makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Rutten really felt that one!
Rutten is breathing heavily.
Murdock connects with a solid leg kick.
Rutten throws a leg kick but Murdock checks it.
Rutten misses with a right hand
and Murdock connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Rutten is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Murdock chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A left lands for Rutten.
Bas Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutten tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Murdock was well out of range. Poor timing from Rutten.
Rutten throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Murdock throws a low kick but Rutten avoids it.
Rutten fails in his attempt to clinch.
Murdock fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rutten just manages to avoid it.
Rutten chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Murdock can pounce on him.
Rutten has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Murdock.
Rutten is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murdock.
Murdock defending well as Rutten loads up on a big left hand.
Murdock checks a leg kick.
Murdock feinted there with a counter leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rutten fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rutten throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Murdock throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Rutten.
Rutten swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Murdock counters with a nice low kick that buckles Rutten's knee momentarily.
An inside leg kick from Murdock misses.
Rutten moves out of range of the body kick from Murdock.
Rutten throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rutten throws a nice looking combination but Murdock bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rutten just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMurdock.
Murdock throws a push kick but Rutten slaps the foot to one side.
Murdock tries to score with a low kick but Rutten moves his leg out of the way.
Murdock displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rutten throws out the jab.
Murdock is looking to counter with a body kick.
Murdock throws a push kick but Rutten slaps the foot to one side.
Murdock misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rutten throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Rutten lunges at Murdock with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Murdock's hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Michael Murdock will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Rutten works over Murdock's head and body with a nice combination.
Rutten misses with a leg kick
and Murdock counters with a body kick that stops Rutten in his tracks momentarily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Rutten.
Murdock is looking to score with low kicks.
Murdock fakes the leg kick and cracks Rutten in the body.
Rutten looks to land a right hand but Murdock moved out of range.
Murdock lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Murdock dodges the punch combination from Rutten.
Rutten throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Murdock counters with a nice uppercut.
Murdock pivots, looking for a leg kick but Rutten is out of range and Murdock settles back down.
Rutten throws a left and a right that both miss
and Murdock counters with a left and a right that stings Rutten.

Rutten is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rutten misses with an uppercut
and Murdock counters with a beautiful head kick that sends Rutten crashing to the mat! Oh, he's out! He's out! Murdock is jumping up and down like a maniac, spit streaming from his mouthpiece, shouting and screaming at his corner. Wow, this obviously means a hell of a lot to him! What an outpouring of emotion.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Michael Murdock!
Michael Murdock very nearly forgot to thank Sully's Bar & Grill amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.