PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Paul Murhaa (ranked 560 p4p, 29 weight class) and Nobunaga Tanaka (ranked 1207 p4p, 59 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Murhaa
vs
Tanaka

169 cm
21
145 lbs
9 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
140 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Vikai Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Paul Murhaa!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nobunaga Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murhaa tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tanaka has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Murhaa is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Murhaa tries to keep at a distance but Tanaka has taken the fight into the clinch.

Murhaa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Tanaka gets a clinch.

Tanaka pulls guard.
Tanaka looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murhaa is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tanaka looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Tanaka escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Murhaa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murhaa postures up.

Tanaka looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Murhaa controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Tanaka looking for a guillotine here but Murhaa defends easily.
Tanaka wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tanaka working a defensive guard here.
Murhaa has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Murhaa looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Murhaa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tanaka is trying to keep Murhaa in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka has his foot on Murhaa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Murhaa works his way back into a safe position though.

Tanaka is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Tanaka pulls Murhaa in to control the position.

Tanaka has his foot on Murhaa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Murhaa works his way back into a safe position though.
Tanaka is trying to keep Murhaa in close.

Tanaka is looking for a triangle but Murhaa pushes his legs off easily.
Murhaa is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tanaka wants to sweep here but Murhaa controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Murhaa circles away.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
We've been told by Murhaa's head coaches at The Coffee Shop that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Murhaa swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tanaka misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Murhaa to counter with a crisp jab.
Murhaa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Murhaa swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Murhaa circles away from the clinch attempt.
Murhaa swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tanaka wants to clinch up but Murhaa keeps it at a distance.
Murhaa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Murhaa counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Tanaka thinking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nobunaga Tanaka will probably get the nod.
That's time! Murhaa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Murhaa connects with a right hand. Tanaka shakes it off.

Tanaka is rocked!
Murhaa lands with a shot to the body.
Tanaka tries to clinch up but Murhaa circles away and keeps his distance.
Tanaka throws a leg kick
enabling Murhaa to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanaka is still on wobbly legs! Can Murhaa finish him?
Tanaka shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Murhaa defends it nicely.
Murhaa was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tanaka throws a leg kick which misses Murhaa's front leg but catches the back leg as Murhaa tries to avoid it.
Tanaka seems to have recovered his senses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka wants to clinch
and Murhaa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka tries to clinch up.
Murhaa is looking to counter punch.
Tanaka looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tanaka tries for a takedown but Murhaa circles away easily
enabling Murhaa to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanaka bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Tanaka fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Murhaa, pushing him back against the cage.

Murhaa pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nobunaga Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murhaa on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A lazy body kick from Tanaka
enabling Murhaa to counter with a crisp jab.
Tanaka closes the distance looking to clinch
and Murhaa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka shoots for a double leg takedown but Murhaa sprawls well. He's pushed Tanaka's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Paul Murhaa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nobunaga Tanaka.
Murhaa drops Tanaka with a big left hand! Tanaka is injured, injured bad! Murhaa jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:25 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paul Murhaa!
Paul Murhaa retains his bantamweight title!