PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ernest Graves (ranked 4106 p4p, 0 weight class) and Arran Murhy (ranked 6020 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Graves
vs
Murhy

172 cm
18
160 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

177 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Powerful

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ernest Graves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Arran Murhy!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Peter Branson and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murhy tries to close the distance and clinch but Graves swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Graves is looking to counter punch.
Murhy displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Graves throws out the jab.
Graves lands with a cross.
Graves leaves Murhy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Murhy walks into a stiff left hand from Graves.
Murhy misses with a takedown
and Graves counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Murhy shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Murhy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Ernest Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arran Murhy.
Graves missing with a left hand there. Murhy was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murhy throws a sloppy head kick and Graves moves out of range easily.
A big left from Graves misses.
Murhy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Graves paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Graves connects with a good right hand that stumbles Murhy. Murhy circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Jab by Graves.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murhy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Graves throwing a counter right hand but Murhy manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murhy drops his hands momentarily and Graves takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Graves connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Graves clinches up with Murhy and pushes him back against the cage.
Graves lands a body shot in the clinch.
A short right from Graves.
Graves lands with a light punch inside.
Graves softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Graves.
Murhy looking to slow down the pace here.
Graves stalling against the cage.
Murhy tries to pull guard but Graves won't allow it.
Graves scores with a shoulder strike.
A nice left hand lands by Graves.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A hook to the body from Graves.
Graves gets underhooks to prevent Murhy's takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves lands a right hand that snaps the head of Murhy backwards.
Graves lands a nice uppercut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Graves.
Graves lands with a left to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Graves creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Murhy's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Graves lands a body punch in the clinch.
Graves throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Murhys head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Graves creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Murhy wants a takedown but no success here.

Graves manages to break the clinch.
Murhy ducks under a wild hook from Graves.
Murhy takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Graves listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Murhy takes one to the side of the head.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Graves.
Murhy looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Graves lands an elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graves tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Murhy tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Murhy prevents Graves from improving position.

Graves is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Murhy is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Graves decides to stand back up. Graves steps back and let's Murhy get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Graves throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Murhy on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Graves throws a jab but it's blocked by Murhy.
Murhy wants to counter with a clinch but Graves pushes him away.
Murhy moves away from the strike by Graves.

Graves scores with a takedown into Murhy's guard.
We've been hearing that Graves has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Graves trying to control but Murhy is working from the bottom.
Murhy is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Graves trying to control the position from guard on top but Murhy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Graves working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ernest Graves dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Graves looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Graves trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Graves knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Murhy on the ground.
Graves wants to control from the top but Murhy keeps moving.
Graves slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Graves tries to stand but Murhy controls the position and pulls Graves into his guard.
Graves tries to free his leg and advance position but Murhy is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murhy is pulling down on Graves's head to control his posture.
Graves stops Murhy from standing up.
Murhy looking to control but Graves passes into half guard.
Graves trying to mount his opponent but Murhy defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Graves trying to control the action but Murhy is working from the bottom.
Graves passes to full mount!
Graves tries to stand up but he's trapped just for the moment.
Murhy slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Murhy is not content to let Graves control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graves is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Murhy is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Murhy won't allow Graves to pass to mount.
Ernest Graves overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Graves is looking for a kimura here.
Graves tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Murhy.
Graves works his way into full mount!
Graves is trying to stand up but he's being controlled by his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murhy is desperately trying to improve his position but Graves has a good base and remains in mount.
Graves fails to advance to Murhy's back.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Graves cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Graves misses with a head shot.
Murhy is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Graves can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Murhy is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Graves moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Murhy has worked his arm free - good work by Murhy!
Graves is looking to take a break and control but Murhy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Graves is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Murhy can do to turn this around?
Murhy tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Graves tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ernest Graves dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Jab from Graves.
Graves cracks Murhy with a right hand to the side of the head.
Graves is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Graves displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Murhy.

Graves rushes Murhy and presses him up against the cage.
A short left from Graves.

Graves breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Graves connects with a right hand. Murhy shakes it off.
Ernest Graves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murhy takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Ernest Graves is winning the standup battle so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murhy takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Murhy gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Graves counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murhy ducks under a wild hook from Graves.
Murhy moves away from the strike by Graves.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murhy steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Graves.
A swing and a miss from Graves.
Graves throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And Murhy responds with a good body kick, but Graves manages to step out the way in time.

Graves has Murhy up against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Graves.
Murhy tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Ernest Graves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arran Murhy.
Graves lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Murhy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Murhy tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Graves defends well and Murhy ends up having to push Graves into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Murhy wants to clinch but Graves slips to the side
and Graves counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Murhy drops his hands momentarily and Graves takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Graves's jab looks to have found its range, popping Murhy under the eye.
Murhy looks for a takedown but Graves sprawls well.
Murhy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murhy with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Graves to score with a decent uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murhy wants to clinch
letting Graves counter with a right hand.
Graves lands a lovely overhand right.

Graves has closed the distance and engaged Murhy in a clinch.
Graves working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Murhy has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Graves scores with a nice hook to the head.
Graves lands a hook to the side of the head.
Graves throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Murhys head.
Murhy tries to pull guard but Graves won't allow it.
Murhy tries to pull guard but Graves forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Graves lands a left hand.

Murhy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murhy works over Graves's head and body with a nice combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graves misses with a right hand
and Murhy makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Murhy moves away from the strike by Graves.
Murhy doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Murhy gets tackled into the cage by Graves. Graves maintains the clinch.
Graves scores with a shot to the side of Murhy's head.
Murhy letting Graves take a breather here.

Graves breaks the clinch.
Arran Murhy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Murhy shoots and misses
and Murhy takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Graves scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Graves bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Murhy gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Graves with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Graves lands a jab to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Graves scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Murhy is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graves scores with a nice right hand.
Murhy is still on wobbly legs! Can Graves finish him?

Graves closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Murhy is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Graves tries for a kimura but Murhy is defending well.
Graves tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Murhy is trying to control Graves's posture but Graves avoids it.
Graves tries to move into full mount but can't pass Murhy's legs.
Graves lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Murhy down.
Graves controlling from side mount.
Graves working the ground and pound from side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Graves wants to stand but Murhy is controlling his arm.
Murhy seems to have recovered his senses.
Graves trying to control the position but Murhy is working away.
Arran Murhy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ernest Graves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Murhy gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

And that's the end of the fight!
Ernest Graves showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Graves 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:26
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 30:26
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ernest Graves!
An out of breath Ernest Graves thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.