PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Manus Murphy (ranked 4827 p4p, 4822 weight class) and Pekka Vesuri (ranked 549 p4p, 548 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Murphy
vs
Vesuri

195 cm
18
207
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
210
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Manus Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pekka Vesuri!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Jonathan Paton and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy avoids the head kick by Vesuri.
A nice leg kick lands there from Vesuri.
Murphy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Vesuri. Vesuri obviously looking to wear him down.
Murphy blocks a head kick by Vesuri.

Murphy closes the distance and clinches.
Murphy is trying to pull guard but Vesuri turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Murphy fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Vesuri is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Murphy jumps guard and drags Vesuri to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Vesuri postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Vesuri is fighting to break Murphy's control of his arms but Murphy is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Vesuri must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Vesuri trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Murphy working a defensive guard here.
Vesuri wants to get up but he can't break Murphy's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy pulls Vesuri in to control the position.
Vesuri stopping the sweep attempt from Murphy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vesuri throws a nice inside leg kick.
Vesuri throws a sloppy head kick and Murphy moves out of range easily.
A slapping leg kick lands for Vesuri.
Murphy tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Murphy takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Vesuri lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Murphy tries to clinch up
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Murphy tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Vesuri paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Vesuri.
The fight stays on the outside here - Murphy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice body kick from Vesuri.

Murphy drives through and clinches with Vesuri against the cage.
Murphy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vesuri smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Manus Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vesuri chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Murphy definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vesuri turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Vesuri lands a leg kick that knocks Murphy off balance momentarily.
Vesuri tries a head kick but it misses.
Vesuri finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Vesuri. Murphy does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vesuri circles away from the clinch attempt.
Vesuri with a nice calf kick.
Vesuri keeps the fight on the outside.
Vesuri tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Murphy is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Vesuri.
A nice inside leg kick there by Vesuri. That's going to slow Murphy down.
Vesuri throws a nice inside leg kick.
Murphy walks forward, straight into a front kick from Vesuri.
Murphy fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vesuri just misses with a punch to the body.
Vesuri explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Vesuri has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Murphy is looking to clinch.
Murphy moves in looking to clinch but Vesuri pushes him off.

Murphy moves into the clinch successfully.
Murphy tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vesuri smiles and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vesuri is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murphy.
Murphy slips a jab from Vesuri.
Vesuri misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murphy.
Murphy is looking to counter the offense by Vesuri and move into the clinch.
Pekka Vesuri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murphy wants to clinch.
Vesuri lands a nice looking body kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Murphy moves into range and clinches up with Vesuri.
Vesuri misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murphy.
Vesuri controlling the action here for a moment.
Murphy jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vesuri walks away with a smile on his face. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Vesuri lands a front kick.

Murphy gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vesuri tries to stall but Murphy uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Murphy jumps guard and drags Vesuri to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Murphy is pulling down on Vesuri's head. It's preventing any offense from Vesuri, at least for the moment.
Murphy is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Vesuri is not content to let Murphy control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Murphy is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Murphy has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vesuri is flailing around, obviously not happy about being mounted. Murphy locks hold of one of his arms and spins for an armbar. He's got it! Vesuri is forced to tap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:24 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Manus Murphy!
Manus Murphy bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.