PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Lester Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Valentin Kara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Valentin Kara struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 146.7lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Valentin Kara looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Murphy
vs
Kara

178 cm
20
153 lbs
3 - 5 - 0

162 cm
22
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Lester Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Valentin Kara!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Matheus Silva and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy throws a right hand that Kara ducks under and follows up with a left that Kara also avoids with ease.
Kara looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Murphy keeps the fight on the outside.

Murphy shoots in and bounces Kara off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Kara wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murphy controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Murphy landing some decent shots from guard.

Murphy decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Murphy fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Murphy clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.

Murphy shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Murphy decides to return to a standing position.
Murphy misses with a few strikes there.
Lester Murphy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murphy lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Murphy misses with a kick to the body.
Murphy ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Murphy moves into the clinch.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kara clinches but Murphy breaks the clinch
and Murphy counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Murphy closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.

Murphy closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Murphy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Kara struggling a bit here.
Murphy controlling the position from side mount.
Kara takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Murphy is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Murphy stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Murphy moves into the clinch.
Kara wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy tries to bum rush Kara with a series of wild strikes but Kara uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Murphy has Kara up against the cage in a clinch.
Murphy crunches a lovely knee into Kara's ribcage.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kara throws a series of strikes that have Murphy backpedaling.
Murphy shoots in looking for a takedown. Kara tries to sprawl out of it but Murphy keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kara manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy tries to bum rush Kara with a series of wild strikes but Kara uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kara doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Murphy counters with a nice double leg into side control. Kara won't be happy with that.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Murphy taking a breather here.
Murphy trying to control the position but Kara is working away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kara is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Murphy's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Murphy dominated that round.
That's time! Murphy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Murphy fails with a takedown attempt.
Lester Murphy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Murphy throws a series of punches but Kara avoids them all with ease.
Murphy swats away the attempt to clinch by Kara.
Murphy pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Murphy dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Kara. That did some damage!
Murphy chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy throws a shot to the body.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Murphy.

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

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

Murphy shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Kara napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy decides to stand back up.
Kara with a lazy takedown attempt

and Murphy counters by moving into the clinch.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.
Murphy closes the distance and clinches up with Kara, looking for a takedown. Murphy pushes Kara against the cage but Kara circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A head kick by Kara misses
and Murphy counters with a nice body kick.
Murphy falls off balance throwing a combination

and Kara counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Murphy!

Kara jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Murphy is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Murphy and Kara has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Kara decides to stand back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kara fails to pull guard.

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

Murphy looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Murphy stopping the sweep attempt from Kara.
Kara trying to control the position.
Lester Murphy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy forces his way into half guard.

Murphy seems to be working for a kimura but Kara defends the submission attempt.
Murphy will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Murphy stands up and beckons Kara to join him on the feet.

Murphy closes the distance and pushes Kara back into the cage.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Kara tries to keep at a distance but Murphy has taken the fight into the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy wants to clinch up but Kara keeps it at a distance.
Kara shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Murphy makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Lester Murphy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Valentin Kara.

Murphy closes the distance and clinches.

Murphy breaks the clinch.
Murphy fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kara avoids it really well and circles away.
Murphy throws a leg kick but Kara moved away.
Kara misses with a low kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Murphy drives through and clinches with Kara against the cage.
Murphy lands with a short shot to the head.
Kara fails to pull guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lester Murphy dominated that second round.
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!

Murphy has closed the distance and engaged Kara in a clinch.
Murphy is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Murphy makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Murphy breaks the clinch.

Murphy shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kara is trying to defend but Murphy finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murphy is taking a breather. Kara says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Murphy stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kara throws a sloppy head kick

and Murphy moves into the clinch.

Murphy breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy moves into range and clinches up with Kara.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Murphy forces Kara back against the cage and clinches.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Murphy clinches.
Murphy avoiding damage as Kara throws knees to the body.
Murphy gets through Kara's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

Murphy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Murphy throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kara misses with a takedown

and Murphy counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Kara wants to get back to his feet.
Kara trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Murphy keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Kara trying to hold on to Murphy's head to control him but Murphy postures up.
Murphy frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Murphy wants to control the pace but Kara is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy landing strikes from the mount and Kara is in trouble!
Murphy controlling the pace for now.
Kara working to try and regain half guard.
Kara wants to hold on but Murphy pushes him away.
Murphy takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lester Murphy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Murphy 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:26
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lester Murphy!