PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Chris Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Den (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Murphy
vs
Den

190 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Chris Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joe Den!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Den scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Den cracks Murphy with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Murphy is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Den off and has taken his back!
Murphy struggling to keep hold of the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murphy throwing strikes and Den squirms under the pressure, ending up mounted.
Murphy throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Den because Murphy loaded up on that one.

Murphy goes for an armbar but Den turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Den.
Murphy is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Murphy keeping moving, preventing Den from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Den must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Murphy tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Den stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murphy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Murphy avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Den pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Murphy is keeping the position for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Murphy shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Den manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Den has his feet on Murphy's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Den swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Murphy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Den bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Den throws an elbow but Murphy slips to the side and avoids it well.
Den lands an elbow.
Murphy defending against the ground and pound.
Murphy is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Den looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Murphy is avoiding damage well.
Check out the look on Den's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Murphy tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Den landing strikes.
Den working away.
Murphy is working to avoid the ground and pound but Den connects with a decent elbow.
Den wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murphy keeps working.
Murphy tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Den wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Den scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Murphy to see if he's OK.
Den cracks Murphy with a big right hand but Murphy just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Den is looking to take a break and control but Murphy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Den working the head with strikes.
Den scores with punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Den working away.
Den working the ground and pound.
Den working the ground and pound from side control.
Den is working Murphy over with some ground and pound from side control.
Den scoring with punches and elbows.
Den lands an elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Den trying to control the position but Murphy is working away.
Den lands a nice forearm strike.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphy taking a bit of punishment here - Den scoring with strikes.
Murphy struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Den dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Den looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Den trying to pass the guard but Murphy defending well.
Murphy gets full guard.
Murphy working a defensive guard here.
Murphy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Den stands up over Murphy, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Den scoring with some ground and pound.
Den lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Den cracks Murphy with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Den cracks Murphy with a solid left hand.
Murphy trying to keep a closed guard but Den is proving a slippery customer.
Den postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Den connects with a couple of short punches.
Den trying to control the position from guard on top but Murphy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Den chips away with some ground and pound.
Den trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Den is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Den wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Den keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Murphy's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Den tries to free his leg and advance position but Murphy is retaining full guard.
Den wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Den scoring with punches to the head and body.
Den landing with the ground and pound.
Den thows a big elbow that misses.
Den wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Joe Den has got the better of the ground game so far.
Den postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Den lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Den trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Murphy manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Den manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy trying to control but Den is working from the bottom.
Murphy tries to free his leg and advance position but Den is retaining full guard.

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.
Murphy throws a big right hand that misses.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Den can do anything to dispel that myth.
Murphy trying to control but Den is working from the bottom.

Murphy drops back, looking for a kneebar! Den looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Den looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Den!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Den showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. This is the final round!

Murphy gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Den scoring with punches to the head and body.
Den throwing strikes but missing.
Den with a flurry of punches that miss.
Den sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Murphy's guard.
Den landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Murphy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Den wants to free his trapped foot but Murphy is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Den is working away from the top position though.
Den working Murphy over with strikes.
Den missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Den thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Murphy to regain full guard.
Den working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Murphy shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Den decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Murphy's guard.
Den sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Murphy's guard.
Den scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Murphy trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Den slips a nice elbow through Murphy's hands, connecting with Murphy's forehead.
Den looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Den.
Den is trying to control. Murphy wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Den lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Murphy wants to improve his position but Den is controlling well.
Den landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Den scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Den takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murphy is trying to stand back up but Den is controlling him

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is trying to maintain the position but Den is very close to passing his half guard.
Den lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Murphy is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Den scores with a couple of nice shots.
Den is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Den looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Murphy with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Den is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Den passes the guard and advances to mount!
Den with shots to the head and body - Murphy looks very uncomfortable down there.
Murphy tries to hold on but Den postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Den with good strikes from the mount here!
Den has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Murphy's face.
Den pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Den lands a big elbow.
Den lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Den avoids the attempt from Murphy to control.
Murphy taking shots to the head.
Den dominating with strikes here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Den with shots to the head and body - Murphy looks very uncomfortable down there.
Den scoring with strikes but Murphy is staying in there.
Chris Murphy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Den is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Den prevents Murphy from getting the reversal.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Den comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Den has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 26:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Den!