PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Spider Murphey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rey Griffin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murphey's entrance music is Prayer of the Refugee. A fine choice. Griffin is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bad Meets Evil - Fast Lane. Rey Griffin is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Murphey
vs
Griffin

183 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Spider Murphey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rey Griffin!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, John Mangel and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffin tries to clinch but Murphey is having none of it.
Griffin moves in looking to clinch but Murphey pushes him off.

Griffin closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Griffin.
Murphey is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Griffin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Griffin connects with a knee to the head.
Murphey takes a knee right on the jaw!
Griffin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Nice elbow from Griffin.

It looks like Spider Murphey has been cut.
Griffin scores with a knee to the head.
Murphey is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Griffin pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Murphey tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Spider Murphey. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphey drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Griffin scores with a knee to the head.
Griffin tries a knee to the head but Murphey blocks it.
Griffin lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Griffin lands a knee to the head.

Murphey breaks the clinch.
Griffin goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Nice sprawl there from Griffin as Murphey shoots in.
Griffin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Murphey counters with a stiff right hand.
Rey Griffin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Griffin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Murphey avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin throws a sloppy head kick and Murphey moves out of range easily.
Murphey throws a push kick but Griffin slaps the foot to one side.
Murphey throws a sloppy head kick

and Griffin counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Murphey is breathing heavily.
Griffin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Griffin really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Murphey. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Griffin prevents Murphey from improving his position.
Griffin is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murphey is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Griffin's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Griffin's back!
Griffin is keeping busy.
Griffin has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffin prevents Murphey from getting a body triangle.
Griffin looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Murphey trying to control.
Griffin is trying to stand back up.
Griffin rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Murphey is trying to control the action in half guard but Griffin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Spider Murphey wasn't doing enough on the ground.
The fighters circling - Murphey throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Murphey really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Griffin has managed to clinch.
Murphey with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Griffin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Griffin clinches with his opponent.
Griffin leaning his opponent against the cage.
Griffin with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Griffin landing knees to the body.
Murphey misses with a knee strike.
Griffin lands a right hand.
Griffin stalls.

Griffin gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Murphey regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphey is trying to keep Griffin in close.

Griffin stands and steps away. Murphey gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Murphey tries to clinch but Griffin moves out of range.
Murphey swats away the attempt to clinch by Griffin.
Griffin wants to clinch.
Murphey tries to land a front kick but Griffin steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffin wants to clinch.
Griffin moves in looking to clinch but Murphey pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rey Griffin dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Spider Murphey's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Griffin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Griffin comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Griffin lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Griffin using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Murphey has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Griffin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Griffin tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Murphey counters with a nice body kick.

Griffin shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Murphey really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Murphey is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Griffin lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Griffin postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Murphey looks a forlorn figure.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murphey wants to control but Griffin is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin controlling the position easily from mount.
Griffin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Murphey tries to reverse the position but Griffin maintains control.
Griffin has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Murphey's face.
Griffin tries to control but Murphey wriggling away.
Griffin unloading with bombs!
The referee warns Murphey that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphey wants to control but Griffin is having none of it.
Griffin with shots to the head and body - Murphey looks very uncomfortable down there.
Griffin putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Griffin with the ground and pound from mount.
Griffin looking to control but Murphey is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Griffin jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Murphey manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Griffin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Murphey has escaped the position, nice work there.

Murphey throws Griffin to one side and escapes!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphey keeps the fight on the outside.

Griffin moves into the clinch.
Murphey goes for a takedown in the clinch but Griffin prevents it.
Griffin with a knee to the head.

Griffin manages to break the clinch.
Griffin tries to clinch up but Murphey circles away and keeps his distance.
Griffin plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Griffin clinches up with Murphey and pushes him back against the cage.
Griffin utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Murphey wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A knee to the head by Griffin.
Griffin unloads a knee to the mid-section.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Griffin tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Murphey counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Murphey.
Knees in the clinch landing for Griffin.

Griffin manages to pull guard.

Griffin scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Griffin tries to clinch but Murphey is having none of it.
Spider Murphey is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Griffin throws a head kick that half lands.
Murphey keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murphey slaps away a takedown attempt from Griffin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Murphey throws a head kick that misses

and Griffin counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Griffin takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rey Griffin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Spider Murphey's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Griffin tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Murphey counters with a body kick that stops Griffin in his tracks momentarily.
Griffin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Murphey swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Murphey throws a lazy head kick
and Griffin counters with a head kick. That will keep Murphey thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Griffin bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Murphey struggling a bit here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Griffin decides to stand up, so the ref orders Murphey to his feet.
Murphey looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Griffin is fending him off so far but Murphey persists. Nope, Griffin circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Griffin wants to clinch.
Griffin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Murphey as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Murphey is fending him off so far but Griffin persists. Nope, Murphey circles away and we're back to standing.
A head kick misses from Murphey.
Griffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Murphey circles away.
Murphey misses with the combination.
Griffin throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Murphey.
Griffin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Murphey throws a head kick but Griffin moves out of range.
Griffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Murphey circles away.
Griffin doesn't manage to clinch there - Murphey circles away.
Griffin tries to clinch up.
Murphey throws a head kick but Griffin moves out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Griffin.

That's two 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.
Griffin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Murphey keeps the fight on the outside.
A head kick by Murphey misses

and Griffin decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Murphey's guard.

Griffin avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Murphey looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Griffin passes into side control.

Griffin has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Griffin darts in trying to clinch

and Murphey counters with a nice double leg into side control. Griffin won't be happy with that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffin is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Murphey wants to control but Griffin is keeping him busy.
Griffin throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Griffin wants to get back to his feet.
Murphey advances to mount.
Murphey trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
You get the feeling that Griffin really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Rey Griffin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Griffin takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Murphey looking to control but Griffin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Griffin is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Murphey working Griffin over with strikes here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Griffin throwing hammer fists to the chest of Murphey. What's that going to do exactly?
Griffin is looking to get to half guard.
Spider Murphey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rey Griffin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rey Griffin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Griffin 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rey Griffin!