PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Murdock (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rich Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pena has chosen RAWR as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Murdock
vs
Pena

190 cm
25
185 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

189 cm
25
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Murdock!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rich Pena!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, James Ackerman and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Pena with that takedown attempt.
Pena has his takedown stuffed
and Murdock counters with a good low kick that Pena was not able to check.
Pena shoots and misses

and Murdock counters with a shoot takedown. Pena fights it but they end up in guard.
Joe Murdock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rich Pena.
Murdock in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pena really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Murdock. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Pena looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murdock stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pena swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pena has control of Murdock's left arm, preventing Murdock from doing any damage.
Pena looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murdock is one step ahead there.
Murdock has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Pena is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena controlling Murdock's posture.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Murdock drives through and clinches with Pena against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Pena is trying to drag Murdock to the mat but Murdock just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Pena goes for a takedown attempt but Murdock pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Murdock connects with a high kick.

It looks like Rich Pena has been cut.
Murdock tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Pena manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pena shoots in for a takedown but Murdock shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Murdock fails with a takedown attempt.
Murdock closes the distance looking to clinch

and Pena counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Murdock looking to control.
Pena postures up and lands a big shot to Murdock's brow.
Pena scoring with punches to the head and body.
Murdock trying to keep a closed guard but Pena is proving a slippery customer.
Pena postures up and lands a big shot to Murdock's brow.
Pena trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pena lands a couple of elbows.
Pena looking to sit in guard and control but Murdock gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pena keeping moving, preventing Murdock from controlling successfully.

Pena has his foot on Murdock's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Murdock works his way back into a safe position though.
Murdock tries to free his leg and advance position but Pena is retaining full guard.
Murdock won't allow Pena to sweep him here.
Pena pulls Murdock in close to prevent any damage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murdock wants to control from the top but Pena keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joe Murdock will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Rich Pena's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Murdock fakes the leg kick and cracks Pena in the body.
Pena takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Pena with a poor takedown

and Murdock counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Pena!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Murdock throws some wild stikes that Pena manages to avoid easily.
Murdock looking to ground and pound but Pena is blocking nicely.
Murdock tries to control but Pena wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock controlling his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Murdock wants to finish this one by submission but Pena is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Murdock.
Pena really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pena can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pena blocking the ground and pound.
Pena holds on for dear life, controlling Murdock's posture momentarily.
Murdock wants to control the pace but Pena is squirming around nicely.
Murdock with the ground and pound from mount.
Joe Murdock overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pena tries to reverse the position but Murdock maintains control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murdock looking to control but Pena is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Murdock avoids the attempt from Pena to control.

Murdock looking to secure an arm triangle but Pena defends it well.
Murdock trying to control but Pena is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Pena keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Murdock tries to control but Pena wriggling away.
Pena tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Murdock trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Murdock dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rich Pena's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Pena chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Murdock can pounce on him.
Pena closes this distance looking for a takedown but Murdock circles away.
Pena tries to score a power double leg takedown but Murdock sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pena somewhat.
Pena shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Murdock counters with a nice kick to the body.
Joe Murdock has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rich Pena.
Murdock shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pena pinned against the cage. Pena gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pena tries for a takedown but Murdock circles away easily
and Murdock counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pena's knee momentarily.
Pena takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Joe Murdock is winning the standup battle so far.
Murdock misses with a series of wild punches.
Murdock shoots in and drives through. Pena sprawls well.
Murdock swings for the body but Pena moves out of range.

Pena shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Murdock is trying to stand up here but Pena is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Murdock is pressing down on Pena's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Murdock is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pena throwing strikes but missing.
Murdock utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Murdock has his hands on Pena's head, controlling the position.
Pena scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena trying to control the position from guard on top but Murdock is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murdock looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pena is one step ahead there.
Murdock working a defensive guard here.
Pena lands a couple of digs.
Pena postures up and lands a big shot to Murdock's brow.

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.
Pena throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murdock works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Murdock is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Pena gets full guard.
Pena is controlling Murdock's posture.
Murdock stopping the sweep attempt from Pena.
Pena looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Murdock puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Murdock showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Murdock 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 William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27

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