PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Seppo Hovi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Hovi
vs
Murray

183 cm
22
190 lbs
3 - 3 - 1

185 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Crippler's Corner

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 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Seppo Hovi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Justin Murray!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hovi looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hovi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Murray drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hovi 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.
Murray passes Hovi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Murray trying to pass the guard but Hovi defending well.
Murray is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hovi wants to get back to full guard.
Hovi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hovi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hovi's guard.
Hovi is not content to let Murray control the position.
Hovi trying to control but Murray postures up.
Hovi is not content to let Murray control the position.
Hovi slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Murray thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Murray must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hovi striking off his back but it's not causing Murray any problems.
Hovi manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Murray manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hovi is keen to just control but Murray is a slippery customer.
Hovi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Murray can do anything to dispel that myth.
Murray gets back to full guard.

Murray has his foot on Hovi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hovi works his way back into a safe position though.
Murray looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi wanted to stand there but Murray had control of the position.
Murray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hovi manages to get himself to full guard.
Murray stopping the sweep attempt from Hovi.
Hovi striking off his back but it's not causing Murray any problems.

Murray drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Murray jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Murray preventing the sweep.
Hovi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Murray is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Murray has gone for a leg lock! Hovi slips out almost immediately though and dives into Murray's guard.

Murray working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hovi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hovi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hovi won't allow Murray to sweep him here.
Murray keeping full guard, as Hovi tries to pass.
Hovi stopping the sweep attempt from Murray.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murray lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hovi!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hovi clinches with his opponent.

Murray pulls guard successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Murray looking for a guillotine here but Hovi defends easily.
Murray avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hovi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hovi stopping the sweep attempt from Murray.
Hovi landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hovi postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Murray manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hovi manages to get himself to full guard.
Murray passes into half guard.
Hovi is looking for a sweep. Murray is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Murray wants to pass the guard but Hovi is defending well.
Murray moves nicely into side control.
Hovi tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murray swings around for an armbar but Hovi sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Murray's guard.
Hovi trying to control but Murray is working from the bottom.
Hovi throws a big right hand that misses.

Murray working for a triangle but Hovi defends it easily.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Hovi from controlling successfully.

Murray has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Hovi can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi passes Murray's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Hovi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hovi is trying to control the action in half guard but Murray is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hovi winds up and cracks Murray with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hovi wants to take a breather but Murray is having none of it.
Hovi trying to pass the guard but Murray defending well.
Murray is refusing to be controlled, as Hovi sits in half guard.

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.

Murray looking for submissions off his back.
Hovi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Murray with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hovi doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Murray counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Murray looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Murray prevents Hovi from standing back up.
Murray wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hovi keeps working.

Hovi makes his way to full guard, as Murray worked for a kimura.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Murray showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Murray with a poor takedown

and Hovi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Murray has hold of Hovi's hands but Hovi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hovi thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Murray regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hovi passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hovi is looking to take a break and control but Murray is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hovi in side control lands a decent elbow.
Murray manages to work his way to half guard, despite Hovi's best efforts.
The fighters are battling for position here. Murray manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Murray 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hovi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hovi wants to control from the top but Murray keeps moving.

Murray is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hovi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Murray had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Hovi is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Murray Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Hovi's back instead.
Murray is trying to stick to Hovi's back but Hovi is turning into Murray. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Murray's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Hovi.
Hovi stopping the sweep attempt from Murray.

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.

Murray is persistently looking for the submission but Hovi is defending it well.

Murray is persistently looking for the submission but Hovi is defending it well.
Murray is trying to stick to Hovi's back but Hovi is turning into Murray. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Murray's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Hovi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hovi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murray works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Murray bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hovi's guard.

Hovi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hovi is trying to keep Murray in close.
Hovi bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murray's guard.
Justin Murray has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hovi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Murray controls Hovi momentarily but Hovi frees himself.
Murray keeping moving, preventing Hovi from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Murray looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hovi with a nice head shot there.
Hovi lands a couple of elbows.
Hovi trying to control the position from guard on top but Murray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murray 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.
Seppo Hovi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hovi landing some decent shots from guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Seppo Hovi.
I think Murray has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Murray!