PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Balig Murska (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damon Pierce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Murska might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Perhosveitsi-Heikki & Lika-Aki - Aakkoset. Pierce has chosen Eve 6 - Inside Out as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Murska
vs
Pierce

189 cm
30
215 lbs
25 - 9 - 1

190 cm
33
195 lbs
26 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Sex Panther! (160q recovery $149)
Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Balig Murska!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Damon Pierce!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pierce throws a head kick that misses.
Pierce moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Murska tries a low kick but Pierce avoids it.
Murska walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Pierce checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Murska takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Murska takes a swing at Pierce's ribcage but misses.
Pierce looks to land a left hand but Murska moved out of range nicely.
Pierce takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Pierce throws a leg kick
letting Murska counter with a right hand.
Murska throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Murska throws a hook but Pierce blocks it.
Pierce tries to land a front kick but Murska steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Murska misses with a hook.
Crunch! Pierce slams his shin into Murska's torso.
Pierce takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierce missing with a left hand there. Murska was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A shot to the liver by Murska. Beautiful body shot.
Pierce throws a head kick that misses.
Murska looks to throw the jab but Pierce is out of range.
Murska takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Murska thows a leg kick but Pierce checks it

and Pierce counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Murska is looking to improve his position.
Pierce missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pierce thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Murska's head.
Pierce thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Murska's head.
Murska regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pierce tries to free his leg and advance position but Murska is retaining full guard.
Murska has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Pierce working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Pierce is stalling in the full guard.
Pierce advances to half guard.
Pierce trying to control from half guard but Murska is working away.
Pierce looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Murska with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Pierce prevents Murska from improving his position.
Murska is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierce sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Murska defending well though.
Pierce throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pierce wants to lay and pray for a moment but Murska keeps working.
Pierce is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Pierce prevents Murska from improving his position.
Murska is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Murska takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pierce throws a big shot that misses.
Murska looks to land a body kick but Pierce moved away.
Pierce just misses with a punch to the body.
Nice defenses there by Pierce.
Murska scores with a jab to the jaw.
Pierce throws a hook to the side of Murska's head but Murska sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Murska ducks under a wild hook from Pierce.
Murska tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Murska.
Pierce has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Pierce there as he acknowledges the shot.

It looks like Damon Pierce has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Murska will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Pierce tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Murska was well out of range. Poor timing from Pierce.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Damon Pierce will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Damon Pierce's cut.
That's time! Murska's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Murska slaps away a takedown attempt from Pierce, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Murska checks a low kick from Pierce.
Pierce looks for a takedown but Murska sprawls well.
Pierce misses with an attempted mid kick.
Murska throws a half hearted mid kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pierce.
A swing and a miss from Murska.
Murska throws a sloppy head kick and Pierce moves out of range easily.
Murska blocks the body kick.
Pierce misses with a body kick.
The fighters circling - Pierce throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pierce avoids a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pierce throws out a leg kick but Murska moves out of range and Pierce only half commits.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Pierce. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Pierce misses with a low kick.
Pierce looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Murska is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pierce.

Pierce closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pierce is trying to stall.
Pierce wants a takedown but no success here.
Balig Murska has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damon Pierce.
Murska leaning against his opponent.
Murska lands a right hand.

Pierce ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Pierce no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Pierce is trying to control the position but Murska postures up.
Pierce trying to control the position here.
Murska controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierce is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Pierce looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pierce misses with a body kick.
Murska looks to land a combination but Pierce avoids it well.

Pierce clinches up with Murska and pushes him back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murska takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pierce tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters circling a little - Murska finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Murska.
Damon Pierce seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pierce throws a leg kick but Murska moved away.
Pierce misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Murska misses with a straight right.
Balig Murska is winning the standup battle so far.
Murska moves out of range of the body kick from Pierce.
Pierce stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
An inside leg kick from Murska misses.
Pierce throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierce throws a big shot that misses.
Murska bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Murska lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Pierce gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Balig Murska is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Murska is looking to land body kicks.
Pierce fails in his attempt to clinch.
Murska misses with a hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pierce thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Murska if he has to take too many more of those.
Murska sizes up Pierce with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Murska lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Murska.
Murska avoids the body shot from Pierce.
Murska throws a hook to the side of Pierce's head but Pierce sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Balig Murska will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Damon Pierce's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Pierce shoots in for a takedown but Murska shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A slow jab from Murska misses its intended target.
Pierce slips under a jab from Murska.
Pierce swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Pierce throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Pierce throws the kick towards the body but Murska avoids it.
Murska misses with a low kick.
Pierce throws a leg kick that misses.
A head kick by Pierce misses
and Murska counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Murska thows a left - swing and a miss!
A decent looking body kick lands there for Pierce.
Murska just misses with a punch to the body.
Murska buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murska motions for Pierce to come forward. Murska throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Murska looks to score with a jab to the body but Pierce is just out of range.
Murska throws a leg kick but Pierce moved away.

Pierce looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Murska has his hands on Pierce's head, controlling the position.
Pierce with a flurry of punches that miss.
Murska can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pierce controls the pace.
Pierce throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pierce wants to control from the top but Murska keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pierce working some strikes from top position.
Murska can't keep his opponent in guard - Pierce advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Murska is looking to escape.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Murska won't allow Pierce to pass to mount.

Pierce is trying to work for a kimura but Murska is defending well.
Murska is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pierce with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Murska is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pierce's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pierce's back!
Pierce tries to escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Murska doesn't have the hooks in and Pierce manages to turn into his guard.
Pierce controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pierce loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pierce trying to control the position from guard on top but Murska is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pierce trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pierce throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Murska works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Murska tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Murska looking to control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Pierce trying to control the position from guard on top but Murska is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

And that's the end of the fight!
Damon Pierce comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pierce 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Damon Pierce!
A less than humble Damon Pierce misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.