PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jesus Sanchez (ranked 2544 p4p, 3355 weight class) and Paddy Murphy (ranked 349 p4p, 432 weight class). Sanchez comes to the cage accompanied by Duele El Carazon. Murphy has chosen Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Paddy Murphy enters the cage!

Sanchez
vs
Murphy

180 cm
45
180
27 - 30 - 0

185 cm
28
185
10 - 16 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Fantasy Threads

Sakura Style

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 27 - 30 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jesus Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Paddy Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Murphy drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Murphy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Sanchez is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Murphy is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Murphy lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Sanchez is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanchez tries to lock up and control but Murphy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
BOOM! Murphy connects with a massive shot to the dome!

It looks like Jesus Sanchez has been cut.
Murphy lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Sanchez is desperately trying to improve his position but Murphy has a good base and remains in mount.
Sanchez is working hard here to advance position.
Sanchez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez moves into full guard.
Sanchez pulls Murphy in close to his closed guard and prevents Murphy from doing any damage or advancing position.

Sanchez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Sanchez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murphy's guard.

Murphy is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Sanchez advances to half guard.
Murphy tries to get to full guard but Sanchez has control of the leg.

Sanchez is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Sanchez wants to take a breather but Murphy is having none of it.
Murphy controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Murphy trying to control from the bottom.
Murphy regains full guard. Nicely done.
Murphy keeping full guard, as Sanchez tries to pass.
Sanchez is looking to pass into half guard but Murphy pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Murphy is in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've been hearing good reports from Sanchez's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Sanchez looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanchez, not yet.
Murphy trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
Murphy cracks Sanchez with a solid left hand.
Murphy scoring with some ground and pound.
Murphy wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Sanchez wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sanchez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murphy is one step ahead there.
Murphy is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murphy trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murphy being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Murphy bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paddy Murphy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jesus Sanchez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sanchez has a takedown stuffed.
Jesus Sanchez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Murphy fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sanchez to the ground. Murphy is now in Sanchez's guard.
Murphy is in close to Sanchez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sanchez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Murphy preventing the sweep.
Murphy engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanchez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murphy is one step ahead there.

Sanchez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Murphy is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy chips away with some ground and pound.
Murphy keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Sanchez's head.
Sanchez 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.
Sanchez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Murphy landing with the ground and pound.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Murphy from controlling successfully.
Murphy makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Murphy won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to keep a closed guard but Murphy is proving a slippery customer.
Murphy must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Murphy scoring with punches to the head and body.
Murphy scoring with punches to the head and body.
Murphy won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.
Murphy is in close to Sanchez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Murphy lands a couple of digs.
Murphy trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
Murphy won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy content to stall in guard here.
Sanchez has control of Murphy's left arm, preventing Murphy from doing any damage.
Murphy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but Murphy controlling him for the moment.
Sanchez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sanchez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murphy wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Murphy's corner calls for a 1-2. Murphy obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Murphy manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Sanchez on his heels. He'll look to pass Sanchez's guard now, I'm sure.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sanchez is on top in guard.

Sanchez wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.
Sanchez won't allow Murphy to get back to his feet.
Murphy bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sanchez's guard.

Sanchez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sanchez looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanchez, not yet.
Sanchez trying to control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Paddy Murphy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jesus Sanchez's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Murphy drives through with a takedown into Sanchez's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Murphy won't allow Sanchez to sweep him here.
Paddy Murphy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Murphy chips away with some ground and pound.
Murphy lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Murphy landing some decent shots from guard.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.
Murphy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sanchez keeping moving, preventing Murphy from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sanchez is on top in guard.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Murphy is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Murphy trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.

Sanchez working for a triangle but Murphy defends it easily.
Murphy chips away with some ground and pound.
Sanchez working a defensive guard here.

That's two 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 trying to control the position from guard on top but Sanchez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanchez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murphy's guard.

Sanchez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murphy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Murphy wants to sweep but no luck.
Sanchez tries to free his leg and advance position but Murphy is retaining full guard.
Murphy managing to control the position.
Sanchez looking to sit in guard and control but Murphy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Sanchez wants to sweep here but Murphy controlling him for the moment.
Murphy scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Murphy sitting in guard here, content to control.
Murphy wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Sanchez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Sanchez perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Murphy looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Sanchez works his way into side control.

Sanchez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Murphy, who protects the arm well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Sanchez is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Murphy is trying to escape and Sanchez transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Murphy is forced to tap! Nice work there by Sanchez! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Jesus Sanchez!
Jesus Sanchez decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.