PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Riddler Junior (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Murdock Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Junior
vs
Jr

191 cm
22
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Riddler Junior!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Murdock Jr!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Junior does no damage.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jr swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Riddler Junior seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Junior pivots, looking for a leg kick but Jr is out of range and Junior settles back down.
Junior fails in his attempt to clinch.
Jr shoots in for a takedown but Junior shows good takedown defense.

Jr closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
You can see the frustration on Junior's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Junior avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Jr.
You can see the frustration on Junior's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Junior is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Jr is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Jr works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jr scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Junior to see if he's OK.
Jr landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Junior is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

Junior is rocked!
Junior knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Jr on the ground.
Jr working away.
Jr looks up at the clock and then as Junior takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Jr smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Oh Junior is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Junior tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Jr wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Junior seems to have got his legs back now.
Jr throws an elbow but Junior slips to the side and avoids it well.
Jr working the body and head with strikes.
Jr misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Junior tries to buck Jr off but Jr is having none of it.
Junior could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Jr scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Junior to see if he's OK.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Junior can't do much from the bottom here.
Jr lands a nice forearm strike.
Jr is putting a hurting on Junior here, landing some big shots from side control.
Jr looks up at the clock and then as Junior takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Jr smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Junior tries to bench press Jr off him but Jr keeps the position.
Jr throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Junior wants to get back to his feet but Jr drags him back down.
Junior is breathing heavily.
The ground and pound from Jr seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Jr working the ground and pound.
Jr tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jr lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Junior tries to bench press Jr off him but Jr keeps the position.

Jr wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Junior, who protects the arm well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jr throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Junior works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Junior is looking for a sweep. Jr is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jr throwing shots but Junior is blocking nicely.
Junior is doing well to control the position and prevent Jr from advancing to side control.
Jr has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Jr throwing shots but Junior is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jr working the head and body with strikes.
Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Junior is looking to control Jr's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Junior avoid being mounted?
Jr not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Jr thows a huge punch but Junior dodges it nicely.

Jr is working for a kimura but Junior is defending it quite comfortably.
Jr prevents Junior from improving his position.
Jr throwing shots but Junior is blocking nicely.
Junior tries to roll over but Jr keeps him under control.

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.
Junior wants to control but Jr is keeping busy.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Jr paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Junior misses with a two punch combination.
Junior throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Jr.
Junior fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Junior misses with a jab, cross combination.
Jr avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Some bone on bone action there as Jr checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Junior motions for Jr to come forward. Junior throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Jr takes a jab right on the kisser.

Jr scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Murdock Jr dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Junior throws a right and a left that Jr avoids nicely.
Jr looks for a takedown but Junior sprawls well.

Junior clinches up with Jr and pushes him back against the cage.

Junior has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Jr uses from the top position.
Jr thows a big elbow that misses.
Junior tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jr postures up and lands a big shot to Junior's brow.
Jr thows a big elbow that misses.
Junior looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Jr drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Jr jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Jr scoring with some ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jr accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Junior looking for a sweep. Not yet Junior, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jr avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Jr connects with a couple of short punches.
Jr connects with a couple of short punches.
Junior has momentary wrist control but Jr slips an elbow through the middle.
Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Junior.
Jr loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jr postures up and lands a big shot to Junior's brow.
Jr trying to control but Junior is working from the bottom.
Jr throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Junior works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Junior wants to sweep here but Jr controlling him for the moment.

That's two 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.

Jr drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Jr jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Jr postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Junior scores with the left hand. Jr knows he should have avoided that one.
Junior's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Junior duly obliges.

It looks like Murdock Jr has been cut.
Junior lands with a nice combination. Jr backs away looking to recover.
Junior lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Jr circles away quickly and effectively.
The fight stays on the outside here - Junior looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Junior swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Riddler Junior is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jr misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Junior.
Junior misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jr fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Junior sprawls well initially but Jr persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Junior is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Jr scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Junior is trying to maintain the position but Jr is very close to passing his half guard.
Ground and pound from Jr.
Jr is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Jr lands with a punch from half guard.
Junior tries to roll over but Jr keeps him under control.
Junior on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Junior wants to control but Jr is keeping busy.
Jr is trying to control the action in half guard but Junior is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Junior missing with a left hand there. Jr was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Junior looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Jr throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Junior's waist but Junior gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Jr off to one side.
Jr slips a jab and a cross from Junior.
Junior tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jr swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Junior throws a jab when Jr was well out of range.
Riddler Junior is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Jr darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Junior avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jr.
Junior wants to control but Jr is keeping busy.
Jr lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Murdock Jr showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Murdock Jr's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A jab from Junior finds it's way through Jr's defenses.
Jr avoids a punch combination nicely.
Junior misses with a two punch combination.
No joy there for Junior, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Junior misses with a series of wild punches.

Jr feints and as Junior raises his hands in defense, Jr changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Jr chips away with some ground and pound.
Junior trying to control the position.
Jr content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Jr is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jr with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Jr trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Murdock Jr has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junior looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jr in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jr chips away with some ground and pound.
Jr is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jr postures up and lands a big shot to Junior's brow.
Jr lands a couple of digs.
Jr thows a big elbow that misses.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Junior wants to clinch up but Jr keeps it at a distance.
Jr slips a jab and a cross from Junior.
Jr dives in and grabs Junior's left leg, looking for a takedown. Junior pushes down on Jr's head and hops out.
Junior misses with a few strikes there.
Some wild striking there from Junior.
Junior misses with the combination.
Riddler Junior has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two 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.

Jr shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Junior's guard.
Jr missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Junior trying to control the position here.

Junior is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Junior looking for a sweep. Not yet Junior, not yet.
Jr landing with the ground and pound.
Jr throws a big right hand that misses.
Jr pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Junior is keeping the position for now.
Jr is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Junior throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Jr.
Junior throws a right and a left that Jr avoids nicely.
Jr tries to score a power double leg takedown but Junior sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jr somewhat.
Junior misses with a jab to the body

and Jr counters with a takedown into side control.
Jr in side control lands a decent elbow.
Junior tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Junior is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Jr's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Junior trying to hold on to Jr's head to control him but Jr postures up.
Jr working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Junior is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Jr's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Jr's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jr wants to control his opponent's hands but Junior gets his hands free.
Jr breaks Junior's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jr accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jr postures up in Junior's guard and throws a big left but Junior blocks it.
Junior trying to control the position here.
Jr postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Junior bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Jr's guard.
Murdock Jr is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jr is pulling down on Junior's head to control his posture.

And that's the end of the fight!
Murdock Jr comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Jr winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 26:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 26:30

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