PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Paul Whittaker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Murk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joe Murk will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Whittaker
vs
Murk

180 cm
25
300 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

214 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big right hand

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Paul Whittaker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Joe Murk!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Hugh Johnson and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Murk is defended easily by Whittaker.

Whittaker fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Murk sprawls well initially but Whittaker persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Whittaker takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

It looks like Joe Murk has been cut.
Murk trying to control from the bottom.
Whittaker wants to pass to mount but Murk is defending the position.
Whittaker working Murk over with strikes.
Murk wants to improve his position but Whittaker is controlling well.
Whittaker wants to pass to mount but Murk is defending the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Whittaker in particular looking to stall.
Murk trying to control from the bottom.

Murk looking for submissions off his back.
Murk is staying active underneath Whittaker, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Murk wants to control but Whittaker is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Murk is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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

Whittaker closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Murk tries to get to full guard but Whittaker has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker trying to control from half guard but Murk is working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Whittaker is taking a breather. Murk says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Whittaker seems to be working for a kimura but Murk defends the submission attempt.
Whittaker is breathing heavily.
Murk is looking for a sweep. Whittaker is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Whittaker trying to control from half guard but Murk is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murk gets full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Murk is on top in guard.
Whittaker keeping moving, preventing Murk from controlling successfully.
Murk landing with the ground and pound.
Murk pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Whittaker is keeping the position for now.

Murk thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murk is looking to reverse the position.
Murk manages to work his way to half guard, despite Whittaker's best efforts.
Murk is refusing to be controlled, as Whittaker sits in half guard.
Whittaker is stalling here. Murk is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Whittaker seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Murk has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Murk is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Whittaker has escaped the position, nice work there.

Murk working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Whittaker dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Murk's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Murk misses with a takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Whittaker tries to close the distance and clinch but Murk swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Murk will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Whittaker shoots in for a double leg but Murk sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Paul Whittaker seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Whittaker misses the shot to the body.
Whittaker closes this distance looking for a takedown but Murk circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Whittaker drives through and clinches with Murk against the cage.
Whittaker keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Murk's efforts to push away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murk tries to pull guard but Whittaker holds him up against the cage and eventually Murk drops back down to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murk jumps guard.
Murk striking off his back but it's not causing Whittaker any problems.

Murk working for a triangle but Whittaker defends it easily.
Murk 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.
Murk is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Murk escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Whittaker gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Whittaker stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murk swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murk escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Whittaker gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Murk tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Whittaker would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Murk keeping moving, preventing Whittaker from controlling successfully.
Whittaker stopping the sweep attempt from Murk.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murk is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Murk is looking for a triangle but Whittaker pushes his legs off easily.
Whittaker wants to control from the top but Murk keeps moving.
Murk wants to sweep but no luck.
Whittaker has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Murk looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

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.
Murk keeping moving, preventing Whittaker from controlling successfully.
Whittaker wants to pass the guard but Murk is keeping the position.

Whittaker got a little sloppy there for a moment and Murk has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Whittaker has managed to get both his arms back between Murk's legs - danger averted.
Murk wants to sweep but no luck.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murk manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Murk fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Murk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joe Murk's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Murk fails with the takedown

and Whittaker counters with a takedown into side control.

Whittaker is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Murk has escaped the position, nice work there.
Murk isn't going anywhere.
Murk gets back to half guard.
Murk gets full guard.
Murk manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murk dominating with strikes here.

Murk working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Whittaker is trying to stand.
Whittaker takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

Murk swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Whittaker is now in Murk's guard. A big mistake from Murk there, giving up the dominant position!
Whittaker won't allow Murk to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker wanted to stand there but Murk had control of the position.

Murk throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Murk looking for a guillotine here but Whittaker defends easily.
Murk looking for a sweep. Not yet Murk, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whittaker throws a strike but Murk rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Murk drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Whittaker dives on top into guard.
Whittaker controlling from the top position.

Whittaker avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Murk bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Whittaker's guard.

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

Murk drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Murk jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Whittaker tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Murk is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Murk drops back, looking for a kneebar! Whittaker looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Whittaker looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Whittaker!
Murk is looking to regain half guard here but Whittaker keeps moving and retains side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joe Murk.
I think Murk 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

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