PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Everett Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and AJ Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murphy comes to the cage accompanied by Never Gonna Get It. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Murphy
vs
Lopez

175 cm
25
217 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
205 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Everett Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, AJ Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murphy connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Lopez momentarily.
Lopez on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Lopez has Murphy up against the cage in a clinch.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.
Lopez shoots in but Murphy avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Murphy has Lopez up against the cage in a clinch.
Murphy just leaning against Lopez, taking a breather.
Lopez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lopez is trying to break free.
Murphy stalling against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Everett Murphy.

Lopez darts in and clinches Murphy up against the cage.
Lopez working aggressively here.
Lopez should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Murphy effectively controlling the action here.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lopez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murphy.
A low kick from Murphy misses
and Lopez counters with a head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Lopez clinches up with Murphy and pushes him back against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Murphy.
Lopez looking to slow down the pace here.
Lopez tries to throw a body punch but Murphy avoids it by throwing Lopez back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Lopez darts in and clinches Murphy up against the cage.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.
Lopez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Murphy circles away.
Everett Murphy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Lopez.
Murphy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Murphy wants it to stay on the feet.
A nice inside leg kick there by Murphy. That's going to slow Lopez down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Murphy.

Lopez drives through and clinches with Murphy against the cage.
Lopez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lopez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Murphy putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Lopez in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Everett Murphy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Murphy clinches up against the cage.

Murphy breaks the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Some wild striking there from Murphy.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lopez is defended easily by Murphy.
Murphy throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Everett Murphy dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Murphy misses with a wild body shot.
Lopez has a takedown stuffed.
Murphy moves into range and connects with a jab.
Murphy throws a series of punches but Lopez avoids them all with ease.

Murphy closes the distance and pushes Lopez back into the cage.
Murphy is struggling to control the position.
Lopez goes for a takedown attempt but Murphy pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Murphy clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy manages to break the clinch.
Lopez with a poor takedown
and Murphy makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Everett Murphy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Lopez.
Lopez ducks right into an uppercut from Murphy.
Murphy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Everett Murphy is winning the standup battle so far.

Murphy has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short right from Murphy.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Murphy scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Murphy thumps Lopez with a low kick.
Lopez fails with the takedown

and Murphy moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murphy is pushing Lopez up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Murphy won't allow it.
Murphy gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lopez.
Lopez tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Lopez is looking for a takedown.

Murphy manages to break the clinch.
Lopez slips a jab and a cross from Murphy.
Murphy misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy throws a series of punches but Lopez avoids them all with ease.
Murphy looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lopez shoots for a double leg takedown but Murphy sprawls well. He's pushed Lopez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Lopez clinches up with Murphy and pushes him back against the cage.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Murphy holds him up against the cage and eventually Lopez drops back down to his feet.

Murphy manages to break the clinch.

Lopez gets a clinch.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Lopez closes the distance and pushes Murphy back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looking to stall.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Murphy forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Lopez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Murphy uses from the top position.
Lopez striking off his back but it's not causing Murphy any problems.
Lopez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Murphy is controlling him.
Lopez is breathing heavily.
Murphy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Everett Murphy dominated that second round.
That's time! Murphy's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Murphy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lopez misses with a wild combination.
Murphy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Murphy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Murphy defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lopez.

Murphy closes the distance and pushes Lopez back into the cage.
Lopez is looking to break free of the clinch but Murphy has double underhooks.

Murphy breaks the clinch.
Lopez misses with a takedown

and Murphy counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Murphy.
Lopez is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Lopez is trying to pull guard but Murphy has him pressed against the cage.
Everett Murphy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Lopez.
Lopez looking to stall.
Come on Murphy - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Murphy creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Lopez's defenses.
Lopez is trying to stall.
Murphy has Lopez pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.
Lopez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown but Murphy shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Murphy throws a combination that misses
and Lopez counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Murphy is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Lopez with a lazy takedown attempt

and Murphy counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Lopez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Murphy manages to break the clinch.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lopez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy misses with a series of wild punches.
Murphy throws a right hand that Lopez ducks under and follows up with a left that Lopez also avoids with ease.
Lopez misses with a double jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Murphy.

Murphy pushes Lopez up against the cage in a clinch.
Murphy unloads a knee to the mid-section. Lopez lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lopez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Murphy counters by moving into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy displaying some good clinch control by pressing Lopez up against the cage.
Lopez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Murphy just stands there and leans against the cage.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Murphy forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Murphy dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
AJ Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Everett Murphy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
Everett Murphy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Murphy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Everett Murphy!
Everett Murphy seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.