PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Knope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilya Murometz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ilya Murometz has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Knope
vs
Murometz

198 cm
25
250 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

195 cm
37
215 lbs
27 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

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 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ben Knope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ilya Murometz!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Darius Henderson and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murometz moves away from the strike by Knope.
Knope throws an off balance right hand
and Murometz counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Knope lands with a nice body punch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knope misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murometz.
Knope can't find room to land a body shot as Murometz controls the action.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Knope.
Knope taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Knope tries to work over Murometz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knope works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Knope manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Murometz breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knope connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Knope clinches up against the cage.
I was talking to Knope's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Murometz.
Knope blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knope pushes off an throws an elbow but Murometz leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Knope doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Knope tries to work over Murometz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Murometz lands a shot to the body.
Murometz blocking some punches.
Knope tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Murometz's elbow.
Knope tries to throw a body punch but Murometz avoids it by throwing Knope back against the cage.
Knope tries for a takedown. No joy.
Murometz lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Murometz wants to break free but Knope has control.
Murometz has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Knope tries to throw a body punch but Murometz avoids it by throwing Knope back against the cage.
Knope misses with a punch to the body.
Knope is trying to stall.
Knope misses with a hook to the ribs.
Knope misses with a body punch.
Knope has Murometz pressed against the cage.
Murometz is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knope tries to throw a body punch but Murometz avoids it by throwing Knope back against the cage.
Murometz blocks a body shot from Knope.
Knope doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Knope tries to throw a body punch but Murometz avoids it by throwing Knope back against the cage.
Murometz is trying to break free.
Knope has Murometz pushed against the cage.
Knope is stalling here.
Knope seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Murometz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Knope digs a right hand underneath Murometz's ribcage. Murometz let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Knope is struggling to control the position.
Murometz avoids a wild elbow strike from Knope.
Knope doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Knope misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Knope tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knope misses with a punch to the body.

Murometz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Knope tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Murometz moves into the clinch.
Knope wants to stall.
Knope is looking to control Murometz's arms but Murometz gets an underhook and turns him. Now Knope has his back to the cage.
Knope changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Murometz fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Knope has Murometz up against the cage in a clinch.
Knope tries to work over Murometz's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knope tries a body shot but Murometz blocks it.
Knope struggles to land a body shot inside as Murometz controls his hands.
Knope misses with a punch to the body.
Knope looking to slow down the pace here.
Murometz tries to break the clinch but Knope is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murometz prevents a body shot from Knope.
Knope looking to stall.
Knope throws a punch but it's blocked by Murometz.
Knope lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Knope can't find room to land a body shot as Murometz controls the action.
Murometz blocks an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Knope.
Knope is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Murometz is keeping busy.
Knope takes a shot to the head.
Murometz takes a shot to the head.
Nice body punch from Knope.
Murometz can't break the clinch.
Knope misses with a punch to the body.
Murometz lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murometz wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Knope is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Murometz is defending well for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Knope dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Murometz on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Knope swings away with a body shot that misses
and Murometz counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
A big right from Knope misses.
Murometz keeps the fight on the outside.
Knope throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Murometz on the side of the head.
Knope throws a big shot that misses.
Knope tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Murometz defends well and Knope ends up having to push Murometz into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Murometz circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jab, jab by Knope - just one landing.
Knope cracks Murometz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Murometz ducks under a wild hook from Knope.
And Murometz tries to counter it with a takedown but Knope pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Knope misses with a series of wild punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Knope changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Murometz tries to avoid it but Knope manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Murometz to the ground. Murometz escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Murometz is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Knope tries to clinch there but Murometz circles away.
Murometz takes one on the button.
Murometz takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knope misses with an uppercut. Murometz saw that one coming.
Knope throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Ben Knope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Murometz moves into the clinch.
Knope misses with a body punch.
Knope pushes Murometz back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Murometz as Knope tries to tie him up.
Knope misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A shot in the inside from Murometz.
Knope is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Murometz can do to turn this around?
Murometz is trying to break the clinch but Knope is controlling him.

Murometz breaks from the clinch.

Murometz dives in and scores a takedown into Knope's guard.
Knope wants to sweep but no luck.
Murometz throws a big elbow that misses.
Murometz slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Knope wants to sweep but no luck.
Knope keeping full guard, as Murometz tries to pass.
Knope looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murometz is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Murometz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Knope instigates a clinch.
Murometz goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murometz blocks a body shot from Knope.
Knope taking a breather.

Murometz pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Knope throws a right and a left that both miss.
Knope throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Murometz closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Knope misses with a punch to the body.
Knope goes for a takedown attempt but Murometz pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Knope. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knope goes for a double leg but Murometz avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Murometz continues to drive forward.
Knope dives in and grabs Murometz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Murometz pushes down on Knope's head and hops out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Knope tries to sprawl but Murometz drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Murometz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Murometz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murometz winds up and cracks Knope with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Knope is refusing to be controlled, as Murometz sits in half guard.
Murometz tries to pass to full mount but Knope defends it.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Murometz is working for a submission of some sort.
Knope misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ilya Murometz will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Murometz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Knope scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Murometz walks into a jab.
Some wild striking there from Murometz.

Murometz instigates a clinch.
Knope stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Knope misses with a punch to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murometz is trying to break the clinch but Knope has him pressed against the cage.
Knope has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Murometz after a bit of a struggle.
Knope struggles to land a body shot inside as Murometz controls his hands.
Murometz lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Murometz tries to break the clinch but Knope is controlling the position.
Knope is looking to control Murometz's arms but Murometz gets an underhook and turns him. Now Knope has his back to the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knope digs a right hand underneath Murometz's ribcage. Murometz let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Murometz managing to block the knees to the body from Knope.
Knope misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Knope misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Murometz lands with a light punch inside.
Knope scores with a hook to the body.
Murometz takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Knope struggles to land a body shot inside as Murometz controls his hands.
Knope is working for takedown but Murometz is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Knope. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murometz can't break the clinch.
Murometz managing to block the knees to the body from Knope.
Knope misses with a body punch.
Knope unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Knope tries to throw a body punch but Murometz avoids it by throwing Knope back against the cage.
Knope controlling the action here for a moment.
Knope leaning against his opponent.
Knope gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murometz lands a right hand that snaps the head of Knope backwards.
Knope works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Murometz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Knope tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Murometz's elbow.
Murometz tries to work over Knope's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Knope works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Knope displaying some good clinch control by pressing Murometz up against the cage.
Murometz prevents a body shot from Knope.
Knope misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Knope's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Murometz breaks the clinch.
Murometz cracks a nice hook into Knope's ribs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Knope looking to score a takedown here. Murometz is defending well but Knope drives through and ends up in Murometz's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knope is working Murometz over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Knope throwing strikes from guard but Murometz blocks nicely.
Knope throws an elbow that misses. Murometz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Knope's guard. Nice move by Murometz!

Knope looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Knope manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Murometz manages to get himself to full guard.

Murometz working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Knope.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knope throws an elbow that misses. Murometz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Knope's guard. Nice move by Murometz!

Knope trying to keep a closed guard but Murometz is proving a slippery customer.
Knope avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Knope keeping moving, preventing Murometz from controlling successfully.
Knope is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Murometz won't allow Knope to sweep him here.
Murometz stops Knope from standing up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ben Knope.
I think Knope has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:28
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Knope!
Our winner, Ben Knope, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.