PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Sykes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Neil Murray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Murray has chosen Remember the Name as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Sykes
vs
Murray

190 cm
25
222 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

187 cm
31
210 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

EVOLUTION Clothing
On Tap (160Q & Laundry)

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Xavier Sykes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Neil Murray!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Tiny Johnson and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sykes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Murray can pounce on him.
Sykes avoids the head kick by Murray.
Murray gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Sykes moves in looking to clinch but Murray pushes him off.
Sykes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murray shoots in for a takedown but Sykes shows good takedown defense.
Sykes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Murray throws a body punch but Sykes moves out of range.
Sykes throws a big counter combination but Murray scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Murray looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Sykes!
Murray slows the pace down.
Murray trying to control the action but Sykes is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray controlling the position from side mount.
Murray working the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on Sykes's face as Murray controls the position.
Murray misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Murray trying to control the position but Sykes is working away.
Murray controlling the position from side mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sykes is looking to regain half guard here but Murray keeps moving and retains side control.
Murray controls the position from side control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray shoots in looking for a takedown. Sykes tries to sprawl out of it but Murray keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sykes manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sykes dips to his left and cracks Murray with an uppercut!
Murray shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sykes as he jumps to the side.
Xavier Sykes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Neil Murray.
Murray throws a solid leg kick but Sykes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Murray.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Murray!

It looks like Xavier Sykes has been cut.
Murray just misses with a punch to the body.
Sykes throwing a counter right hand but Murray manages to avoid it.
Sykes thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sykes catches Murray with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Sykes scoring well with a low kick there.
Sykes swinging wildly here.
Murray lands a jab to the nose.
Neil Murray seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sykes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Murray fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sykes avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Neil Murray will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Xavier Sykes's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sykes stuffs the takedown attempt from Murray. Murray gets slowly back to his feet.
Sykes ducks under a wild hook from Murray.
Sykes swinging wildly here.
A little jabbing left from Murray on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Murray has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Sykes.
Murray pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Sykes back to the cage. Murray follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Murray closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Sykes's guard.
Murray tries to free his leg and advance position but Sykes is retaining full guard.
Murray is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Let's hope that Murray has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sykes is controlling Murray's posture.
Sykes being controlled here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Murray postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Murray misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murray is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sykes.
Sykes misses with a body kick.
Murray changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Xavier Sykes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A swing and a miss from Murray.
Murray avoids the body shot from Sykes.
Murray shoots in for a double leg but Sykes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Murray changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Sykes looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Murray staying calm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murray postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sykes avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Murray.
Murray trying to control the action but Sykes is working from the bottom.
Murray controls the position.

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.
Murray trying to control the action but Sykes is working from the bottom.
Murray might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Sykes haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The referee asks Murray politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Murray prefers to stall for the moment though.
Sykes is not content to let Murray control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Neil Murray showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Xavier Sykes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Sykes lands a left and a right that send Murray crashing to the mat, dazed. Sykes thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Murray goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Sykes fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Murray feints a counter leg kick.
Sykes connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Murray momentarily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sykes connects with an inside leg kick.
Left hook, right uppercut from Sykes.

Murray is rocked!
Sykes throws a sloppy head kick and Murray moves out of range easily.
Murray is still on wobbly legs! Can Sykes finish him?
Murray swats away the attempt to clinch by Sykes.
Sykes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murray closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sykes circles away.
Sykes pounces like a tiger and cracks Murray with a vicious hook! Murray is down but not out! Sykes follows up with more strikes forcing the ref to jump in and stop it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Xavier Sykes!
In defeat, Neil Murray stepped up to the mic, saying '[In extremely slurred speech] I want to fight him again.'.