PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ed Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thien Nakuratata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Murphy
vs
Nakuratata

175 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 4 - 1

172 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Ed Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Thien Nakuratata!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nakuratata's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Nakuratata duly obliges.
Nakuratata throws a right hand that Murphy ducks under and follows up with a left that Murphy also avoids with ease.
Murphy avoids the body shot from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata scores with a nice right hand.
Nakuratata misses with a two punch combination.
Nakuratata looks to land a combination but Murphy avoids it well.
Nakuratata will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Murphy shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Nakuratata pinned against the cage. Nakuratata gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Murphy tries to clinch but Nakuratata moves out of range.

Nakuratata clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakuratata lands a nice elbow.
Murphy managing to block the knees to the body from Nakuratata.

Nakuratata breaks from the clinch.
Nakuratata throws a right and a left that both miss.
Nakuratata connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Murphy shoots in but Nakuratata avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Murphy avoids a punch combination nicely.
Some wild striking there from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata throws a series of punches but Murphy avoids them all with ease.
Nakuratata misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Nakuratata gets a clinch.
Murphy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nakuratata tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Nakuratata.
Murphy has Nakuratata pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Nakuratata manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ed Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakuratata tries to land knees in the clinch but Murphy avoids the damage to the body.
Murphy drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nakuratata pulls his leg out and moves away.
Nakuratata stuffs the takedown attempt from Murphy. Murphy gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakuratata lands with a cross.

Nakuratata gets a clinch.
Nakuratata misses with an elbow strike.
Murphy tries to pull guard but Nakuratata holds him up against the cage and eventually Murphy drops back down to his feet.
Nakuratata misses with a knee to the head.
Murphy drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Nakuratata gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Nakuratata with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's four 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.
A short left from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata pressing his opponent against the cage.
Nakuratata missing with knees to the body.
Nakuratata lands an elbow just above Murphy 's eye.
Nakuratata dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Nakuratata lands an elbow that stopped Murphy in his tracks for a moment.
Nakuratata looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Nakuratata throws an elbow but it misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murphy blocks an elbow strike.
A short body shot lands from Nakuratata as the two fighters clinch.
Nakuratata leaning his opponent against the cage.
Nakuratata throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thien Nakuratata dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Murphy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata fails to land with a series of punches.
Nakuratata looks to land a combination but Murphy avoids it well.

Nakuratata instigates a clinch.

Nakuratata breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Nakuratata rushes Murphy and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nakuratata lands a body shot in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata stalling against the cage.
Nakuratata tries to break the clinch but Murphy is controlling the position.
Nice body punch from Nakuratata - that landed with a thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Nakuratata misses with a knee strike.
Nakuratata leaning against his opponent.
The crowd are getting on Nakuratata's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
Nakuratata prevents the takedown attempt.
Murphy looking for a takedown.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murphy wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ed Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nakuratata pressing his opponent against the cage.
Nakuratata comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nakuratata lands a body punch in the clinch.
Nakuratata throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Murphy blocks it with crossed arms.
Nakuratata tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nakuratata landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nakuratata looking to throw knees to the head but Murphy is blocking nicely.
Nakuratata misses with a knee to the head.
Nakuratata lands a knee to the body.
Nakuratata tries to land knees in the clinch but Murphy avoids the damage to the body.
Murphy managing to block the knees to the body from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata has had enough of the clinch but Murphy keeps him there for the moment.
Murphy looking to slow down the pace here.
Nakuratata throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nakuratata taking a breather.
Nakuratata with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Nakuratata misses with an elbow strike.
Nakuratata misses with an elbow strike.
A nice left hand lands by Nakuratata.
Nakuratata lands an elbow inside that Murphy shrugs off.
Nakuratata lands an elbow just above Murphy 's eye.
Nice elbow from Nakuratata.
Nakuratata pushes off an throws an elbow but Murphy leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Nakuratata just misses with a elbow thrown towards Murphy's brow.
Nakuratata misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murphy.
Nakuratata will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Murphy up against the cage.

Nakuratata breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Nakuratata moves into range and clinches up with Murphy.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Nakuratata with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Murphy goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nakuratata prevents it.
Murphy tries for a takedown but Nakuratata manages to get underhooks.
Murphy looking for a takedown.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murphy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Nakuratata stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Nakuratata tries to land knees in the clinch but Murphy avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thien Nakuratata showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Nakuratata forces Murphy back against the cage and clinches.
Nakuratata stalling the fight.
Nakuratata throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Murphy blocks it with crossed arms.
Nakuratata tries to land knees in the clinch but Murphy avoids the damage to the body.
Nakuratata lands a right hand that snaps the head of Murphy backwards.
Nakuratata trying to land knees to the body.
Nakuratata throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Nakuratata missing with knees to the body.
Nakuratata is trying to break the clinch but Murphy has him pressed against the cage.
Murphy fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy takes an elbow to the forehead.
Nakuratata stalling.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nakuratata using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Nakuratata trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nakuratata looking to throw knees to the head but Murphy is blocking nicely.
Murphy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Nakuratata breaks the clinch.
Murphy shoots in and drives through. Nakuratata sprawls well.
Nakuratata smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nakuratata throws a right hand that Murphy ducks under and follows up with a left that Murphy also avoids with ease.
Thien Nakuratata seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nakuratata tries to bum rush Murphy with a series of wild strikes but Murphy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Nakuratata throws a body kick that misses.
Nakuratata misses with a two punch combination.
Nakuratata misses with the combination.
Murphy has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ed Murphy. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.
Nakuratata throws a head kick that Murphy semi-blocks.
Nakuratata misses with a few strikes there.
Murphy on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Murphy looks for a takedown but Nakuratata sprawls well.
Nakuratata lands a lovely overhand right.
Nakuratata looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A solid leg kick lands there for Nakuratata.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nakuratata fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Murphy, pushing him back against the cage.
Murphy can't get the takedown.
Nakuratata with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nakuratata tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nakuratata throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Murphy blocks it with crossed arms.

Nakuratata manages to break the clinch.

Nakuratata clinches up with Murphy and pushes him back against the cage.

Nakuratata escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Nakuratata has had enough of the clinch but Murphy keeps him there for the moment.
Nakuratata lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Murphy or not.
Thien Nakuratata is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nakuratata connects with a knee to the head.
Nakuratata leaning against his opponent.
Murphy looking to stall.
Ed Murphy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A nice left hand lands by Nakuratata.
Murphy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Murphy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Nakuratata pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Nakuratata rushes Murphy and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murphy avoiding damage as Nakuratata throws knees to the body.
Murphy goes for a takedown in the clinch but Nakuratata prevents it.
Nakuratata gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thien Nakuratata comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nakuratata has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thien Nakuratata!