PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mateus Gracie (ranked 128 p4p, 23 weight class) and Phol Murhaa (ranked 116 p4p, 19 weight class). Gracie's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Broke & Hungry . 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.

Gracie
vs
Murhaa

179 cm
33
170 lbs
30 - 15 - 1

182 cm
30
180 lbs
24 - 7 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Dauntless
Sully's Bar & Grill

Aspire Clothing
House of Valor

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 15 - 1, fighting out of London, Mateus Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 7 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Phol Murhaa!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A decent looking body kick lands there for Murhaa.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Murhaa, right into the meat.

Gracie closes the distance and pushes Murhaa back into the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Murhaa.
Murhaa lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Murhaa tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gracie's elbow.
Gracie wants a takedown.

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

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gracie grinds an elbow into Murhaa's temple.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Murhaa defending against the ground and pound.
Gracie throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Murhaa gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Murhaa wants to improve his position but Gracie is controlling well.
Murhaa is trying is best to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie passes the guard and advances to mount!
Murhaa tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Gracie lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Gracie connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Gracie is in the full mount, landing strikes.
BOOM! Gracie connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Murhaa slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Murhaa trying to hold on to Gracie's head to control him but Gracie postures up.
Murhaa tries to roll over but Gracie keeps him under control.
Gracie lands strikes from half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Murhaa is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Gracie scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Gracie is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Murhaa keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Gracie takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Gracie working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Murhaa told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murhaa is trying to stand up here but Gracie is controlling him well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Murhaa wants to control but Gracie is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gracie looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Gracie is nestled in close to Murhaa, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Murhaa moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Gracie with a flurry of punches that miss.
Murhaa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Murhaa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Murhaa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Gracie trying to move into half guard but instead Murhaa has managed to sweep!

Gracie lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Gracie is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murhaa looking for a sweep. Not yet Murhaa, not yet.
Gracie missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Gracie postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Murhaa has control of Gracie's left arm, preventing Gracie from doing any damage.
Gracie scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gracie working some strikes from top position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Murhaa has momentary wrist control but Gracie slips an elbow through the middle.
Gracie distracts Murhaa with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Murhaa controlling the position.
Murhaa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mateus Gracie dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Gracie looks for a takedown but Murhaa sprawls well.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Murhaa lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Gracie clinches up against the cage.
Murhaa is trying to push Gracie away but Gracie has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gracie goes for a takedown attempt but Murhaa pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mateus Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murhaa scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gracie changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Murhaa looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Murhaa explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Murhaa tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Gracie is able to avoid easily.
Murhaa swings for the body but Gracie moves out of range.
Murhaa throws out a loose jab but Gracie uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Murhaa sprawls well.
Gracie shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Murhaa defends it nicely.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Murhaa sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Murhaa misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gracie wants to clinch.
Gracie blocks a jab.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Gracie crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Murhaa - the referee stops the clock and Gracie gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Murhaa. Gracie manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Gracie shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Murhaa pinned against the cage. Murhaa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Murhaa lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Murhaa shows good takedown defense.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Murhaa as he jumps to the side.
Murhaa throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown but Murhaa shows good takedown defense.
Murhaa misses with a head kick.
Murhaa walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Gracie checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Gracie looks for a takedown but Murhaa sprawls well.
Gracie tries to clinch there but Murhaa circles away.
Gracie fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Murhaa with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots in but Murhaa avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Phol Murhaa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Gracie moves in looking to clinch but Murhaa pushes him off.
Murhaa throws out a counter right but Gracie avoids it with no problem.
Phol Murhaa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murhaa fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Murhaa slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Gracie takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Gracie avoids the body shot from Murhaa.
Gracie fails to land the takedown.
Murhaa turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gracie has a takedown stuffed.
Murhaa throws out a counter right but Gracie avoids it with no problem.
Gracie dives in for a single leg takedown but Murhaa sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Murhaa steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie shoots for a double leg takedown but Murhaa sprawls well. He's pushed Gracie's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Murhaa appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Murhaa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gracie.
Murhaa swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Gracie.
Murhaa cracks Gracie with a right hand to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Murhaa with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Murhaa pushes Gracie away with a front kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murhaa looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
A chopping leg kick lands by Murhaa.
Nice shot lands for Murhaa.
Phol Murhaa seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Murhaa tries to land a leg kick but Gracie saw it coming and moves away.
Murhaa looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Murhaa goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Murhaa getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

Gracie forces Murhaa back against the cage and clinches.
Murhaa lands a right hand.
Murhaa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Murhaa lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Phol Murhaa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Murhaa as he jumps to the side.
Gracie fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murhaa clobbers Gracie with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Murhaa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Murhaa wants it to stay on the feet.
Murhaa cracks Gracie with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mateus Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice takedown defense from Murhaa. No joy for Gracie on that attempt.
Gracie has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Murhaa finds it's way round the side to connect with Gracie's head.
Murhaa turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Gracie goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gracie fails with a takedown attempt.
Murhaa lands a glancing blow to the side of Gracie's head.
Murhaa jabs Gracie to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murhaa looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Murhaa lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gracie's sensitive parts.
Gracie gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Gracie tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Murhaa swivels and escapes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gracie looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Murhaa with a hook.
Gracie takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Gracie with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Murhaa to score with a decent uppercut.
Murhaa scores with a jab. Gracie acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

Gracie is rocked!

It looks like Mateus Gracie has been cut.
Murhaa cracks Gracie with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Gracie tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Murhaa pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Gracie is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Phol Murhaa!
Phol Murhaa seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Mateus Gracie spoke after the fight, saying 'These Judges are so bias its unbelievable, I dont know how these people can live with themselves'.