PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Adolph Marshall (ranked 6333 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Murdock (ranked 5196 p4p, 0 weight class). Matthew Murdock has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Marshall
vs
Murdock

159 cm
18
151 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Adolph Marshall!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matthew Murdock!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murdock connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Marshall keeps the fight on the outside.
Murdock shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Marshall as he avoids it easily.
Murdock fails with the takedown.
Murdock throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Murdock throws a right and a left that both miss.
Murdock looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Adolph Marshall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Murdock.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murdock throws a head kick that misses
and Marshall counters with a head kick. That will keep Murdock thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Murdock rushes Marshall and presses him up against the cage.
Marshall stops a takedown attempt from Murdock.
Marshall prevents Murdock from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall scores a nice knee to the body.
Marshall looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Murdock has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Marshall is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Murdock has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Marshall is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Murdock looks winded!
Marshall wants to break free but Murdock has control.
Marshall dodges an elbow strike from Murdock.
Murdock pushes off an throws an elbow but Marshall leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Murdock escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Marshall throws a leg kick that misses.
Marshall keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marshall chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Marshall stuffs the takedown attempt from Murdock. Murdock gets slowly back to his feet.
Murdock throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Marshall tries a head kick but it misses.
Marshall misses with a head kick.
Murdock replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Marshall blocks it well.
Murdock blocks a head kick by Marshall.
Marshall circles away from the clinch attempt.

Marshall shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Murdock is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshall working over Murdock with some ground and pound. Murdock looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Marshall with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Marshall lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Marshall seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Marshall takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Marshall thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Murdock's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock trying to hold on to Marshall's head to control him but Marshall postures up.
Ground and pound from Marshall.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marshall stalling.
Marshall has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Murdock has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Marshall is working away from the top position though.
Marshall controlling the action here.
Murdock is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Marshall scores with a couple of nice shots.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Marshall looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adolph Marshall dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Murdock shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Marshall as he avoids it easily.
Marshall throws a counter high kick but Murdock was just alert enough to avoid it.
Matthew Murdock seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marshall lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Murdock looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Murdock avoids the head kick by Marshall.
Murdock misses with a body kick.
Marshall tried to counter with a leg kick but Murdock avoided it.
Murdock tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Marshall manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Adolph Marshall is winning the standup battle so far.
Marshall fails to land with a series of punches.
Good exchange - Murdock coming out on top.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murdock ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Marshall moves away.
Marshall tries a head kick but it misses.

Murdock clinches with his opponent.
Murdock is trying to drag Marshall to the mat but Marshall just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock tries to pull guard but Marshall forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Adolph Marshall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Murdock.
Murdock is breathing heavily.

Murdock breaks from the clinch.
Murdock takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Murdock swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Marshall moves into the clinch.
Murdock tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Murdock manages to break the clinch.
Murdock throws a sloppy head kick and Marshall moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marshall misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Marshall just misses with a punch to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Murdock.
Marshall looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Marshall dives in and scores a takedown into Murdock's guard.
Murdock looking to hit a scissor sweep but Marshall is one step ahead there.
Marshall wants to control from the top but Murdock keeps moving.
Marshall connects with a couple of short punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshall connects with a couple of short punches.
Marshall distracts Murdock with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Adolph Marshall overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marshall is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Murdock keeping moving, preventing Marshall from controlling successfully.
Marshall in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Marshall is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Murdock can do to turn this around?
Marshall slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Murdock preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Murdock tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Marshall working some strikes from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murdock can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Marshall controls the pace.
Marshall scoring with some ground and pound.
Marshall is in close to Murdock's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marshall with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Marshall stays in close to Murdock's body and controls the position.
Murdock has momentary wrist control but Marshall slips an elbow through the middle.
Murdock looking to hit a scissor sweep but Marshall is one step ahead there.
Murdock working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marshall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murdock keeping full guard, as Marshall tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adolph Marshall dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Marshall has closed the distance and engaged Murdock in a clinch.
Marshall wants to break the clinch but can't.
Marshall pushes Murdock back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Murdock breaks the clinch.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Murdock, as that shot connected.
Murdock fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Marshall has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murdock darts in looking for a takedown but Marshall gets double underhooks and turns Murdock into the cage.
Murdock looks to clinch
and Marshall counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Marshall throws a quick inside leg kick.
Marshall could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Murdock tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Marshall defends well and Murdock ends up having to push Marshall into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Murdock takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murdock tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marshall paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Marshall throws a quick counter head kick but Murdock was just out of range.
Murdock closes this distance looking for a takedown but Marshall circles away.
Marshall half committed to a counter leg kick.
Adolph Marshall has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matthew Murdock.
Marshall loads up on a big right hand but Murdock slips the punch.
Marshall misses with a head kick.
Marshall with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Marshall throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Murdock avoids the body shot from Marshall.
Murdock shoots in for a takedown but Marshall shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Marshall pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from Marshall. No joy for Murdock on that attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Marshall.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Murdock enables Marshall to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Murdock manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Murdock is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Marshall dives into side control.

Marshall landing strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Murdock trying his best to control but Marshall has mounted him.
Marshall looking to finish Murdock with some ground and pound. This is bad for Murdock!
Marshall landing strikes from the mount.
Marshall raining down shots from the mount!
Murdock is bucking up trying to escape but Marshall cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Marshall controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshall landing shots from mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Marshall cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Marshall lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Marshall lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Marshall lands a heavy elbow.
Murdock in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Marshall pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Marshall raining down shots from the mount!
Marshall with the ground and pound from mount.

Murdock is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marshall content just to control the position here.
Marshall lands a couple of good shots and Murdock has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marshall is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Marshall gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Marshall gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Marshall apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Marshall displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Murdock is still on wobbly legs! Can Marshall finish him?
The fight stays on the outside here - Murdock looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick misses from Marshall.
Matthew Murdock has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Adolph Marshall is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Murdock seems to have recovered his senses.
Murdock swinging wildly here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Adolph Marshall showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Marshall 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Adolph Marshall!