PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Keenan Griffith (ranked 25085 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Murphy (ranked 5294 p4p, 482 weight class). Alex Murphy will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Griffith
vs
Murphy

150 cm
19
161 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

185 cm
18
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Keenan Griffith!
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, Alex Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Chad Campbell and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Griffith wants to clinch.
Griffith takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Murphy tries to keep at a distance but Griffith has taken the fight into the clinch.

Murphy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Murphy throws a nice inside leg kick.
Good leg kick by Murphy there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Murphy throws a leg kick but Griffith sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Murphy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Griffith tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Murphy manages to circle out of the way.
Griffith misses with an uppercut.
Griffith blocks a head kick by Murphy.
Griffith throwing a counter right hand but Murphy manages to avoid it.
Murphy looking to land some kicks to the body here.
And Griffith counters with a quick kick to the body but Murphy blocks it.

Murphy gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Griffith is struggling to control the position.
Griffith really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...
Griffith jumps guard but Murphy turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Griffith has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Murphy is trying to keep an underhook but Griffith manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Griffith not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Griffith is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Griffith really is a fat lump.
Nice strikes from Griffith there.
Murphy is trying to stand up here but Griffith is controlling him well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Griffith not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Griffith not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Murphy taking some punishment here, with Griffith in his half guard.
Griffith scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Murphy looks winded!
Murphy is looking to get back to is feet but Griffith passes into side control.
Murphy is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Griffith lands a decent elbow from side control.
Griffith scoring with punches from side control.
Murphy is working to avoid the ground and pound but Griffith connects with a decent elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Griffith has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Murphy misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murphy lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Griffith circles away quickly and effectively.

Griffith has Murphy up against the cage in a clinch.

Griffith pulls guard successfully.

Murphy avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Griffith not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Griffith pushes Murphy off and gets back to his feet.
Murphy tried to score with a low kick but Griffith checks it.
Griffith tries to counter by clinching up but Murphy breaks away and moves out of range.

Murphy closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Griffith fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Murphy wants to get back to striking at distance but Griffith won't allow it.
Murphy stops a takedown attempt from Griffith.
Griffith tries to land knees in the clinch but Murphy avoids the damage to the body.
Griffith jumps guard but Murphy turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keenan Griffith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Griffith is trying to break free.
Griffith misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Keenan Griffith dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Griffith has Murphy up against the cage in a clinch.
Griffith has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Murphy avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Griffith's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Murphy connects with an inside leg kick.
Griffith has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Murphy moves into the clinch.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Murphy won't allow it.
Griffith swings wildly with an uppercut but Murphy uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Griffith misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Murphy.
Murphy is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Griffith to keep the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Griffith wants to get back to striking at distance but Murphy won't allow it.
Murphy is trying to break the clinch but Griffith is controlling him.
Murphy is trying to pull guard but Griffith has him pressed against the cage.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy swings away with a body shot that misses
and Griffith counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Murphy explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Murphy breaks from the clinch.

Murphy clinches with his opponent.
Griffith fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Keenan Griffith. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy tries to circle away but Griffith has him pinned against the cage.
Murphy is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Murphy is trying to force a seperation but Griffith has the dominant position.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Griffith fails to pull guard.
Griffith misses with a short punch on the inside.
Murphy managing to block the knees to the body from Griffith.

Murphy manages to break the clinch.

Murphy takes the fight into the clinch.
Griffith fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Griffith gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Murphy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Griffith takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Alex Murphy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Murphy tries to land a front kick but Griffith steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Griffith closes the distance and clinches.
Griffith is struggling to control the position.
Murphy on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Murphy forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Griffith tries to pull guard but Murphy holds him up against the cage and eventually Griffith drops back down to his feet.
Murphy goes for a takedown in the clinch but Griffith prevents it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Griffith is defending well.

Griffith jumps guard.

Griffith working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Murphy doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Murphy manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Griffith might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Griffith doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Griffith 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.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Murphy gets to his feet - Griffith follows without any prompting.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alex Murphy will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Murphy throws a quick inside leg kick.

Griffith gets tackled into the cage by Murphy. Murphy maintains the clinch.
Murphy tries to pull guard but Griffith holds him up against the cage and eventually Murphy drops back down to his feet.

Griffith drags the fight down to the ground.

Griffith has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Murphy has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Murphy's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murphy tries to circle away but Griffith has him pinned against the cage.
Griffith jumps guard but Murphy stands there with Griffith around his waist. Griffith gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Griffith missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy is trying to pull guard but Griffith turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Murphy takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Murphy is trying to pull guard but Griffith turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Keenan Griffith has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Murphy.
Griffith tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Murphy just stands there and leans against the cage.
A short left from Griffith.
Griffith misses with a body punch.
Griffith lands an uppercut.
Murphy tries to circle away but Griffith has him pinned against the cage.
Griffith fails to pull guard.

Murphy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Murphy connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is looking to land body kicks.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Murphy.
Murphy throws a leg kick that is checked
and Griffith counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Griffith gets tackled into the cage by Murphy. Murphy maintains the clinch.
Griffith lands a nice shot to the body.
Murphy wants to break the clinch but can't.
Murphy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Griffith stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Griffith fails to pull guard.
Griffith throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Griffith drops down looking for an ankle pick but Murphy pulls his leg out and moves away.

Murphy moves into range and clinches up with Griffith.
Murphy is pressed up against the cage. Griffith has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Murphy down to the mat. Murphy avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Griffith takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.

Murphy moves into the clinch successfully.
Murphy is trying to break free.
Griffith jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Murphy walks away with a smile on his face. Griffith gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Murphy closes the distance and pushes Griffith back into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Griffith jumps guard but Murphy turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Murphy tries to pull guard but Griffith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Murphy wants to break free but Griffith has control.
Griffith drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Murphy gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Stalling in the clinch from Griffith.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Murphy can't break the clinch.
Murphy wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alex Murphy.
I think Murphy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Alex Murphy!