PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Colby Taylor (ranked 118 p4p, 214 weight class) and Micah Murray (ranked 7 p4p, 17 weight class). Colby Taylor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taylor
vs
Murray

170 cm
28
145
19 - 2 - 1

170 cm
31
150
20 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Shadow Realm Apparel
Northern Zombie

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 19 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Colby Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Micah Murray!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Reed Andrews and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murray keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A countering left hand to the body from Murray misses.
Murray connects with a good right hand that stumbles Taylor. Taylor circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Taylor misses with a looping right.
Murray bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Murray swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Murray rushes Taylor and presses him up against the cage.

Taylor has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Murray uses from the top position.
Murray preventing the sweep.
Murray is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Taylor trying to keep a closed guard but Murray is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Murray.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murray is working Taylor over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Taylor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Murray gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Taylor wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murray sitting in guard here, content to control.

Murray got a little sloppy there for a moment and Taylor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Murray has managed to get both his arms back between Taylor's legs - danger averted.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Murray accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Taylor escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Murray gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Taylor has his foot on Murray's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Murray works his way back into a safe position though.
Murray forces his way into half guard.
Murray tries to pass to full mount but Taylor defends it.
Murray has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

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.

Taylor looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Murray passes the guard and advances to mount!
Taylor looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Murray thowing shots but they're missing.
Taylor is looking to improve his position but Murray isn't that keen on the idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor is squirming around, avoiding Murray's attempts to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is desperately trying to improve his position but Murray has a good base and remains in mount.
Murray connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Taylor sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Taylor wants to control but Murray is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Taylor is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Murray pulls his head out easily.

Taylor actively working from the bottom here.
Taylor keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Murray wants to pass the guard but Taylor is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Taylor on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Taylor is staying active underneath Murray, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Taylor wants to get back to full guard.
Murray thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Taylor is not content to let Murray control the position.
Murray scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fighters are battling for position here. Taylor manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Taylor wants to control but Murray passes easily into half guard.
Taylor is not content to let Murray control the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Micah Murray dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Murray.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Murray swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Murray moves away from the strike by Taylor.
Taylor throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Murray sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
Murray connects with a looping right hand.

Murray forces Taylor back against the cage and clinches.
Taylor swings wildly with an uppercut but Murray uses good head movement to avoid it.
Taylor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Murray blocking some punches.
Murray working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Taylor jumps guard but Murray stands there with Taylor around his waist. Taylor gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Murray can't find room to land a body shot as Taylor controls the action.
Taylor tries to work over Murray's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Murray just stands there and leans against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Murray.
Murray stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colby Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short body shot lands from Taylor as the two fighters clinch.
Taylor misses with a body punch.
Murray lands a left hand.
Murray misses with a punch on the inside.
Taylor misses with a body punch.
Murray wants to stall.
Nice body punch from Taylor.
Taylor jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Murray walks away with a smile on his face. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Taylor defending well as Murray loads up on a big left hand.
Murray avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor tries to clinch but Murray is having none of it.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Taylor throws a body punch but Murray moves out of range.
Taylor staying out of range there.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up but Murray swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor slips under a jab from Murray.
Taylor uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Murray.
Murray fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Taylor on the side of the head.
Murray swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.
Taylor throws a jab but it's blocked by Murray.
Murray misses with a looping right.
Taylor lands a slapping body shot.

Murray moves into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taylor jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Murray walks away with a smile on his face. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Taylor connects with a looping right hand.
Murray keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Taylor.
Murray looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Taylor moves out of range of the strikes.
Murray misses with a looping left.
Taylor connects with a body shot that sends Murray's belly button to the back.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A big right from Taylor misses.
Murray scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Murray misses with a wild body shot.
Taylor is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throws a jab when Murray was well out of range.
The fighters circling - Murray throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Murray needs to keep his hands up - Taylor had a free shot at his head there.
Taylor throws a body punch but Murray moves out of range.
Taylor catches Murray with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Taylor looks to land a right hand but Murray moved out of range.
Murray tries to move into range but Taylor moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Taylor misses the jab.
Murray looks to score with a jab to the body but Taylor is just out of range.
Taylor is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Murray.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Murray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taylor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Murray. Murray circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Jab, jab by Taylor - just one landing.
Murray throws a hook but Taylor blocks it.
Murray lands a jab to the head.
A lazy left from Taylor finds it's target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Murray slips a straight right by Taylor.
A jab from Taylor misses.
Murray misses with an uppercut.
Taylor tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Murray manages to circle out of the way.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murray fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taylor manages to avoid it.
Taylor walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Jab by Murray.
Taylor throws an overhand right that lands on Murray's shoulder, as Murray tries to avoid the shot.
Taylor throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Murray throws out a counter right but Taylor avoids it with no problem.
Taylor waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Murray.
Colby Taylor is winning the standup battle so far.
Murray swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murray lands with a hook. Taylor tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Murray lands with a straight right. Taylor didn't see that one coming.
Taylor swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Murray misses with an uppercut.
Murray is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Taylor.
Taylor tries to clinch
letting Murray counter with a right hand.
Taylor smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Taylor listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Taylor loads up on a big right hand but Murray slips the punch.
Murray fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taylor manages to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Micah Murray showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Murray lands with a nice body punch.
Colby Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor throws out a powerful jab.
Murray has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Taylor rushes Murray and presses him up against the cage.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Murray forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Taylor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taylor tries a body shot but Murray blocks it.
Murray fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Taylor lands with a light punch inside.
Murray is pushing Taylor up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Taylor blocks an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taylor misses with a punch to the body.
Murray tries to stall but Taylor uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Taylor blocks a body shot from Murray.
Taylor misses with a short punch on the inside.
Murray has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Taylor seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Murray can turn it around.
Murray lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Murray.
Murray just leaning against Taylor, taking a breather.
Taylor throws a head punch that misses.
Taylor misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taylor throws a punch but it's blocked by Murray.
Taylor is trying to pull guard but Murray turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Taylor lands an uppercut.
Taylor works on Murray's body with a couple of short punches.
Taylor fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Murray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taylor misses with a punch to the body.
Taylor softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Murray gets control of Taylor's arms and successfully pulls guard. Murray will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Taylor stays in close to Murray's body and controls the position.
Murray controlling Taylor's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor trying to control but Murray is working from the bottom.
Murray has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Taylor stopping the sweep attempt from Murray.

Murray looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Taylor showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Murray misses with an uppercut.
A lazy left from Murray finds it's target.
Taylor is looking to clinch but Murray is avoiding it.
Taylor misses with a body shot.
Murray swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Murray throws a body punch but Taylor moves out of range.
Murray connects with a body shot.
Taylor is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Murray.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Taylor scores with a punch to the head.
Nice shot lands for Taylor.
Taylor misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murray.
Murray uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Taylor.
Murray swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Taylor misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murray.
Murray looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murray ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Taylor moves away.
Murray tests Taylor's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Murray takes a shot right to the bread basket.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Murray drives through and clinches with Taylor against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Taylor fails to land.
Murray blocking some punches.
Taylor misses with a punch to the body.
Taylor jumps guard but Murray turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colby Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murray blocks a body shot from Taylor.
Murray lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Taylor throws a head punch that misses.
Micah Murray is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Taylor swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Colby Taylor.
Well Murray 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Micah Murray!