PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Colby Taylor (ranked 79 p4p, 465 weight class) and Micah Murray (ranked 4 p4p, 39 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Murray

170 cm
28
145
21 - 3 - 1

170 cm
32
150
21 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel

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 21 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Colby Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Micah Murray!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Joseph Jones and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murray throws a big shot that misses.
Taylor scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Taylor cracks Murray with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Taylor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Murray.
Taylor walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Taylor lands with a shot to the body.
Taylor connects with a right hand. Murray shakes it off.
The fighters circling - Murray throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
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 throws a looping overhand right but Murray ducks down to avoid it.
Murray keeps the fight on the outside.
The fighters circling - Murray throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A little feinted left hand from Taylor on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Taylor. Murray does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taylor misses with a looping right.
Taylor tries to clinch but Murray is having none of it.
Murray is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Taylor.
Taylor throws a lazy right hand but Murray sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Taylor ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A jab from Taylor does it's job there.
The fighters circling - Taylor throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Murray throws a hook to the side of Taylor's head but Taylor sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A quick step to the side and Taylor tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Murray keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Decent striking displayed by Taylor there.
Murray keeps the fight on the outside.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Murray's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Taylor connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Murray scrambles back to his feet.
Taylor misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Murray.
Taylor catches Murray with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Taylor clinches with his opponent.
Taylor is trying to pull guard but Murray turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Taylor pulls guard successfully.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Murray tries to stand but Taylor is controlling from the bottom.
Taylor not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Taylor is looking for a triangle but Murray pushes his legs off easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Murray is aware though and is defending well.
Murray trying to stand up but can't free himself from Taylor's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Murray is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Murray looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.
Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Murray.
Taylor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Murray. Murray circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Murray looks to throw the jab but Taylor is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor wants to clinch
and Murray counters with a nice uppercut.
Murray throws a shot from downtown. Taylor moves away and avoids it.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Murray circles away.
Nice defenses there by Murray.
Taylor scores with a nice strike.
Taylor tries to clinch but Murray is having none of it.
Colby Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice straight punches there by Taylor. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Taylor.
A slow jab from Murray misses its intended target.
Taylor tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Taylor closes the distance and clinches.
Taylor can't find room to land a body shot as Murray controls the action.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Murray holds him up against the cage and eventually Taylor drops back down to his feet.
Murray tries to work over Taylor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Murray lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Taylor prevents a body shot from Murray.
Murray is struggling to control the position.
Murray content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murray lands with a right to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murray is struggling to control the position.
Taylor tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Murray misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Murray forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colby Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor has a couple of punches blocked by Murray.
Murray blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taylor being controlled against the cage.
Taylor fails to pull the fight into his guard.
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 tries to close the distance and clinch but Murray swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Murray moves away from the strike by Taylor.
A little jabbing left from Murray on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Murray manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Taylor looks to throw the jab but Murray is out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Colby Taylor will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A big left from Murray misses.
Murray uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Taylor.
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Murray.
Colby Taylor is winning the standup battle so far.
Murray throws out a loose jab but Taylor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Murray fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Taylor bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Taylor tries to clinch but Murray moves out of range.
A little jabbing left from Murray on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Murray takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Murray scores with a nice strike.
Taylor lands with a right hand.
Taylor takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Murray throws the left hand but Taylor avoids the punch easily.
Taylor throws a jab when Murray was well out of range.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Murray paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Murray feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Taylors jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Taylor slips a jab from Murray.
Murray might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Murray looks to throw the jab but Taylor is out of range.
A big left from Murray misses.
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Murray.
Taylor is looking to counter the offense by Murray and move into the clinch.
Taylor throws a sloppy body shot
and Murray counters with a straight right hand.
A big left from Taylor misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Murray looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Taylor connects with a looping right hand.
Murray throws a hook to the side of Taylor's head but Taylor sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Murray avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Murray manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor looks to score with a jab to the body but Murray is just out of range.
Murray looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.
Taylor moves out of range of the strikes.
Taylor throws out a loose jab but Murray uses good head movement to avoid it.
Taylor steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Murray.
Murray moves out of range as Taylor strikes.
Murray slips under a jab from Taylor.
Murray throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Taylor sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Murray looks to throw the jab but Taylor is out of range.
It looked like Taylor was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Murray.
Taylor tries to clinch up.
Murray swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Taylor throws a shot from downtown. Murray moves away and avoids it.
A telegraphed right hand from Murray misses the target.
Taylor misses with a straight right.
Murray drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray throws a lazy right hand but Taylor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Murray waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Taylor.
Taylor misses with a looping left.
A big left from Taylor misses.
Taylor with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Murray to score with a decent uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Taylor thows a left - swing and a miss!
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Murray! But no joy.
Taylor throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Taylor misses the shot to the body.
The fighters circling - Murray throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Murray steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Taylor.
Murray throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Murray in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Taylor misses with a hook.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice defenses there by Taylor.
Taylor was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Taylor displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Murray throws out the jab.
Murray misses the jab.
Murray takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A slow jab from Murray misses its intended target.
Taylor jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Murray moves away.
Taylor misses with a straight left.
Taylor throws a poor cross that misses
and Murray counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Murray pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Murray keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Murray pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Taylor ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Murray pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Taylor is looking to counter punch.
Murray thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taylor uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Murray.
Taylor 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.
Taylor throws a jab but it's blocked by Murray.
Taylor moves out of range as Murray strikes.
Taylor misses with a looping left.
Taylor fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Murray manages to avoid it.
Taylor tries to clinch
and Murray counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Murray drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Murray.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Murray avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Decent striking displayed by Taylor there.
Nice defenses there by Taylor.
Murray throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Murray defending well as Taylor loads up on a big left hand.
Murray avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Murray throws the left hand but Taylor avoids the punch easily.
Taylor throws a body punch but Murray moves out of range.
Murray looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Murray takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Murray keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.

Taylor pushes Murray up against the cage in a clinch.
Taylor is trying to pull guard but Murray has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Murray won't allow it.
Taylor misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Micah Murray will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Murray lands with an uppercut that bounces Taylor off the cage and back into range.
Murray looks to throw the jab but Taylor is out of range.
Taylor wants to clinch.
Taylor shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

Taylor gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Murray looking to slow down the pace here.
Taylor tries to throw a body punch but Murray avoids it by throwing Taylor back against the cage.
Taylor blocks a body shot from Murray.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taylor tries to throw a body punch but Murray avoids it by throwing Taylor back against the cage.
Taylor tries to pull guard but Murray forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Murray makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Taylor is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Murray to keep the fight standing.
Taylor lands a nice uppercut.
A hook to the body from Taylor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor working aggressively here.
Taylor scores with a shoulder strike.
Murray blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taylor cracks Murray with a nice body shot.
Taylor blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taylor is trying to pull guard but Murray has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Colby Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short left from Murray.
Murray blocks an uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Murray is working Taylor over against the cage.
Murray prevents a body shot from Taylor.
Taylor throws a punch but it's blocked by Murray.
Murray misses with a punch to the body.
Taylor blocks a body shot from Murray.
Murray works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Murray works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murray goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Colby Taylor has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Murray lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Taylor is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Murray trying to stall but Taylor improves his position.
Taylor lands with a light punch inside.
Taylor throws a head punch that misses.
Murray fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Murray misses with the head strike.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Murray just stands there and leans against the cage.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Murray smiles and moves away.
Murray avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taylor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Murray manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Murray moves away.
It seemed like Murray was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A slow jab from Murray misses its intended target.
Taylor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Murray.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Murray throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Taylor sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Taylor throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Murray sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Murray looks to land a right hand but Taylor moved out of range.
Taylor tries to clinch there but Murray circles away.
Murray throws a hook but Taylor avoids it easily.
Taylor tries to clinch but Murray is having none of it.
Taylor tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Murray counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Taylor is looking to clinch.
Taylor fails with an attempt to clinch.
Murray ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taylor looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Murray swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Murray misses with an uppercut. Taylor saw that one coming.
Taylor tries to clinch up but Murray circles away and keeps his distance.
Taylor ducks under a wild hook from Murray.
Taylor cracks Murray with an open hand slap.
Murray throws a jab when Taylor was well out of range.
Nice jab there from Murray.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor staying out of range there.

Taylor closes the distance and clinches.
Taylor blocks an uppercut.
Murray blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Taylor struggles to land a body shot inside as Murray controls his hands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Taylor is leaning against Murray and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Murray's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
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.
Murray is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Taylor tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Murray just stands there and leans against the cage.
Taylor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Taylor lands a nice uppercut.
Taylor tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Micah Murray comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Murray 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29

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