PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mabishiro Sakamoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and chris murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Mabishiro Sakamoto has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Mabishiro Sakamoto seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Sakamoto
vs
murphy

175 cm
20
160 lbs
4 - 28 - 0

180 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Empire Threads - Featuring Deadly Clothing

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 4 - 28 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mabishiro Sakamoto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, chris murphy!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Franklyn Lucas and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

murphy closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

murphy is looking for a kimura here.
murphy takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sakamoto is looking for a sweep. murphy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
murphy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Sakamoto pushes murphy off looking to stand but murphy dives back in and keeps control.
Sakamoto is refusing to be controlled, as murphy sits in half guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

chris murphy has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Sakamoto gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and murphy counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by murphy.
Sakamoto is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakamoto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. murphy smiles and moves away.

Sakamoto tries to sprawl but murphy drives through with a takedown into half guard.
murphy with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

murphy is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sakamoto is trying to maintain the position but murphy is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
murphy wants to take a breather but Sakamoto is having none of it.

The ref stands the fighters back up. chris murphy was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Sakamoto has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by murphy.

murphy shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
murphy with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto won't allow murphy to pass to mount.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with murphy in particular looking to stall.

murphy is working for a kimura but Sakamoto is defending it quite comfortably.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
murphy looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sakamoto with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

murphy is working for a kimura but Sakamoto is defending it quite comfortably.
murphy perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
murphy is keen to just control but Sakamoto is a slippery customer.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. murphy connects with a nice short shot to Sakamoto's temple.
murphy is nestled in close to Sakamoto, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
murphy content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Sakamoto is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

chris murphy dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

murphy clinches with his opponent.

murphy pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sakamoto leaves murphy with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
murphy looking to land some kicks to the body here.

murphy gets the takedown into side control.
murphy throwing shots but missing, from side control.

murphy has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Nice sprawl there from Sakamoto as murphy shoots in.
murphy tries to clinch there but Sakamoto circles away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
murphy throws a head kick that Sakamoto semi-blocks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakamoto wants to clinch up but murphy keeps it at a distance.

murphy closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sakamoto did well to prevent murphy getting side control.
murphy trying to pass the guard but Sakamoto defending well.
Sakamoto is looking to control murphy's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sakamoto avoid being mounted?
murphy wants to stand but Sakamoto has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Sakamoto is not content to let murphy control the position.
Sakamoto wants to control but murphy is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
murphy looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
murphy with a poor takedown

and Sakamoto counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Mabishiro Sakamoto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of chris murphy.

Sakamoto decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
murphy doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Sakamoto counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

murphy is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Sakamoto is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short uppercut from murphy.

murphy breaks the clinch.

murphy gets a clinch.
Sakamoto 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. Sakamoto gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sakamoto tries to land a front kick but murphy steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Sakamoto takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

murphy shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sakamoto's guard.
Sakamoto controls murphy momentarily but murphy frees himself.
Sakamoto manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
murphy is trying to reverse the position but instead Sakamoto has taken his back - oops!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
murphy is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Sakamoto.

Sakamoto is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. murphy defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Sakamoto is persistently looking for the submission but murphy is defending it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mabishiro Sakamoto 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. This is the final round!

murphy closes the distance and pushes Sakamoto back into the cage.

murphy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mabishiro Sakamoto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

murphy scores a takedown into full mount!

murphy stands up from mount. Strange move.
Sakamoto takes a shot to the body in his stride.
murphy closes the distance looking to clinch

and Sakamoto counters with a single leg into guard. murphy didn't expect that.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sakamoto won't allow murphy to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sakamoto throws and elbow that misses. murphy uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sakamoto's guard. Nice move by murphy!

murphy stands up from Sakamoto's guard - murphy perhaps looking for a knockout.

murphy moves into the clinch successfully.
murphy goes for a takedown attempt but Sakamoto pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Sakamoto clinches up against the cage.
murphy is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Sakamoto is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto is trying to break free.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by murphy as Sakamoto tries to tie him up.

murphy ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. murphy no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
murphy is pulling down on Sakamoto's head. It's preventing any offense from Sakamoto, at least for the moment.
murphy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sakamoto. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Sakamoto trying to control but murphy is working from the bottom.
murphy trying to keep a closed guard but Sakamoto is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sakamoto trying to control the position from guard on top but murphy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

murphy feints and as Sakamoto raises his hands in defense, murphy changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
murphy trying to control but Sakamoto is working from the bottom.
Sakamoto trying to control the position.
murphy trying to control but Sakamoto is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sakamoto is looking for a triangle here but murphy uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
You can see the frustration on Sakamoto's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sakamoto prevents murphy from improving position.
murphy landing strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
chris murphy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well murphy 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 28:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... chris murphy!