PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Liam Neeson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hideaki Murakami (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liam Neeson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Neeson
vs
Murakami

175 cm
26
146 lbs
7 - 6 - 0

171 cm
27
148 lbs
5 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Dragon

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 7 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Liam Neeson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hideaki Murakami!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murakami swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Neeson.

Neeson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Murakami tries to improve position but can't.
Neeson moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Murakami is looking to regain half guard here but Neeson keeps moving and retains side control.
Neeson controls the position.
Neeson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Murakami for as long as he can get away with.
Murakami tries to buck Neeson off but Neeson is having none of it.
Murakami is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Murakami takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Murakami is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Neeson is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami is looking to reverse the position.
Murakami manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Neeson is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Murakami looking for submissions off his back.
Neeson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Neeson is working for a submission of some sort.
Murakami gets back to full guard.
Murakami wants to sweep here but Neeson controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neeson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Murakami escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Neeson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Neeson preventing the sweep.
Neeson controls from within his opponent's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murakami looking to control.
Murakami is looking to stand up but Neeson isn't so interested in that idea.
Neeson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murakami swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Murakami lands a jab to Neeson's midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Neeson blocks the low kick.
Neeson shoots in looking for a takedown but Murakami manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Neeson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Neeson shoots in and drives through. Murakami sprawls well.

Neeson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Neeson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Murakami is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Neeson landing a few strikes.
Murakami tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Neeson presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Murakami keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Neeson controlling from mount.
Murakami is bucking up trying to escape but Neeson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami can't escape the position.
Neeson controlling from mount.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Murakami is wriggling around trying to escape.
Neeson controlling the pace for now.
Murakami is looking to get to half guard.
Neeson content just to control the position here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neeson's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Neeson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Murakami looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liam Neeson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Neeson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Murakami throws a head kick that misses.
Murakami defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Neeson.

Neeson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Murakami to the ground. Neeson is now in Murakami's guard.
Murakami wants to get back to his feet but Neeson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Neeson controlling from the top position.
Murakami looking to control.
Neeson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Neeson postures up.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Hideaki Murakami wasn't active enough on the ground.
A big right from Murakami misses.
Murakami tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A chopping leg kick lands by Murakami.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murakami listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Murakami fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Neeson is out of range.
Murakami throws a big shot that misses.

Murakami gets caught flat footed, as Neeson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Neeson is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Liam Neeson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Murakami is looking for a triangle but Neeson pushes his legs off easily.
Neeson distracts Murakami with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Neeson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Neeson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Neeson wants to pass the guard but Murakami is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murakami being controlled here, momentarily.
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!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Murakami is looking for a triangle but Neeson pushes his legs off easily.

Neeson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Murakami has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Neeson has managed to get both his arms back between Murakami's legs - danger averted.
Neeson stands and throws Murakami's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Neeson is staying tight to Murakami's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Murakami tries to buck Neeson off but Neeson is having none of it.
Neeson is staying tight to Murakami's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Neeson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neeson remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Murakami tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Murakami taking punishment in the form of punches.
Murakami tries to improve position but can't.
Murakami is letting Neeson control him for a moment.
Murakami tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Neeson presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Murakami is looking to get to half guard.
Neeson landing punches.
Neeson controlling the pace for now.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neeson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neeson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Murakami's face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Liam Neeson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Neeson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murakami as he avoids it easily.
Murakami misses with a body kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Murakami.
Murakami thows a body shot but no joy.
Murakami throws a sloppy head kick and Neeson moves out of range easily.
Murakami scores with a hook to the body. Neeson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Neeson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Murakami pinned against the cage. Murakami gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Murakami misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Murakami throws a body punch but Neeson moves out of range.
Murakami looks to land a combination but Neeson avoids it well.
Murakami throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Neeson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Neeson shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Murakami napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Murakami is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Murakami takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Neeson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Murakami down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neeson taking a breather here.
Murakami tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Murakami is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Still in half guard, Neeson seems content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Liam Neeson wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Murakami missing with a left hand there. Neeson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Neeson dives in and grabs Murakami's left leg, looking for a takedown. Murakami pushes down on Neeson's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Liam Neeson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murakami throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Murakami motions for Neeson to come forward. Murakami throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Murakami throws a half hearted mid kick.
Neeson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Good standup being displayed there by Neeson as he connects with a hook.
Neeson shoots in but Murakami avoids the takedown attempt easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Neeson ducks under a wild hook from Murakami.
Murakami misses with the combination.
Murakami lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Neeson circles away quickly and effectively.
Murakami misses with a body kick.

Neeson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Neeson scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Neeson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Murakami has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Neeson in particular looking to stall.
Murakami tries to roll over but Neeson keeps him under control.
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. Neeson connects with a nice short shot to Murakami's temple.
Murakami tries to get to full guard but Neeson has control of the leg.
Neeson lands strikes from half guard.
Still in half guard, Neeson seems content to control.
Neeson slips a nice elbow through Murakami's hands, connecting with Murakami's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murakami wants to improve his position but Neeson is controlling well.
Neeson lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Neeson prevents Murakami from improving his position.

Neeson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Murakami won't allow Neeson to pass to mount.
Hideaki Murakami has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Neeson content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Neeson drops an elbow to the side of Murakami's head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Liam Neeson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Neeson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Liam Neeson!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Liam Neeson!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Liam Neeson!

Liam Neeson wins by unanimous decision!
After the fight, Liam Neeson was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.