PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Sinistra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Murphy
vs
Sinistra

200 cm
20
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Dave Murphy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Brandon Sinistra!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sinistra tries to clinch there but Murphy circles away.

Murphy shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Murphy showed some decent athleticism there.
Sinistra tries to get to full guard but Murphy has control of the leg.

Murphy decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Sinistra tries to close the distance and clinch but Murphy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Murphy feints and as Sinistra raises his hands in defense, Murphy changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Sinistra trying to control the position.
Murphy trying to control the position from guard on top but Sinistra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Murphy wants to pass the guard but Sinistra is keeping the position.
Sinistra is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sinistra has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sinistra wants to sweep but no luck.
Murphy trying to control but Sinistra is working from the bottom.
Murphy looking to pass the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Sinistra tries to clinch there but Murphy circles away.
Brandon Sinistra seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Murphy darts in and clinches Sinistra up against the cage.

Murphy pulls guard effortlessly.
Sinistra advances position into side control!
Murphy tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sinistra wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sinistra misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Sinistra is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Murphy has escaped the position, nice work there.

Sinistra wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Murphy, who protects the arm well.
Murphy is breathing heavily.
Murphy is trying to get back to half guard.
Murphy is not content to let Sinistra control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sinistra controls the position.

Sinistra swings around for an armbar but Murphy sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Sinistra's guard.
Sinistra trying to control the position here.
Murphy is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Sinistra seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Murphy will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Murphy 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.
Sinistra wants to sweep but no luck.
Murphy lands a couple of elbows.
Murphy preventing the sweep.
Sinistra wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Murphy is now in half guard.
Murphy trying to pass the guard but Sinistra defending well.
Sinistra is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Murphy 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.

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Sinistra.
Sinistra clinches but Murphy breaks the clinch
and Murphy counters with a flying knee. Nice.
A head kick misses from Murphy.
Murphy bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Murphy fails to land the takedown.
Sinistra closes the distance looking to clinch
and Murphy counters with a head kick.
Murphy misses the shot to the body.
Sinistra shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Murphy counters by clinching up.
Sinistra gets underhooks to prevent Murphy's takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sinistra lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Murphy backwards.
Murphy dodges an elbow strike from Sinistra.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sinistra wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Sinistra.

Sinistra tightens his grip and picks Murphy up, before dumping him to the ground. Murphy manages to land in guard.
Sinistra is looking to stand up but Murphy won't let him.
Sinistra wants to pass the guard but Murphy is keeping the position.
Murphy is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sinistra is controlling him.
Sinistra loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Murphy is on top in guard.
Sinistra is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Murphy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sinistra looking for a guillotine here but Murphy defends easily.
Murphy tries to free his leg and advance position but Sinistra is retaining full guard.

Sinistra has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Murphy is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Sinistra.
Sinistra manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Sinistra wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sinistra actively working from the bottom here.
Sinistra is positioning himself well to prevent Murphy advancing to mount.
Sinistra trying to control but Murphy postures up.
Murphy wants to control but Sinistra is keeping him busy.
Murphy wants to stand up but Sinistra is controlling the position.
Sinistra slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Sinistra looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murphy is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Murphy has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sinistra is proving hard to escape from.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sinistra manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Sinistra looking to finish Murphy with some ground and pound. This is bad for Murphy!
Murphy can't escape the position.
Sinistra controlling the position easily from mount.
Murphy wants to hold on but Sinistra pushes him away.
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 Dave Murphy will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sinistra wants to clinch but Murphy slips to the side

and Murphy counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Murphy.
Murphy lands with a right to the head.
Murphy is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Sinistra 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. Sinistra gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Sinistra wants to clinch but Murphy slips to the side

and Murphy counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Murphy.
Sinistra looking to hit a scissor sweep but Murphy is one step ahead there.
Sinistra working a defensive guard here.
Murphy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Sinistra looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Murphy passes into side control.

Murphy has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Murphy has managed to clinch.
Sinistra stalling the fight.
Sinistra has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Murphy is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Murphy landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Sinistra has Murphy pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Sinistra pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Murphy tumbling to the mat - Sinistra dives into Murphy's guard.
Sinistra wants to pass the guard but Murphy is keeping the position.
Sinistra postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sinistra scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sinistra trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sinistra is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Murphy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Murphy has escaped and now he's on top!
Murphy trying to control but Sinistra is working from the bottom.
Murphy wants to pass the guard but Sinistra is keeping the position.
Sinistra manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Murphy manages to get himself to full guard.
Sinistra pushes down on Murphy's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is trying to stand back up but Sinistra is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sinistra looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Murphy is looking to improve his position.
Murphy won't allow Sinistra to pass to mount.
Sinistra trying to control the pace.
Murphy wants to control but Sinistra is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Sinistra is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Sinistra missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Sinistra looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Murphy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Sinistra is working away from the top position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dave Murphy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Murphy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dave Murphy!