PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Morales (ranked 2732 p4p, 2761 weight class) and Daniel Sanninen (ranked 355 p4p, 358 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Morales
vs
Sanninen

187 cm
27
202
8 - 6 - 0

190 cm
25
191
7 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

PWNAGE™

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ricardo Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Daniel Sanninen!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Topper Green and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morales connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Morales swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Morales moves into range and clinches up with Sanninen.
A nice right hand lands inside from Morales.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Sanninen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Morales's brow.

Morales escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Morales looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Morales closes the distance and clinches.
Sanninen told us before the fight that he's been working on his elbows. An under utilised technique these days - let's see if it can sway the outcome of the fight.
Sanninen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Morales changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sanninen fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sanninen throws a hook but Morales avoids it easily.
Morales was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Sanninen throws a combination that misses
and Morales connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sanninen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Morales manages to avoid it.
Morales thows a left - swing and a miss!
Morales doesn't manage to clinch there - Sanninen circles away.
Sanninen is looking for the big counter here.
Morales throws a body kick that misses.
Morales avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales tries to clinch up.
Sanninen now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Sanninen tries a head kick but it misses.
Morales looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Morales tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Sanninen tries to keep at a distance but Morales has taken the fight into the clinch.
Morales dodges an elbow strike from Sanninen.
Morales blocks the elbow strike.
Sanninen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Sanninen tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Sanninen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Sanninen is defending well against a takedown attempt.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Sanninen.
Morales is trying to pull guard but Sanninen has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Morales. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morales avoids a wild elbow strike from Sanninen.
Sanninen pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sanninen throws an elbow but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Morales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanninen throws a nice outside leg kick.

Sanninen gets tackled into the cage by Morales. Morales maintains the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morales jumps guard but Sanninen stands there with Morales around his waist. Morales gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Morales makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Morales jumps guard but Sanninen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Morales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sanninen thows a leg kick but Morales checks it

and Morales counters with a series of strikes that sends Sanninen to the canvas! Morales follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!

Sanninen is rocked!
Sanninen looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanninen, not yet.
Sanninen is still in real trouble! Can Morales finish him?
Sanninen seems to have recovered his senses.

Sanninen has his foot on Morales's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Morales works his way back into a safe position though.

Sanninen throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Morales stands up from Sanninen's guard - Morales perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales feints and then cracks Sanninen's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Sanninen down.
Sanninen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Morales pushes Sanninen up against the cage in a clinch.

Morales breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Morales moves into the clinch successfully.
Morales goes for a takedown in the clinch but Sanninen prevents it.
Sanninen misses with an elbow strike.
Sanninen lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Ricardo Morales has been cut.
Morales tries to pull guard but Sanninen forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Morales breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morales wants to clinch up but Sanninen keeps it at a distance.
Sanninen is looking for the big counter here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Morales with that takedown attempt.
Sanninen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sanninen throws a quick inside leg kick.
Morales misses with a combination
and Sanninen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Sanninen gets tackled into the cage by Morales. Morales maintains the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sanninen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sanninen throws an elbow that misses.

Morales jumps guard.
Sanninen postures up.

Sanninen stands up and waves to Morales to follow him.
Morales tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sanninen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Daniel Sanninen will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ricardo Morales's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Morales tries to clinch but Sanninen moves out of range.
Sanninen on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Morales. Morales obviously looking to wear him down.
Sanninen swinging wildly here.
A looping hook to the body misses from Morales. Sanninen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sanninen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Morales throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sanninen.
Sanninen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sanninen swinging wildly here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sanninen. Sanninen circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A punch combination from Sanninen misses.
Sanninen lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanninen throws a one two combo.
Morales throws a nice outside leg kick.
Daniel Sanninen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Jab from Morales.
Morales rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sanninen moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
As Morales backs off Sanninen throws a huge counter combo but Morales manages to avoid it all.
Ricardo Morales seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morales fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A combination from Morales does no damage.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Sanninen! But no joy.
Sanninen looks to score with a jab to the body but Morales is just out of range.
Morales wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Morales is looking to clinch.
Morales tries to clinch but Sanninen is having none of it.
Morales misses with a right hand
enabling Sanninen to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morales tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sanninen defends well and Morales ends up having to push Sanninen into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Sanninen lands with a right to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sanninen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Sanninen misses with an elbow strike.
Sanninen throws an elbow but it misses.
Morales lands a nice shot to the body.

Morales pulls Sanninen into guard.
Sanninen throws a strike but Morales rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Morales stands up and waves to Sanninen to follow him.
A combination from Sanninen does no damage.
Morales seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Morales tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sanninen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
A head kick misses from Sanninen.
Morales dives in and grabs Sanninen's left leg, looking for a takedown. Sanninen pushes down on Morales's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricardo Morales. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morales goes for a double leg but Sanninen avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Sanninen continues to drive forward.

Morales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanninen falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Morales to counter with a crisp jab.
Morales tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sanninen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sanninen moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Daniel Sanninen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morales is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Sanninen throws a leg kick that misses.
Sanninen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Morales fails with the takedown
and Sanninen counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Sanninen as Morales shoots in.
Sanninen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Sanninen tests Morales's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Morales tries to clinch there but Sanninen circles away.
Morales misses with a double jab.
Sanninen lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Oooooh!!! Sanninen has knocked Morales down with a huge combo! Sanninen steps away and waves a wobbly Morales back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Morales is rocked!
Sanninen throws an overhand right that drops Morales like a sack of potatoes! Sanninen dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Daniel Sanninen!
Post fight, Daniel Sanninen took to the microphone: 'Some lucky lady's gonna be sucking these sweaty assed toes tonight!'.