PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Morrison (ranked 3303 p4p, 2235 weight class) and Kaimana Makani (ranked 384 p4p, 280 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Makani's choice of entrance music: How far I'll go. Alexander Morrison is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Morrison
vs
Makani

175 cm
26
160
3 - 2 - 0

160 cm
19
163
3 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

The Natural Order

Nutritional Shaved Ice

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexander Morrison!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kaimana Makani!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Alec Ball and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Makani feints and as Morrison raises his hands in defense, Makani changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Morrison working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Makani.
Makani has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Morrison looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Makani puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Makani missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Makani is trying to control the action in half guard but Morrison is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Morrison controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Morrison wants to get back to his feet.
Morrison blocking the ground and pound attempt from Makani.
Morrison has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makani content to control rather than advance.
Makani thows a huge punch but Morrison dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makani is trying to control the action in half guard but Morrison is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Makani is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Morrison wants to control but Makani is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Makani not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Makani sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Morrison defending well though.
Makani landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Makani wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morrison keeps working.
Makani thows a huge punch but Morrison dodges it nicely.
Morrison keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Makani.
Makani with the ground and pound but Morrison uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Makani throws a big right hand that misses.
Makani won't allow Morrison to sweep him here.
Morrison will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Morrison keeping moving, preventing Makani from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A telegraphed right hand from Morrison misses the target.
And Makani tries to counter it with a takedown but Morrison pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Morrison throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morrison leaves Makani with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Morrison closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Kaimana Makani has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makani tries for a takedown but Morrison circles away easily
and Morrison counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Makani has his takedown stuffed
letting Morrison counter with a right hand.
Alexander Morrison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kaimana Makani.
Makani walks into a stiff left hand from Morrison.
Makani has a takedown stuffed.

Makani scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Morrison knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Makani on the ground.
Makani working the ground and pound.
Morrison tries to buck Makani off but Makani is having none of it.
Morrison taking punishment in the form of punches.
Morrison is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makani throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Makani goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Morrison has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Makani but great work by Morrison.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Makani is looking for a sweep.
Makani is trying to control Morrison's posture but Morrison avoids it.
Morrison wants to stand but Makani is controlling his arm.
Morrison happy to just control the position for now.
Morrison wants to stand but Makani has his arm trapped.
Makani manages to get back to half guard.
Makani striking from the bottom.
Morrison wants to lay and pray for a moment but Makani keeps working.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kaimana Makani will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kaimana Makani's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Makani throws the left hand but Morrison avoids the punch easily.

Makani drives through with a takedown into Morrison's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Makani is looking to work some ground and pound but Morrison has wrist control.
Morrison is trying to control the position but Makani postures up.
Kaimana Makani has got the better of the ground game so far.
Makani working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Morrison working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Makani.
Makani showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Makani with a flurry of punches that miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makani working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Morrison avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Makani throws a strike but Morrison rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Morrison wanted to stand there but Makani had control of the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Makani pulls Morrison in close to his closed guard and prevents Morrison from doing any damage or advancing position.

Makani looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Morrison stays in close to Makani's body and controls the position.
Morrison wants to stand but Makani is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two 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.
Morrison won't allow Makani to sweep him here.
Makani managing to control the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Morrison trying to control but Makani is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Morrison misses with a hook.
Makani shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Morrison counters with a left to the body.
Nice takedown defense from Morrison. No joy for Makani on that attempt.
Morrison swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

Morrison gets caught napping as Makani dives in and scores a takedown. Morrison manages to retain guard.
Makani wants to control from the top but Morrison keeps moving.
Morrison utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makani postures up and lands a big shot to Morrison's brow.
Morrison is trying to keep Makani in close.
Makani working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Morrison's head.
Makani postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Makani postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Morrison trying to control the position.
Morrison utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Makani scoring with some ground and pound.
Makani loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makani throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Makani throws a big right hand that misses.
Makani is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Makani with a nice head shot there.
Makani landing some decent shots from guard.
Makani trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Makani distracts Morrison with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Morrison controlling the position.
Makani postures up in Morrison's guard and throws a big left but Morrison blocks it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kaimana Makani showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Kaimana Makani's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Makani.

Morrison gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Makani's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Morrison preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Makani keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Morrison's head.
Morrison controls Makani momentarily but Makani frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makani chips away with some ground and pound.
Morrison keeping moving, preventing Makani from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrison has momentary wrist control but Makani slips an elbow through the middle.
Makani stands up over Morrison, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Makani throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morrison works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Makani looking to pass the guard.
Makani scoring with some ground and pound.
Makani not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Makani trying to control but Morrison is working from the bottom.
Makani postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison keeping full guard, as Makani tries to pass.
Morrison is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Makani connects with a couple of short punches.
Makani throwing strikes but missing.
Morrison working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Makani.
Makani in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Makani has a takedown stuffed.
As Makani looks to move away, Morrison throws a big counter combo but Makani just gets out of the way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrison misses the jab.

Makani scores with a takedown into Morrison's guard.

Makani drops back looking for a leg! Morrison is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Morrison manages to kick Makani off! Makani jumps back into Morrison's guard.
Makani with a flurry of punches that miss.
Makani has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morrison preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morrison on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Morrison tries to get out of the position.
Morrison is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Makani seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makani throws an elbow that misses. Morrison uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Makani's guard. Nice move by Morrison!

Makani punching to the body, from the bottom.
Makani looking to control.
Morrison sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Morrison would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Makani working a defensive guard here.
Alexander Morrison has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morrison has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Makani is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kaimana Makani comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Makani winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight for Kaimana Makani!
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight for Kaimana Makani!
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight for Kaimana Makani!

Kaimana Makani wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Kaimana Makani thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.