PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Swick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bubbi Morthens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mike Swick has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Swick
vs
Morthens

185 cm
24
170 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Swick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bubbi Morthens!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Joseph Jones and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Swick closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Morthens tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Swick just stands there and leans against the cage.

Morthens gets control of Swick's arms and successfully pulls guard. Morthens will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Morthens has a closed guard, preventing Swick from standing up.
Swick knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Morthens on the ground.

Morthens throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Swick has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Morthens is proving hard to escape from.
Morthens trying to keep a closed guard but Swick is proving a slippery customer.

Morthens looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morthens is working an open guard so Swick takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Swick throws a right hand that Morthens ducks under and follows up with a left that Morthens also avoids with ease.
Morthens fails with a takedown attempt.
Swick tries a head kick but it misses.
Morthens slips a jab and a cross from Swick.
Swick misses with a two punch combination.
Swick rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morthens moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morthens shoots in looking for a takedown. Swick tries to sprawl out of it but Morthens keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Swick manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mike Swick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bubbi Morthens.

Swick gets a clinch.

Swick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Swick tries to bum rush Morthens with a series of wild strikes but Morthens uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Swick slaps away a takedown attempt from Morthens, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Morthens fails with the takedown.

Morthens shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Morthens was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Morthens looks gassed!
Morthens won't let Swick get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Morthens in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
You get the feeling that Swick really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Swick avoids a series of strikes thrown by Morthens.

Morthens wants to finish this one by submission but Swick is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Morthens.
Swick tries to buck Morthens off but he can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morthens is stalling here but it's allowed Swick to get half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Swick is trying to stand.
Morthens throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Morthens prevents Swick from standing back up.

Morthens seems to be looking for submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morthens dodges the punch combination from Swick.
Swick misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
No luck for Morthens with that takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Swick.
Morthens fails to land the takedown.
Morthens takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Morthens steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Swick. That one must have hurt.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Swick. Morthens shrugs it off though.
Swick throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Swick misses with a wild combination.
Morthens slips a jab and a cross from Swick.
Swick throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mike Swick 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.

Morthens shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Swick sprawls well. Swick wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Morthens gets slowly back to his feet.

Swick forces Morthens back against the cage and clinches.

Swick breaks from the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Morthens.
Swick lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Swick lands a jab-cross combination.
Swick throws a nice head kick!
Morthens tries to clinch but Swick moves out of range.
Morthens is breathing heavily.
Morthens takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Swick clinches up with Morthens and pushes him back against the cage.

Swick breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Swick paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Swick throws a good cross that connects.
Swick throws a sloppy head kick and Morthens moves out of range easily.
Swick's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Swick duly obliges.
Swick displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Swick displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Swick lands a jab.

Swick fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Morthens, pushing him back against the cage.

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

Swick clinches.

Swick's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Morthens looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Some wild striking there from Swick.
Swick scores with a one two! Morthens had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
No joy there for Swick, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Morthens avoids the head kick by Swick.
Swick scores with a three punch combo!
Mike Swick is winning the standup battle so far.
Swick scores with a nice head shot.
Mike Swick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Swick throws a head kick that half lands.
Swick feints and then cracks Morthens's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Morthens down.

Swick moves into the clinch.

Swick breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Swick lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Swick scores with a one two! Morthens had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Swick throws a series of punches but Morthens moves out of range.
Swick throws a sloppy head kick and Morthens moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Swick throws a series of punches but Morthens avoids them all with ease.
Morthens misses with a takedown attempt - Swick sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mike Swick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bubbi Morthens.
Swick throws a series of punches but Morthens avoids them all with ease.
Swick misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Swick lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Morthens looks for a takedown but Swick sprawls well.
Swick lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morthens circles away quickly and effectively.
Swick misses with an attempted mid kick.

Swick moves into range and clinches up with Morthens.
Swick makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Swick breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Morthens dodges the punch combination from Swick.
Swick connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Morthens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Swick lands a high kick!
Swick misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Swick has closed the distance and engaged Morthens in a clinch.
Morthens tries to pull guard but Swick won't allow it.

Swick breaks from the clinch.
Mike Swick seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morthens shoots in and drives through. Swick sprawls well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Swick bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Morthens's head backwards.
Morthens takes a kick to the side of the head.
Swick misses with a two punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Swick dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Morthens fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Swick leaves Morthens with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Swick throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Swick scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Swick stuffs the takedown.
Mike Swick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bubbi Morthens.

Swick has closed the distance and engaged Morthens in a clinch.

Swick breaks the clinch.
Swick misses with a jab, cross combination.
Morthens shoots in for a takedown but Swick shows good takedown defense.

Swick instigates a clinch.
Morthens takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Morthens fails to pull guard.

Swick breaks the clinch.
Morthens blocks a head kick by Swick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morthens showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Swick.
Swick looks to land a combination but Morthens avoids it well.
Swick throws a nice head kick!
A head kick misses from Swick.
Swick misses with a head kick.
Swick misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Swick!
Swick pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Swick misses with the combination.
Swick misses with a few strikes there.
Swick lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morthens circles away quickly and effectively.
Morthens misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morthens showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Swick.

Morthens closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Swick to the mat! Swick manages to get full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Swick is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Swick preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morthens throwing strikes but missing.
Morthens prevents Swick from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Swick uses the cage to get back to his feet.
No luck for Morthens with that takedown attempt.
Swick tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Morthens shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Swick napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Morthens in side control, throwing shots but Swick defends.
Morthens tries to advance to mount but can't.
Swick wants to get back to his feet but Morthens drags him back down.

Morthens is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Swick is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Morthens tries for a kimura but Swick is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Swick wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Mike Swick is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morthens in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Swick dodges the ground and pound from Morthens.
Bubbi Morthens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Swick is pushing Morthens's head away, looking to escape. Morthens manages to hold on to the position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Swick showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Swick, 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Swick!