PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ikki Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xavier Francis (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.

Morgan
vs
Francis

150 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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KING NUTRITION

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ikki Morgan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Xavier Francis!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Shirou Masuda and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Francis fails with an attempt to clinch.
Morgan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Morgan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Francis sprawls well. Francis wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Morgan gets slowly back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Francis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch but Francis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Francis wants to clinch up but Morgan keeps it at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Francis stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Francis wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ikki Morgan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morgan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Francis sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Francis paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Morgan really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...

Francis shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
I looks like Francis might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's two 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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Xavier Francis just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morgan throws a head kick but Francis moves out of range.
Morgan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Morgan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Morgan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Francis clinches but Morgan breaks the clinch
and Morgan cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Francis counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Morgan is breathing heavily.
Francis tries to stand but Morgan is controlling from the bottom.
Francis 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.

Morgan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Francis must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Francis wants to pass the guard but Morgan is keeping the position.
Francis's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francis makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Francis controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Morgan really is a fat lump.
Francis won't allow Morgan to sweep him here.
Francis 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Francis dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Morgan tries to clinch but Francis moves away

and Francis counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Francis content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Let's hope that Francis has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Xavier Francis just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Francis tries to clinch but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan has his takedown stuffed

and Francis counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Francis stalling.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Francis is thwarting Morgan's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
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. Francis connects with a nice short shot to Morgan's temple.
Francis is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Xavier Francis has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morgan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Morgan.
Francis is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Francis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Francis showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Morgan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Morgan is looking to stand up but Francis isn't so interested in that idea.
Francis is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Francis throws a big right hand that misses.
Francis 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.
Francis distracts Morgan with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Francis stays in close to Morgan's body and controls the position.
Francis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Morgan is proving hard to escape from.

Francis avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Francis 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.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Francis advances position into side control!
Francis just content to control the position.
Morgan gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Francis seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Francis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Morgan tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Francis counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Xavier Francis just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morgan wants to land a leg kick but Francis is out of range.
Morgan is looking to clinch but Francis is avoiding it.
Morgan tries for a takedown but Francis circles away easily

so Francis counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Francis content to stall in guard here.
Morgan wants to stand up but Francis is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Francis is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Francis with a nice head shot there.
Morgan doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Francis sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's two 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.
Francis's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Morgan controls Francis momentarily but Francis frees himself.
Morgan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Francis controls the pace.
Francis won't allow Morgan to get back to his feet.
Francis is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Xavier Francis just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morgan takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Xavier Francis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ikki Morgan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Francis doesn't manage to clinch there - Morgan circles away.
Morgan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Francis counters with a shoot takedown. Morgan fights it but they end up in guard.
Francis is stalling in the full guard.
Morgan is trying to control the position but Francis postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Francis 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.
Morgan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Francis stays in close to Morgan's body and controls the position.
Ikki Morgan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Francis passes easily into side control. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xavier Francis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Francis has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 26:30
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xavier Francis!