PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between J P Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bubbi Morthens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morgan's entrance music is Money. A fine choice. 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.

P Morgan
vs
Morthens

176 cm
20
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
175 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, J P Morgan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bubbi Morthens!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Alyssa Summers and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Morthens.
Morgan throws a nice looking combination but Morthens bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Morthens shoots for a takedown but Morgan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Morgan digs a good hook to Morthens's body.
Morthens showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morgan.
Morgan throws a series of punches but Morthens avoids them all with ease.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Morgan.
Morgan working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Morthens tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Morgan blocks the strikes from Morthens.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morgan trying to control the position but Morthens is working away.
Morthens has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Morgan wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Morthens, who protects the arm well.
Morgan takes a little break here. Morthens wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morthens is looking for a sweep.
Morgan blocks the strikes from Morthens.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Morgan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Morgan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Morgan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morthens with a poor takedown

so Morgan counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
J P Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bubbi Morthens.
Morgan connects with a couple of short punches.
Morthens thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Morgan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Morgan landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan wants to control from the top but Morthens keeps moving.
Morgan throwing strikes but missing.
Morgan looking to sit in guard and control but Morthens gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Morgan looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Morthens passes into side control.
Morgan wants to control but Morthens postures up.
Morgan tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morthens working away.
Morthens is looking to take a break and control but Morgan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morgan is trying to control Morthens's posture but Morthens avoids it.

Morthens tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Morgan regains half guard.
Morthens looks gassed!

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.
Morgan is trying to stand.
Morthens slows the pace down in half guard.

Morthens is working for a kimura but Morgan is defending it quite comfortably.
Morthens prevents Morgan from improving his position.
Morgan tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Morgan is trying to maintain the position but Morthens is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

J P Morgan dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Morthens avoids a punch combination nicely.
Morthens misses with a takedown

and Morgan counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Morthens's guard now.
Morgan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morthens works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Morgan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Morgan wants to control from the top but Morthens keeps moving.

Morthens throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Morgan wants to control from the top but Morthens keeps moving.
Morthens is breathing heavily.
Morgan stands up over Morthens, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morthens throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Morgan is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Morgan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Morgan wants to pass the guard but Morthens is keeping the position.
Morgan throwing strikes from guard but Morthens blocks nicely.
Morgan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Morthens dodges the punch combination from Morgan.
Morgan looks to score with a jab to the body but Morthens is just out of range.

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.

Morgan closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Morgan performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Morthens throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Morgan not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Morgan has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Morgan jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Morthens is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Morthens and Morgan has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Morgan working the body and head with strikes.
Morgan scoring with punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan cracks Morthens with a big elbow.
Morthens tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Morgan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Morgan decides to stand back up. Morgan steps back and let's Morthens get back to his feet.

Morgan scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Morthens tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Morthens defending against the ground and pound.
Morgan tries to advance to mount but can't.
Morthens struggling a bit here.

Morgan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Morgan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Morgan gets to mount! Morthens was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morthens taking shots to the head.
Morgan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Morthens is looking to escape.
Morthens is looking to improve his position but Morgan isn't that keen on the idea.
Morgan can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Morthens is looking to escape.

Morgan is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Morthens is surviving well by controlling Morgan's body position as best he can.
Morthens is in a horrible position here. Morgan smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

J P Morgan dominated that second round.
That's time! Morgan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Morthens dodges the punch combination from Morgan.
Morgan misses with a series of wild punches.
Morthens gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Morgan decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Morthens's guard.

Morthens working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Morgan doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Morgan manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Morgan pushes down on Morthens's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Morgan scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Morgan seems to be looking for submissions.
Morthens desperately trying to maintain half guard.
J P Morgan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Morthens takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morgan is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Morthens is just riding it out for now. Morgan eventually gives up the hold.
Morthens is looking to improve his position.
Morgan performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Morgan is keen to just control but Morthens is a slippery customer.

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.
Morgan working over Morthens with some ground and pound. Morthens looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Morthens missing with punches from the bottom.
Morthens on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Morgan passes to side control.
Morthens is trying to improve his position.
Morgan trying to control the action but Morthens is working from the bottom.
Morgan is putting a hurting on Morthens here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan working the head and body with strikes.
Morthens tries to improve position but can't.
Morgan slows the pace down.

Morgan is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Morthens knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Morgan is looking to take a break and control but Morthens is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morgan scoring with punches and elbows.
Morthens is trying to control Morgan's posture but Morgan avoids it.
Morgan sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Morthens is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan taking a breather here.
Morthens is not content to let Morgan control the position.
The referee asks Morgan politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Morgan prefers to stall for the moment though.
Morthens tries to improve position but can't.

Morgan decides to stand back up. Morgan steps back and let's Morthens get back to his feet.
Morgan cracks Morthens with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Morthens dodges the punch combination from Morgan.
Bubbi Morthens has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
J P Morgan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morgan misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
J P Morgan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Morgan 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... J P Morgan!