PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Holmes (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
Holmes

185 cm
20
201 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Morgan !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, William Peck and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morgan lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Morgan pivots, looking for a leg kick but Holmes is out of range and Morgan settles back down.
Morgan sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Holmes throws a body punch but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan lands with a kick to the temple. Holmes shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Morgan misses with the combination.
Holmes tries to land a body kick
and Morgan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A punch combination from Morgan misses.
Morgan is looking to clinch but Holmes is avoiding it.
Holmes closes the distance and lands a one-two.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Holmes feints and as Morgan raises his hands in defense, Holmes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Morgan keeping moving, preventing Holmes from controlling successfully.

Holmes stands up from Morgan 's guard - Holmes perhaps looking for a knockout.

Morgan clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Holmes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Holmes jumps into guard, dragging Morgan to the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morgan tries to free his leg and advance position but Holmes is retaining full guard.
Holmes looking to control.

Holmes working for a triangle but Morgan defends it easily.
Holmes looks gassed!

Holmes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Morgan passes into side control.
Holmes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Holmes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Holmes manages to get back to half guard.
Morgan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Holmes on the ground.

Holmes pushes Morgan off and gets back to his feet.

Holmes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Morgan tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Holmes has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Holmes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holmes get's back to his feet.
Holmes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Morgan pinned against the cage. Morgan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Morgan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Holmes with a lazy takedown attempt
and Morgan counters with a left and a right that stings Holmes.
Michael Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Holmes.
Holmes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Morgan 's waist but Holmes gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Holmes off to one side.

Holmes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Morgan pushes Holmes off looking to stand but Holmes dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holmes decides to stand up.

Holmes drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Holmes scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Morgan to see if he's OK.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!

Holmes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Holmes advances nicely into full mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Holmes is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Morgan has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Holmes is landing with some decent strikes but Morgan is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Holmes dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Morgan misses with a few strikes there.
Morgan misses with a series of wild punches.
Morgan tries to clinch there but Holmes circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morgan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Holmes shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Holmes was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Holmes scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Holmes trying to control but Morgan is having none of it.
A nice elbow there by Holmes.
Holmes with a couple of short strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Morgan can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Holmes fails to advance to Morgan 's back.

Holmes get's back to his feet.
Morgan misses with a double jab

and Holmes moves into the clinch.

Holmes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Morgan lands a head kick!
Holmes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Holmes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morgan swivels and escapes.
Morgan with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Holmes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Morgan as he jumps to the side.
Michael Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Holmes.
Morgan darts in trying to clinch

and Holmes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound. Holmes wants to pass the guard but Morgan is keeping the position.
Morgan keeping moving, preventing Holmes from controlling successfully.
Holmes prevents Morgan from getting back to his feet.
John Holmes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Holmes throws a strike but Morgan rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Holmes is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Morgan trying to control but Holmes is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Morgan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Holmes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morgan is one step ahead there.
Holmes looking to control but Morgan passes into half guard.
Morgan is thwarting Holmes's attempts to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Holmes pushes Morgan off looking to stand but Morgan dives back in and keeps control.
Holmes is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Morgan jumps into side control!

Morgan decides to stand back up. Morgan steps back and let's Holmes get back to his feet.
Holmes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Holmes closes the distance and clinches up with Morgan , looking for a takedown. Holmes pushes Morgan against the cage but Morgan circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Holmes circles away from the clinch attempt

and Holmes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Holmes.
Holmes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Holmes won't allow Morgan to sweep him here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morgan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Holmes controls the pace.
Morgan is looking to sweep but instead, Holmes has passed into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Holmes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Holmes is looking to clinch.
Good work by Holmes as he checks the leg kick.
Morgan tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Holmes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Morgan has one foot on Holmes's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Holmes shoots in for a takedown but Morgan shows good takedown defense.
Morgan closes the distance but Holmes moves to the side

and Holmes counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Holmes tries to pull guard but Morgan won't allow it.
Holmes fails to pull guard.
Michael Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Holmes.
Morgan 's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

Morgan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from Morgan . No joy for Holmes on that attempt.

Morgan forces Holmes back against the cage and clinches.
Holmes is working for takedown but Morgan is calmly controlling the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holmes wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Holmes has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Morgan is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Holmes successfully pulls guard.
Morgan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Morgan postures up.
Holmes throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Holmes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Holmes is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Morgan has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Holmes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Holmes stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Michael Morgan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan connects with a high kick.
Holmes misses with a takedown attempt - Morgan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Holmes feints and as Morgan raises his hands in defense, Holmes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Holmes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morgan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Morgan is wriggling around but Holmes manages to pass to half guard.
Morgan is doing well to control the position and prevent Holmes from advancing to side control.
Holmes trying to control from half guard but Morgan is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holmes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Morgan is trying to control but Holmes manages to pass to mount!
Morgan can't escape the position.
Holmes looking to control and managing it successfully.
Holmes throwing strikes here but Morgan is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Morgan is looking to improve his position but Holmes isn't that keen on the idea.
Holmes lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Morgan is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Holmes trying to control but Morgan is having none of it.
Morgan working to try and regain half guard.
Michael Morgan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holmes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Morgan is looking to escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Holmes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Holmes 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 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Holmes!