PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Royce Gayce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akira Morris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Gayce
vs
Morris

165 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

169 cm
22
151 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Inexperienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Royce Gayce!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Morris!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gayce shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Morris is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Gayce is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Morris still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Morris has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Morris is looking to take a break and control but Gayce is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morris tries to advance to mount but Gayce denies him.

Morris tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Morris has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gayce prevents Morris from moving into mount.
Gayce is trying to control Morris's posture but Morris avoids it.
Morris wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gayce keeps working.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gayce shoots in looking for a takedown. Morris tries to sprawl out of it but Gayce keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Morris manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Morris shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gayce manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Morris controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gayce swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morris works a leg free and moves into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morris is looking to stall here but Gayce recovers full guard.
Morris is pushing down on Gayce's leg trying to pass to half guard. Gayce is fighting to maintain full guard but Morris has managed to sneak the leg through.
Morris passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Gayce!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris trying to control but Gayce is having none of it.

Morris goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Gayce turns into him and now he's in Morris's guard.
Gayce is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Gayce thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

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.

Morris working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gayce doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gayce manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gayce trying to control but Morris is working from the bottom.
Gayce is really struggling to control Morris but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Gayce trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morris tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Morris wants to hit a switch here but Gayce passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Morris there!
Morris manages to regain half guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Morris dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Morris scores a takedown into full mount!
Gayce tries to lock up and control but Morris gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gayce gets back to half guard.
Morris slows the pace down in half guard.
Morris prevents Gayce from improving his position.
Morris controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris is looking to advance position but Gayce won't allow it.

Gayce actively working from the bottom here.

Morris seems to be working for a kimura but Gayce defends the submission attempt.

Morris is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Morris is breathing heavily.
Gayce moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

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

Gayce working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Morris has passed into half guard!
Morris is keen to just control but Gayce is a slippery customer.

Morris is looking for a kimura but Gayce is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Morris to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gayce wants to control but Morris is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Morris passes to side control.

Morris goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Gayce has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Morris but great work by Gayce.

Gayce is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Morris knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Gayce cracks Morris with a big elbow.
Morris is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on Morris's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gayce trying to control the position but Morris is working away.
Morris takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

Gayce swings around for an armbar but Morris sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Gayce's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morris trying to control the position from guard on top but Gayce is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Morris looking to sit in guard and control but Gayce gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gayce 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Royce Gayce will probably get the nod.
That's time! Gayce's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Morris looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Morris is pressing down on Gayce's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gayce is holding on for now.
Morris wants to take a breather but Gayce is having none of it.
Gayce trying to control but Morris postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morris is looking to take a break and control but Gayce is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morris is working for a submission of some sort.

Gayce looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Gayce is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Morris pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gayce shoots and misses

and Morris counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Morris.
Morris trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Gayce manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Gayce is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Morris is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Morris has escaped and now he's on top!
Morris advances to half guard.
Morris wants to free his trapped foot but Gayce is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Morris is thwarting Gayce's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gayce knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Morris is keen to just control but Gayce is a slippery customer.
Morris is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Morris moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Gayce has worked his arm free - good work by Gayce!

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.
Morris remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Morris goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Gayce rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Morris's guard! Nice work there by Gayce!
Akira Morris has got the better of the ground game so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Gayce accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Akira Morris comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Morris 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 28:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akira Morris!