PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Joe Calzaghe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Morton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Calzaghe
vs
Morton

185 cm
26
158 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

189 cm
27
156 lbs
7 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Calzaghe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mark Morton!
The judges for this bout are , and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Morton or perhaps it was just good defense by Calzaghe which made him look bad.

Calzaghe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Calzaghe controlling the action here.
Morton pushes Calzaghe off looking to stand but Calzaghe dives back in and keeps control.
Morton controlling the position well.
Calzaghe is pressing down on Morton's thigh, looking to free his foot. Morton is holding on for now.
Calzaghe controlling the action here.
Calzaghe trying to control the action but Morton is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joe Calzaghe.
Morton shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Calzaghe counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calzaghe throws a series of punches but Morton moves out of range.
Some wild striking there from Calzaghe.
Morton swats away the attempt to clinch by Calzaghe.
Calzaghe misses with a double jab.

Morton shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Calzaghe really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Calzaghe trying to control the position here.

Morton has gone for a leg lock! Calzaghe slips out almost immediately though and dives into Morton's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Calzaghe working away.
Morton is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Morton's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Morton is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Calzaghe is trying to get an arm triangle but Morton is defending well.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Morton can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Calzaghe is trying to get an arm triangle but Morton is defending well.
Morton is trying to get back to half guard.
Morton manages to get back to half guard.
Morton is looking to improve his position.
Morton is holding on to half guard well.
Calzaghe is looking to take a break and control but Morton is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morton is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Morton is trying to stand back up but Calzaghe is controlling him
Still in half guard, Calzaghe seems content to control.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Joe Calzaghe.
Calzaghe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Calzaghe fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Calzaghe tries to close the distance and clinch but Morton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Calzaghe fails with the takedown

and Morton decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Calzaghe's guard.
Calzaghe is breathing heavily.
Morton passes Calzaghe's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Morton wants to pass the guard but Calzaghe is defending well.

Morton is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Morton is looking for a kimura here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mark Morton will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

No luck for Morton with that takedown attempt.
Morton fails with a takedown attempt.

Calzaghe darts in and clinches Morton up against the cage.
Morton can't get the takedown.
Joe Calzaghe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Morton.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morton drops down looking for an ankle pick but Calzaghe pulls his leg out and moves away.
Morton is breathing heavily.
Calzaghe lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

Morton is rocked!

It looks like Mark Morton has been cut.

Calzaghe gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Calzaghe holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Calzaghe breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Calzaghe throws a leg kick but Morton moved away.
Calzaghe with a hook.
Morton is still on wobbly legs! Can Calzaghe finish him?
Calzaghe with a lazy takedown attempt

and Morton counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Morton seems to have recovered his senses.

Morton drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Calzaghe dives on top into guard.
Calzaghe postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Morton has his foot on Calzaghe's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Calzaghe works his way back into a safe position though.

Morton is looking for a triangle but Calzaghe pushes his legs off easily.
Calzaghe passes Morton's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Morton has a hand on Calzaghe's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Calzaghe takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe controlling from the full mount.
Morton is desperately trying to improve his position but Calzaghe has a good base and remains in mount.
Calzaghe can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Morton is looking to escape.
Morton is trying to escape the mount.
Calzaghe lands with some strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morton is trying to stand.
Calzaghe landing punches.
Calzaghe lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Calzaghe looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe lands with some strikes.

Calzaghe is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Morton to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Morton shrugs it off.
Morton tries to reverse the position but Calzaghe maintains control.
Calzaghe trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Morton regains half guard.
Calzaghe trying to control the action but Morton is working from the bottom.
Morton is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Calzaghe lands strikes from half guard.
Calzaghe is trying to control. Morton wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Morton wants to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Morton manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Calzaghe trying to control the position from guard on top but Morton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Calzaghe preventing the sweep.
Calzaghe passes into half guard.
Calzaghe slows the pace down in half guard.

Calzaghe is trying to work for a kimura but Morton is defending well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are battling for position here. Morton manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Calzaghe dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mark Morton's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Morton fails with a takedown attempt.
Left hook, right uppercut from Calzaghe.
Calzaghe lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Morton circles away quickly and effectively.
Morton tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Calzaghe swivels and escapes.

Calzaghe closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Morton did well to prevent Calzaghe getting side control.

Calzaghe is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Morton defends it well.
Calzaghe seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Morton does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Morton keeping hold of Calzaghe's head, controlling as best he can.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morton wants to control but Calzaghe is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morton looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Morton wants to improve his position but Calzaghe is controlling well.
Joe Calzaghe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Calzaghe in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Morton tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Calzaghe!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Joe Calzaghe!