PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between David Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dante Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Morgan
vs
Smith

183 cm
26
164 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

172 cm
25
164 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, David Morgan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Dante Smith!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A lazy body kick from Morgan

and Smith moves into the clinch.
Morgan is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Morgan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Smith working aggressively here.
A frustrated look appears on Morgan's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Smith lands a nice uppercut.
Morgan throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Smiths head.
Morgan is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Morgan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Smith is defending well for now.
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.
Smith scores with a shot to the side of Morgan's head.
Smith lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Smith displaying some good clinch control by pressing Morgan up against the cage.
Smith lands with a light punch inside.
Smith lands a body shot.
Smith lands a hook that snaps the head of Morgan backwards.
With the fighters up against the cage, Morgan throws an elbow but misses.
Morgan has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Smith working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith presses Morgan against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Morgan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dante Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Smith smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Smith looks to score with a jab to the body but Morgan is just out of range.
Smith connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Smith stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Smith wants it to stay on the feet.
Smith misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Smith lands with a right hand.
Smith scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Smith fakes the leg kick and cracks Morgan in the body.
Smith throws a low kick, looking for Morgan's leg but Morgan calmly moves out of range.
Morgan tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Smith swivels and escapes.
Morgan looks for a takedown but Smith sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Morgan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice leg kick lands there from Smith.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Smith tenderised Morgan's leg. Morgan is trying to keep his angry face on.
Morgan tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Smith tries to clinch there but Morgan circles away.
A good leg kick by Smith.
A lazy body kick from Smith

and Morgan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Smith won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Smith regains half guard.
Smith tries to roll over but Morgan keeps him under control.

Morgan is actively looking for submissions here but good counter grappling here from Smith as he works his way to full guard.

Morgan drops back, looking for a kneebar! Smith looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Smith looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Smith!
Morgan is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Morgan's shoulder. That is not cool.
Morgan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Smith in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Morgan sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

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.
Morgan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Morgan has a hand on Smith's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Smith takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Smith controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dante Smith dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Smith misses with a wild body shot.
Smith misses with a kick to the body
and Morgan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
No luck for Morgan with that takedown attempt.

Morgan shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Smith blocking the ground and pound attempt from Morgan.
Morgan prevents Smith from standing back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morgan trying to mount his opponent but Smith defends it.
Morgan is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is looking to control Morgan's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Smith avoid being mounted?

Smith makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Morgan fails to land the takedown.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Smith, right into the meat.
Morgan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Smith counters with a nice low kick that buckles Morgan's knee momentarily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Morgan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morgan wants to clinch up but Smith keeps it at a distance.
Smith thumps Morgan with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan checks a leg kick.
Morgan shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Smith defends it nicely.
Morgan is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Smith looking to land some kicks to the body here.
The fight stays on the outside here - Smith looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Smith lands a nice leg kick that just misses Morgan's sensitive parts.

Morgan closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Smith to the mat! Smith manages to get full guard.
Smith has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Morgan looking to pass the guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Smith can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dante Smith wasn't active enough on the ground.
Smith throws a body punch but Morgan moves out of range.
A low kick from Smith misses
and Morgan counters with a three punch combo that has Smith backing up. Smith nods at Morgan to acknowledge the strikes.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Morgan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Morgan shoots in for a takedown but Smith shows good takedown defense.
Smith stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Smith wants it to stay on the feet.
Smith connects with a single shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Smith.
Smith lands with a straight right. Morgan didn't see that one coming.
Morgan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Smith pinned against the cage. Smith gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Smith keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morgan fails with a takedown attempt.
Smith lands a high kick!
Smith pushes Morgan away with a front kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Smith. That's going to slow Morgan down.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dante Smith will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Morgan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Smith lands a high kick!
Smith misses with a looping right.
Smith lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
David Morgan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith misses with a head kick.
Morgan has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Smith.
Morgan has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Smith.
Smith throws a quick inside leg kick.
Morgan throws a predictable looking body shot
and Smith counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Smith lands a nice looking kick to the body. Morgan takes a step back to recover.
A solid leg kick lands there for Smith.
Smith throws a sloppy head kick and Morgan moves out of range easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Smith.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck for Morgan with that takedown attempt.
Smith connects with a single shot there.
Morgan shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Smith sprawls well. Smith wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Morgan gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith throws a low kick but Morgan moves out of range easily.
Smith fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Morgan has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Smith throws a quick inside leg kick.
Morgan avoids the head kick by Smith.
Smith lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Smith displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Morgan.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for David Morgan. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Smith gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Smith breaks the clinch.
Morgan takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Smith throws a leg kick that is checked

and Morgan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Smith won't be happy with that.
Morgan misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Smith is trying to get back to half guard.
Smith sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morgan uses his free foot to push down on Smith's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Smith.
Smith can't escape the position.

Morgan wants to finish this one by submission but Smith is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Morgan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to control but Morgan is having none of it.
Smith really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
David Morgan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morgan raining down shots from the mount!
Morgan lands with some strikes.
Morgan trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Smith tries to reverse the position but Morgan maintains control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morgan is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Morgan shoots in but Smith avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Smith throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Morgan stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Dante Smith is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Smith tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Morgan was well out of range. Poor timing from Smith.
Smith misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morgan moves out of range of the body kick from Smith.
Morgan closes the distance and clinches up with Smith, looking for a takedown. Morgan pushes Smith against the cage but Smith circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Morgan will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Morgan shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Smith but Smith pushes him off and we're back to square one.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Dante Smith.
I've got Smith 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dante Smith!