PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paulo Pereira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikey Morris (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.

Pereira
vs
Morris

181 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

1337 ANZAC

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 Sydney, Paulo Pereira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mikey Morris!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morris shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Morris prevents Pereira from getting the reversal.
Pereira tries to hold on but Morris postures up.
Morris controlling from mount.
Pereira takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Pereira really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Morris looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Morris has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Morris is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Pereira dives in and grabs Morris's left leg, looking for a takedown. Morris pushes down on Pereira's head and hops out.

Morris gets the takedown into side control.
Pereira is looking to regain half guard here but Morris keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morris working away.

Morris stands up and beckons Pereira to his feet.
Pereira fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Morris looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Pereira is breathing heavily.
Pereira takes a head kick and keeps coming.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Pereira gets caught napping as Morris dives in and scores a takedown. Pereira manages to retain guard.
Morris slips nicely into half guard.
Morris is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereira is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Morris with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mikey Morris was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Pereira gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Morris counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Morris darts in and clinches Pereira up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Morris tightens his grip and picks Pereira up, before dumping him to the ground. Pereira manages to land in guard.

Morris stands up and waves to Pereira to follow him.
Pereira misses with a hook
and Morris cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morris scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Morris is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Morris grinds an elbow into Pereira's temple.
Pereira seems a little lost for a moment, as Morris dominates the positioning.
Pereira is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Morris cracks Pereira with a big right hand but Pereira just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morris decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Morris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pereira throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Morris's waist but Morris gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pereira off to one side.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pereira closes the distance looking to clinch

and Morris counters by moving into the clinch.

Morris jumps guard and drags Pereira to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Morris is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morris trying to control the position here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Pereira preventing the sweep.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Mikey Morris hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Pereira misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris cracks a nice hook into Pereira's ribs.
Morris lands a two punch combo.

Morris looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Morris must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Morris forces his way into half guard.
Ground and pound from Morris.
Morris controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morris decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Pereira takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Morris moves out of range of the body kick from Pereira.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pereira fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paulo Pereira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morris circles away from the clinch attempt

and Morris counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Morris.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikey Morris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. And we move into the final round!

Morris has closed the distance and engaged Pereira in a clinch.
Morris on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Morris works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Morris controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Pereira is trying to keep Morris in close.
Morris controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Pereira pushes Morris off and scrambles back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereira connects with a nice looking jab.
Morris checks a low kick from Pereira.
Pereira with a lazy takedown attempt
and Morris counters with an outside leg kick.

Morris clinches with his opponent.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Morris landing some nice looking knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morris manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Morris is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Morris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Morris throws a nice head kick!
Paulo Pereira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morris throws a head kick that Pereira semi-blocks.
Pereira closes the distance but Morris moves to the side

and Morris counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pereira won't be happy with that.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Morris decides to stand up, so the ref orders Pereira to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pereira has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Morris moves into the clinch.
Morris effectively controlling the action here.

Morris's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Paulo Pereira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Morris darts in and clinches Pereira up against the cage.
Pereira tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morris smiles and moves away.
Morris lands a head kick!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pereira blocks a head kick by Morris.

Morris throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Pereira tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Morris is in Pereira's guard.
Morris is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Paulo Pereira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mikey Morris is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Morris passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mikey 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikey Morris!
Mikey Morris was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.