PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kirkland Morrenove (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tom Riddle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riddle has chosen Hedwig's Theme as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Morrenove
vs
Riddle

170 cm
23
135 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
19
154 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kirkland Morrenove!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tom Riddle!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Hugh Johnson and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Riddle throws a jab when Morrenove was well out of range.
Morrenove fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Riddle uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Morrenove has time to react.
Morrenove fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Riddle swings widly with a right hand
and Morrenove counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Riddle scores with a jab to the body.

Morrenove clinches with his opponent.

Morrenove successfully pulls guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Riddle wants to stand but Morrenove is controlling his posture from full guard.

Riddle gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Morrenove scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Morrenove prevents Riddle from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrenove wants to control but Riddle is keeping him busy.
Riddle is trying to get back to his feet.
Riddle is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Riddle prevents Morrenove from improving position.
Morrenove is looking to take a break and control but Riddle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Riddle is pushing Morrenove's head away, looking to escape. Morrenove manages to hold on to the position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Riddle looks gassed!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Morrenove cracks Riddle with a big elbow.
Check out the look on Morrenove's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Morrenove working the ground and pound from side control.
A lull in the action here as Morrenove stalls from top position.
Riddle tries to escape but Morrenove is in control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddle wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Morrenove is looking to take a break and control but Riddle is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Riddle taking punishment in the form of punches.
Riddle wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Morrenove is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Riddle has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riddle tries to escape but Morrenove is in control.
Morrenove wants to control but Riddle is keeping him busy.
Morrenove in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Riddle wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Morrenove knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Riddle on the ground.

Riddle sneaks out the side door and pushes Morrenove away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riddle on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Riddle stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riddle wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirkland Morrenove. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morrenove shoots in for a takedown but Riddle shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Riddle connects with a body shot that sends Morrenove's belly button to the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tom Riddle will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Riddle throws an off balance right hand

and Morrenove counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Morrenove.
Morrenove wants to break free but Riddle has control.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Riddle is looking to break free of the clinch but Morrenove has double underhooks.

Riddle pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circle momentarily. Riddle darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Riddle looks to throw the jab but Morrenove is out of range.
Riddle stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Riddle wants it to stay on the feet.
A lazy left from Riddle finds it's target.

Morrenove is rocked!
Morrenove fails to land the takedown.
Oh Morrenove is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Riddle throws an off balance right hand

so Morrenove counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riddle is looking to stand up but Morrenove isn't so interested in that idea.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Riddle can do anything to dispel that myth.
Morrenove wanted to stand there but Riddle had control of the position.
Morrenove seems to have got his legs back now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morrenove stops Riddle from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrenove trying to control the position from guard on top but Riddle is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Riddle pushes Morrenove off and scrambles back to his feet.
A low kick from Riddle is predictable there

and Morrenove counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Morrenove.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Morrenove would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Morrenove won't allow Riddle to get back to his feet.
Morrenove wants to control from the top but Riddle keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Morrenove stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Riddle swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Riddle wants to stand but Morrenove is controlling the position.
Morrenove wants to pass the guard but Riddle is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Kirkland Morrenove.
Riddle scores with a jab to the head.
No luck for Morrenove with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirkland Morrenove. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Donk. Riddle catches Morrenove right on the button with a cross.
Riddle misses with a straight left.
Tom Riddle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riddle rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Morrenove counters by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddle is pressed up against the ropes. Morrenove has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Riddle down to the mat. Riddle avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Riddle misses with an uppercut
and Morrenove counters with a right hand to the body.
Morrenove moves away from the strike by Riddle.
Kirkland Morrenove is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Riddle throws an off balance right hand
and Morrenove counters with a nice low kick that buckles Riddle's knee momentarily.
Riddle misses the jab.
Riddle waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Morrenove.
Morrenove shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Riddle eats them both and turns towards Morrenove to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Riddle takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Morrenove moves in looking to clinch but Riddle pushes him off.
Riddle pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice shot lands for Riddle.

Morrenove shoots in and bounces Riddle off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Morrenove prevents Riddle from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Riddle is edging up against the ropes. He's using the ropes to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Riddle breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morrenove defending well as Riddle loads up on a big left hand.
A telegraphed right hand from Riddle misses the target.
Riddle throws an off balance right hand
and Morrenove counters with a nice body shot.
Riddle misses with a hook. Morrenove ducked under it nicely.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Morrenove, right into the meat.
Riddle takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Morrenove shoots in but Riddle avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A left lands for Riddle.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Riddle throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Morrenove counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Morrenove won't allow Riddle to get back to his feet.
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 Kirkland Morrenove will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Morrenove closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Riddle's guard.
Riddle wants to stand but Morrenove is controlling the position.
Morrenove has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Morrenove looking to pass the guard.
Riddle wants to stand up but Morrenove is controlling him.

Riddle has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Morrenove off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Riddle displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Morrenove.
Riddle swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Riddle takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrenove shoots for a double leg takedown but Riddle sprawls well. He's pushed Morrenove's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Morrenove shoots in looking for a takedown. Riddle tries to sprawl out of it but Morrenove keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Riddle manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kirkland Morrenove. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morrenove takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Riddle ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Morrenove moves away.
Morrenove ducks under a wild hook from Riddle.
Riddle throws a poor cross that misses

and Morrenove counters with a takedown into side control.
Morrenove prevents Riddle from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Morrenove wants to lay and pray for a moment but Riddle keeps working.
Morrenove tries to move into full mount but can't pass Riddle's legs.
Riddle wants to get back to his feet.
Morrenove lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Riddle down.
Riddle is pushing Morrenove's head away, looking to escape. Morrenove manages to hold on to the position though.
Morrenove trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Riddle is trying to get back to his feet.

Morrenove has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Morrenove.
Morrenove tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Riddle swivels and escapes.
Riddle throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Morrenove counters with a nice leg kick.
Morrenove keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Riddle.
Morrenove shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Riddle as he avoids it easily.
Riddle uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Riddle misses with a hook.
Morrenove is trying hard to land a takedown here. Riddle sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Riddle paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Riddle swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Morrenove.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riddle misses the shot to the body.
Morrenove lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Riddle at a distance.

Morrenove scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morrenove trying to control the position but Riddle is working away.
Riddle is trying to buck Morrenove off.
Morrenove trying to control the action but Riddle is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Riddle tries to escape but Morrenove is in control.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kirkland Morrenove.
I think Morrenove has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Kirkland Morrenove!