PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ronaldo Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dexter Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morgan has chosen Dexter's Theme as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Souza
vs
Morgan

183 cm
29
176 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

180 cm
24
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ronaldo Souza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dexter Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Albert Achterberg and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morgan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Morgan doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Morgan tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Souza counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Souza with a flurry of punches that miss.
Souza trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.
Morgan pulls Souza in close to prevent any damage.

Morgan throws his legs up looking for a submission but Souza uses it to pass to side control.
Souza has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Souza working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souza creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Souza wants to control but Morgan is keeping him busy.

Souza tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Souza is chipping away with strikes.

Souza goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Morgan rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Souza's guard! Nice work there by Morgan!
Morgan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souza is keeping the position for now.

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

Morgan drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Souza manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Morgan has Souza in his guard.
Souza throws a big elbow that misses.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Souza won't allow Morgan to sweep him here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Souza lands a couple of elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza forces his way into half guard.
Morgan is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Souza's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Souza's back!
Souza prevents Morgan from getting a body triangle.
Morgan just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Morgan wants to control but Souza manages to buck him off and is now in Morgan's guard! Nice work there by Souza!

Souza is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Morgan is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Morgan has escaped and now he's on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan controlling from the top position.
Morgan tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronaldo Souza dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Morgan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Souza shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Morgan as he avoids it easily.
Morgan tries to clinch up.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch but Souza swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch but Souza swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Morgan defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Souza.

Morgan gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Morgan pulls guard successfully.
Morgan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Souza's guard.
Morgan tries to free his leg and advance position but Souza is retaining full guard.
Morgan trying to control the position from guard on top but Souza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morgan trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Souza has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Morgan trying to control the position from guard on top but Souza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Dexter Morgan.
Morgan wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.
Morgan with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Morgan tries to close the distance and clinch but Souza swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morgan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Souza, pushing him back against the cage.
Morgan scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Morgan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Morgan moves in looking to clinch but Souza pushes him off.
Morgan wants to clinch up but Souza keeps it at a distance.

Morgan closes the distance and clinches.
A shot in the inside from Morgan.
Morgan is pressed up against the cage. Souza has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Morgan down to the mat. Morgan avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ronaldo Souza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morgan doesn't manage to clinch there - Souza circles away.
Souza circles away from the clinch attempt

and Souza counters with a single leg into guard. Morgan didn't expect that.
Ronaldo Souza overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Souza lands a couple of digs.
Souza passes Morgan's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan gets back to full guard.
Morgan keeping full guard, as Souza tries to pass.
Souza throws a big right hand that misses.
Souza stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morgan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Souza missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Morgan is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souza keeping moving, preventing Morgan from controlling successfully.
Morgan's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Morganis looking to pass into half guard but Souza pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Souza is in guard.

Morgan is looking for a triangle here but Souza uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Morgan tries to improve position but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Souza is chipping away with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Dexter Morgan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Souza gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Morgan.
Souza blocks a body shot from Morgan.
Morgan scores with a shoulder strike.
Morgan prevents the takedown attempt.
Morgan scores with a hook to the body.

Morgan breaks the clinch.
Morgan rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Souza moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morgan misses with a wild combination.
Morgan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morgan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Souza decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Souza thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Morgan's head.
Souza lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Souza thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Souza not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Morgan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Souza landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Souza trying to control from Morgan's half guard. Morgan has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Morgan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza is looking to work some ground and pound but Morgan has wrist control.

Souza drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Morgan dives on top into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morgan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Morgan advances position into side control!
Morgan wants to control but Souza is keeping him busy.

Morgan looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Morgan is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Souza will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morgan goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Souza rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Morgan's guard! Nice work there by Souza!
Morgan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Souza chips away with some ground and pound.
Morgan looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Souza sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Morgan's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Souza is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Souza is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Morgan sees it coming and defends easily.

Souza is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Morgan defends it well.
Souza lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morgan manages to get to full guard.

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 Ronaldo Souza.
I think Souza 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ronaldo Souza!