PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Zhaka Zulu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Morgan (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.

Zulu
vs
Morgan

181 cm
26
188 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
200 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good gas tank

- Elite Fighter© + Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zhaka Zulu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, James Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Arvi Lind and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Morgan. Zulu does a little dance to reset his feet.
Morgan works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Morgan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Zulu moves into the clinch.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Zulu clinches.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zulu throws a hook to the side of Morgan's head but Morgan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Morgan lands with a nice body kick.
Morgan scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Zulu avoids a kick to the body.
Zulu on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Morgan with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Zulu moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morgan lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Morgan keeps control of Zulu as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Morgan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Morgan - that will leave a mark!
Zulu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Morgan counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Zulu forces Morgan back against the ropes and clinches.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morgan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Zulu.

Zulu has taken the fight to the clinch.
Zulu is trying to pull guard but Morgan turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan is pressed up against the ropes. Zulu 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.
Morgan avoids the body shot from Zulu.
Zulu swinging wildly here.
Morgan lets loose with a powerful body kick. Zulu will feel that in the morning.
Morgan smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Morgan lands a jab to the head.
Morgan fakes the leg kick and cracks Zulu in the body.
James Morgan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Zulu fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zhaka Zulu. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zulu takes one to the chin there.
A big right from Zulu misses.
Morgan cracks Zulu with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Morgan is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Zulu had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
A big left from Zulu misses.
Morgan scores with a leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morgan explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Morgan.
Nice body punch from Morgan.
Morgan thuds his shin into the meat of Zulu's side.
Zulu is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan throws a right and a left that both miss.
James Morgan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morgan throws a front kick that sends Zulu stumbling back into the ropes.
Morgan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Zulu at a distance.
Morgan takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Morgan takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Zulu shoots in for a double leg but Morgan sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Morgan pushes Zulu away with a front kick.
Morgan stuns Zulu with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Morgan's corner calls for a 1-2. Morgan obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Zulu sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Zulu is defended easily by Morgan.
Morgan throws a nice inside leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Morgan.

Morgan moves into the clinch.
Morgan pushes Zulu back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Morgan lands a body punch.
Morgan lands an elbow that stopped Zulu in his tracks for a moment.
Morgan lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Morgan.
Zulu takes a shot to the head.

Morgan breaks from the clinch.
Morgan stuffs the takedown attempt from Zulu. Zulu gets slowly back to his feet.
Morgan keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Zulu takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Danga de danga de dang - Morgan scores with a four punch combination!
Morgan explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Zulu walks forward, straight into a front kick from Morgan.
Zulu on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Zulu misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice leg kick lands there from Morgan.
Morgan scores with a jab.

Morgan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Zulu will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Zulu's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Morgan lands an elbow that stopped Zulu in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Zhaka Zulu has been cut.
Zulu is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Zulu takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Morgan drives through and clinches with Zulu against the ropes.

Morgan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circle momentarily. Morgan darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Morgan scores with a jab to the jaw.
Morgan moves into range and connects with a jab.

Morgan moves into range and clinches up with Zulu.
Zulu's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

Zulu is rocked!
Morgan lands a shot to the body.
Oh Zulu is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Zulu tries to score a body lock takedown but Morgan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Zulu seems to have got his legs back now.
Morgan is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Morgan comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Morgan is pressed up against the ropes. Zulu 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.

Morgan moves into the clinch successfully.

Morgan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Morgan showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Zulu.
Morgan scores with a jab to the head.
Morgan lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Morgan lands a jab to the nose.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Morgan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zhaka Zulu's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Zulu with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Morgan to score with a decent uppercut.
Zulu takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

Zulu clinches up with Morgan and pushes him back against the ropes.
A hook to the body from Morgan.

Morgan manages to break the clinch.

Zulu fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Morgan, pushing him back against the ropes.
Morgan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Zulu. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Morgan is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A short left from Morgan.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Morgan landing knees to the body.
Morgan lands a right hand.

Morgan manages to break the clinch.
Zulu looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Zulu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Morgan explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Zulu takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Morgan bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Zulu's head.
Morgan fakes the leg kick and cracks Zulu in the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morgan scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Zulu misses with a takedown attempt - Morgan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
A jab lands there for Morgan.
Morgan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morgan scores with the left hand. Zulu knows he should have avoided that one.
Morgan darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Zulu steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Morgan. That one must have hurt.
Zulu ducks right into an uppercut from Morgan.

Morgan clinches with his opponent.
Morgan unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Zulu! He's leaning against the ropes trying to keep his feet but Morgan is unloading with more strikes now! Zulu drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). James Morgan!