PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sid Morrison (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rorion Joaquin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morrison comes to the cage accompanied by You're Going Down. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Rorion Joaquin enters the cage!

Morrison
vs
Joaquin

178 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
22
155 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 Las Vegas, Sid Morrison!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rorion Joaquin!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Morrison.
Joaquin is looking to reverse the position.
Morrison lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Morrison grinds an elbow into Joaquin's temple.
Morrison is looking to take a break and control but Joaquin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Joaquin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Morrison's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Joaquin is looking to improve his position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Morrison connects with a nice short shot to Joaquin's temple.
Morrison working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrison lands with a punch from half guard.

Morrison is looking for a kimura but Joaquin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Morrison to get the leverage.
Morrison working over Joaquin with some ground and pound. Joaquin looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Morrison thows a huge punch but Joaquin dodges it nicely.
Morrison throws a strike but Joaquin avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Morrison in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Morrison from controlling successfully.
Morrison postures up in Joaquin's guard and throws a big left but Joaquin blocks it.
Morrison would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Joaquin working for a triangle but Morrison defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Morrison avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Morrison wants to pass the guard but Joaquin is keeping the position.
Joaquin is trying to control the position but Morrison postures up.
Morrison trying to control but Joaquin is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrison is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Joaquin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Joaquin has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Morrison can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Joaquin doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Morrison throws a big right hand that misses.
Morrison trying to control but Joaquin is working from the bottom.
Joaquin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Morrison.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrison postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morrison sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Joaquin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Morrison working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Joaquin's head.
Morrison throws a big right hand that misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morrison throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Joaquin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Morrison throwing strikes but missing.
Joaquin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Morrison.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sid Morrison dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Joaquin looks to land a left hand but Morrison moved out of range nicely.
Joaquin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Morrison but Morrison pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Joaquin fails with the takedown.
Rorion Joaquin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Joaquin with a lazy takedown attempt

so Morrison counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sid Morrison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rorion Joaquin.
Morrison pushing down on Joaquin's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Morrison not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morrison is just content to waste time from the top position. Joaquin takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Morrison wants to control from the top but Joaquin keeps moving.
Morrison wanted to stand there but Joaquin had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrison stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Joaquin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morrison trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Joaquin manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Joaquin trying to control the position from guard on top but Morrison is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sid Morrison overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Joaquin decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Morrison fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Joaquin to the ground. Morrison is now in Joaquin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Joaquin.
Morrison looks to land a strike but Joaquin avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Morrison from controlling successfully.

Morrison got a little sloppy there for a moment and Joaquin has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Morrison has managed to get both his arms back between Joaquin's legs - danger averted.

Joaquin is looking for a triangle but Morrison pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Morrison postures up in Joaquin's guard and throws a big left but Joaquin blocks it.
Morrison throws a big right hand that misses.
Morrison throws an elbow that misses. Joaquin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Morrison's guard. Nice move by Joaquin!
Joaquin content to stall in guard here.

Morrison is working an open guard so Joaquin takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joaquin misses with a takedown

and Morrison counters with a shoot takedown. Joaquin fights it but they end up in guard.
Morrison working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Morrison from controlling successfully.
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!
Joaquin avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morrison throws a big elbow that misses.
Morrison has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Joaquin looking for a guillotine here but Morrison defends easily.
Morrison trying to control the position from guard on top but Joaquin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sid Morrison dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Joaquin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Morrison shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Joaquin's guard.
Morrison throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Joaquin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Morrison working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joaquin manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joaquin avoids the attempt from Morrison to control.

Joaquin stands up from mount. Strange move.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joaquin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Joaquin wants it to stay on the feet.
Morrison shoots in for a takedown but Joaquin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Joaquin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Joaquin misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Morrison blocks a low kick nicely.
Joaquin misses with a takedown

and Morrison counters with a shoot takedown. Joaquin fights it but they end up in guard.
Morrison throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Joaquin has his foot on Morrison's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Morrison works his way back into a safe position though.
Joaquin keeping moving, preventing Morrison from controlling successfully.
Morrison trying to stand up but can't free himself from Joaquin's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrison loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Joaquin is on top in guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joaquin looking to pass the guard.

Joaquin decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Joaquin closes this distance looking for a takedown but Morrison circles away.
Sid Morrison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rorion Joaquin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Morrison. No joy for Joaquin on that attempt.

Morrison moves into the clinch.
Joaquin is pressed up against the cage. Morrison has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Joaquin down to the mat. Joaquin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Morrison slips under a jab from Joaquin.
Morrison is trying hard to land a takedown here. Joaquin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Morrison fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Joaquin shoots in for a double leg but Morrison sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Joaquin misses with a takedown attempt

and Morrison counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Morrison has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Morrison moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Joaquin has worked his arm free - good work by Joaquin!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrison with the ground and pound but Joaquin regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Morrison trying to control the action but Joaquin is working from the bottom.
Joaquin wants to get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Joaquin manages to get to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sid Morrison showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morrison, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sid Morrison!
After winning the bout, Sid Morrison thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.