PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Abel Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy James (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.

Morales
vs
James

205 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

186 cm
25
167 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Abel Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Randy James!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
James misses with a double jab

and Morales counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Morales tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Morales breaks from the clinch.
Morales avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
James misses with a series of wild punches.
James throws a body kick that misses
and Morales counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
James swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Morales moves into the clinch.
James tries to break free but Morales pushes him back against the cage.

Morales breaks from the clinch.
Morales dodges the punch combination from James.
James wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James throws a push kick but Morales slaps the foot to one side.
James throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morales shoots in for a takedown but James shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
James throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morales swats away the attempt to clinch by James.
James throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
James throws a combination that misses
and Morales counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
James fails in his attempt to clinch.
Randy James seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morales dodges the punch combination from James.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James throws a right hand that Morales ducks under and follows up with a left that Morales also avoids with ease.
James gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Morales counters with a three punch combo that has James backing up. James nods at Morales to acknowledge the strikes.
James throws a series of punches but Morales moves out of range.
James is looking to clinch.
James throws a combination. Morales tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
A punch combination from James misses.
James misses with a two punch combination.
James misses with a combination
and James takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Morales moves forwards but James connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Morales tests James's chin there with a solid looking shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James misses with a kick to the body
and Morales counters with a left to the body.
James misses with a combination
and Morales counters with a straight right hand.
James throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morales slips a jab and a cross from James.
James misses with a looping left.
James misses with the body kick
and Morales counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
James is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
James misses with a few strikes there.
James throws a looping overhand right but Morales ducks down to avoid it.
James will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
James throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
enabling Morales to counter with a crisp jab.
James looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
James wants to clinch.
James misses with the body kick
and Morales counters with a left and a right that stings James.
James keeps the fight on the outside.
James tries to clinch up
and Morales counters with a left and a right that stings James.
James fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
James throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Morales counters by moving into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morales keeps control of James as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Morales escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
James fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Morales gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy James dominated that 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.

James lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Morales slips a jab and a cross from James.
James falls off balance throwing a combination
and James takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
James tries a head kick but it misses.
James looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Morales displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Morales really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
James misses with a two punch combination.
James is looking to land body kicks.
Morales throws a series of punches but James avoids them all with ease.
James looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
James tries to clinch

and Morales holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Morales takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Morales breaks from the clinch.
James misses with a combination

so Morales counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
James is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Morales stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. James swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morales throws a big right hand that misses.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Morales's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

James looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morales is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
James wants to stand up but Morales is controlling him.

James is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
James is breathing heavily.

James working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Morales doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Morales manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Morales working some strikes from top position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Morales accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

James is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Morales has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Morales throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as James works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
James trying to control the position.
Morales working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of James's head.
Morales scoring with punches to the head and body.
Morales wants to get up but he can't break James's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
James is trying to control the position but Morales postures up.

James is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Morales defends well.
James wants to get back to his feet but Morales is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Morales postures up in James's guard and throws a big left but James blocks it.
James controls Morales momentarily but Morales frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

James had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Morales defends it easily.
James preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Morales decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James misses with a double jab.
Morales is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
James swings widly with a right hand
and Morales counters with a two punch combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James fails in his attempt to clinch.
James works over Morales's head and body with a nice combination.
James misses with a straight right.
James tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Morales paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Nice jab there from Morales.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
James tries to clinch up.
James misses with a body kick.
James throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Morales holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Randy James will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

James throws a right hand that Morales ducks under and follows up with a left that Morales also avoids with ease.
James throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
James throws a wild body kick that Morales sees coming a mile off.
James buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Morales throws a right hand that James ducks under and follows up with a left that James also avoids with ease.
James tries to clinch up.
Morales keeps the fight on the outside.
Morales tries to clinch up.
James swats away the attempt to clinch by Morales.
James tries to clinch up
and Morales counters with a series of strikes. James will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James throws a series of strikes that have Morales backpedaling.
James looks to throw a body kick
and Morales counters with a two punch combo.
Morales is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
James swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Morales counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
James takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
James fails to land with a series of punches.
James will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A solid body kick from James.
James doesn't manage to clinch there - Morales circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James misses with a double jab.
James throws a right hand that Morales ducks under and follows up with a left that Morales also avoids with ease.
James fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Morales moves out of range of the body kick from James.
James misses with the combination.
Morales wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
James throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Morales counters with a left and a right that stings James.
James misses with a double jab

and Morales counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
James is trying to break the clinch but Morales has him pressed against the cage.

Morales breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales moves out of range as James throws a body kick.
Morales slips a jab and a cross from James.
James misses with a double jab
and Morales counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Morales misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
James tries to clinch up.
James misses with an attempted mid kick.
Morales dodges the punch combination from James.
James keeps the fight on the outside.
James does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Morales clinches up against the cage.

James breaks from the clinch.
A combination from James does no damage.
James throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
James doesn't manage to clinch there - Morales circles away.
James looks to land a body kick but Morales moved away.
Morales swats away the attempt to clinch by James.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morales plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy James comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got James winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy James!
A pretty intense looking Randy James took the opportunity post-fight to ask for a shot at the title.