PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Sweat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chico Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Sweat
vs
Morales

170 cm
19
145 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

178 cm
21
148 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Solid 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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mike Sweat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Chico Morales!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Viktor Lagutenko and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morales throws a head kick but Sweat moves out of range.
Morales tests Sweat's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sweat tries to clinch
and Morales counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Sweat has taken the fight to the clinch.
Morales changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sweat fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Sweat has closed the distance and engaged Morales in a clinch.
Sweat working hard to break the clinch.
Sweat takes an elbow to the temple.
Sweat slows down the pace here.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sweat throws an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales has Sweat pressed against the cage, preventing Sweat from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Morales tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Sweat avoids it.
Morales goes for a takedown attempt but Sweat pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Sweat wants to clinch up but Morales keeps it at a distance.
Morales fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sweat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sweat closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Morales trying to land knees to the body.
Morales tries to land knees in the clinch but Sweat avoids the damage to the body.
Morales landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Morales tries to land knees in the clinch but Sweat avoids the damage to the body.
Morales is looking to take this one to the mat.
Mike Sweat has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chico Morales.
Sweat tries to score a body lock takedown but Morales shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Sweat has Morales pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Morales manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Morales has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Sweat is trying to keep an underhook but Morales manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Morales winds up and cracks Sweat with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Morales passes the guard and advances to mount!

Morales looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Sweat holds on to Morales as tight as he can, avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sweat tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Morales controlling the pace for now.

Morales working for a submission but Sweat is keeping him at bay.
Morales lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales looking to ground and pound but Sweat is blocking nicely.
Sweat regains half guard.
Morales winds up and cracks Sweat with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sweat is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sweat has hold of Morales's hands but Morales slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Sweat looking for submissions off his back.

Morales is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sweat sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sweat is trying to maintain the position but Morales is very close to passing his half guard.

Morales is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Morales not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morales stalling.

Morales is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Sweat is just riding it out for now. Morales eventually gives up the hold.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chico Morales dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Sweat closes the distance and clinches.
Sweat blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Morales is looking to take this one to the mat.
Morales is trying to drag Sweat to the mat but Sweat just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
With the fighters up against the cage, Sweat throws an elbow but misses.
Sweat blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Sweat prevents a takedown attempt there.
Mike Sweat has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chico Morales.
Morales trying to land knees to the body.
Sweat is trying to break free.
Sweat avoids a wild elbow strike from Morales.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sweat ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Sweat no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Morales has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Morales prevents Sweat from getting back to his feet.
Morales working some strikes from top position.
Sweat looking to control but Morales passes into half guard.

Sweat looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Morales prevents Sweat from improving his position.
Sweat trying to hold on to Morales's head to control him but Morales postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morales trying to control the action but Sweat is working from the bottom.
Morales has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sweat moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Sweat working a defensive guard here.

Morales drops back looking for a leg! Sweat is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sweat manages to kick Morales off! Morales jumps back into Sweat's guard.
Morales throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sweat is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sweat wants to sweep but no luck.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sweat scores with a jab.

Sweat gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mike Sweat has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Morales creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Sweat's defenses.
Sweat misses with a punch to the body.
Morales throws an elbow but it misses.
Morales drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Sweat gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Sweat is trying to break the clinch but Morales has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sweat is trying to push Morales away but Morales has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Sweat is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Morales throws an elbow that misses.
Morales throws an elbow that misses.
Morales dodges an elbow strike from Sweat.
With the fighters up against the cage, Morales throws an elbow but misses.
Sweat is pressed up against the cage. Morales has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sweat down to the mat. Sweat avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Morales fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Sweat.

Sweat has Morales up against the cage in a clinch.
Morales misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sweat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A right handed body shot lands from Sweat.
Sweat avoids a wild elbow strike from Morales.

Morales breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Morales swats away the attempt to clinch by Sweat.
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 Mike Sweat will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Morales slips a jab and a cross from Sweat.
Sweat bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sweat is looking to chop away at Morales's legs.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Sweat lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Morales has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Morales and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Morales with a jab.
Sweat throws out a powerful jab.
Morales tries to clinch up.
Morales takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Sweat tries to close the distance and clinch up but Morales swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Morales tries to close the distance and clinch but Sweat swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Morales throws a sloppy head kick and Sweat moves out of range easily.
Morales just misses with a punch to the body.
Sweat chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Morales can pounce on him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sweat is defended easily by Morales.
Sweat uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Morales.
Sweat takes a kick to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sweat lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sweat's corner calls for a 1-2. Sweat obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Sweat steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Morales. That one must have hurt.
Morales avoids the head kick by Sweat.
Morales connects with an inside leg kick.
Morales looks to land a combination but Sweat avoids it well.
Morales fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sweat manages to avoid it.
We've been informed that Morales has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Morales takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Sweat is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Sweat clinches with his opponent.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Morales just misses with a elbow thrown towards Sweat's brow.
Sweat changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Morales fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A cross from Sweat lands.
Sweat sizes up Morales with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Sweat fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike Sweat. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sweat takes a swing at Morales's ribcage but misses.
Morales throws a fast counter high kick but Sweat manages to duck under it in time.
Chico Morales is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morales tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Sweat manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Sweat was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morales throws a poor cross that misses
and Sweat counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Morales lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A solid body kick from Morales.
Morales tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sweat swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Sweat rushes Morales and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Morales missing with knees to the body.
Morales throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Morales misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sweat.
Sweat wants to break free but Morales has control.
Sweat blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Sweat managing to block the knees to the body from Morales.
Morales being controlled against the cage.
Morales prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sweat avoids a wild elbow strike from Morales.
Sweat tries to score a body lock takedown but Morales shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Morales keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Sweat's efforts to push away.
Morales goes for a takedown attempt but Sweat pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A head kick misses from Morales.

Morales moves into the clinch.
Morales is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sweat gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Sweat goes for a takedown attempt but Morales pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Sweat has Morales up against the cage in a clinch.
Morales keeps control of Sweat as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Sweat is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sweat lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Morales has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sweat avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sweat is pressed up against the cage. Morales has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Sweat down to the mat. Sweat avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jab from Sweat.

Sweat takes the fight into the clinch.
Sweat managing to block the knees to the body from Morales.
Morales has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sweat avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Sweat jumps guard and drags Morales to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Sweat 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 wants to control from the top but Sweat keeps moving.

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 Mike Sweat.
I think Sweat 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mike Sweat!
The defeated Chico Morales had this to say: 'I'd like to apologize to all my fans for not putting on the fight they were hoping for. I promise to work hard and come back better than ever! Thanks for all of your support.'.