PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Archie Morse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leumas Samuel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Archie Morse has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Morse
vs
Samuel

198 cm
19
151 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

153 cm
21
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Archie Morse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leumas Samuel!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Samuel has Morse up against the cage in a clinch.
Samuel tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morse smiles and moves away.
Morse stuffs the takedown.
Nice sprawl there from Morse as Samuel shoots in.
Archie Morse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leumas Samuel.
Samuel tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morse swivels and escapes.

Morse pushes Samuel up against the cage in a clinch.
Samuel tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Samuel breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Samuel.
Samuel shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Morse counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morse closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Samuel is trying to control Morse's posture but Morse avoids it.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Samuel has eaten all the pies!
Samuel takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
You can see the frustration on Samuel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Morse is looking to take a break and control but Samuel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Samuel is looking to regain half guard here but Morse keeps moving and retains side control.

Morse looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Samuel is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morse working the head with strikes.
Morse throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Morse decides to stand back up. Morse steps back and let's Samuel get back to his feet.
Samuel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Morse sprawls well. Morse wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Samuel gets slowly back to his feet.
Samuel tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Morse counters with a straight right hand.
Morse tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Samuel swivels and escapes.
Samuel keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from Morse as Samuel shoots in.
Morse tries for a takedown but Samuel circles away easily
and Samuel counters with a right hand to the body.
Morse stuffs the takedown attempt from Samuel. Samuel gets slowly back to his feet.
Samuel looks winded!
Samuel dives in for a single leg takedown but Morse sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Samuel throws a body kick that misses.
Morse tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Morse misses with a body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samuel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Morse pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Morse keeps the fight on the outside.
Morse was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Morse takes the fight into the clinch.

Samuel breaks from the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Samuel wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Archie Morse dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Morse is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Samuel's half guard.
Morse is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Samuel manages to get to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morse throws a big right hand that misses.

Samuel isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Morse stacks Samuel on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Morse!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morse wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Samuel, who protects the arm well.
The strikes coming from Morse are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Morse 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samuel can't do much from the bottom here.
Samuel parries the strikes from Morse easily there. Morse is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Samuel to escape.
Morse creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Samuel sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Morse will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Samuel is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Morse's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Morse really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Morse is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Morse misses with a head shot. Samuel uses the momentum to regain guard.
Samuel manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Morse manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Samuel pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morse is keeping the position for now.
Morse keeping moving, preventing Samuel from controlling successfully.
Samuel loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Morse manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Samuel manages to get himself to full guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Morse's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Morse missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Morse slaps away a takedown attempt from Samuel, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Morse is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Samuel misses with a hook to the body
and Morse counters with a nice body shot.
Nice body kick there by Samuel.
Samuel lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Samuel is breathing heavily.
Samuel loads up on a big right hand but Morse slips the punch.
Samuel misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Morse to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Samuel forces Morse back against the cage and clinches.
Morse tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Samuel smiles and moves away.
Morse shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Samuel as he avoids it easily.

Morse shoots in and gets a takedown into Samuel's guard.

Samuel pushes Morse off and scrambles back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Leumas Samuel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morse is trying hard to land a takedown here. Samuel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Archie Morse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samuel shoots in and drives through. Morse sprawls well.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morse will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Samuel is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Morse tries to close the distance and clinch but Samuel swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
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 Archie Morse will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Samuel tries to close the distance and clinch but Morse swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Samuel shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Morse pinned against the cage. Morse gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Morse looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Morse.
Samuel goes for a double leg but Morse avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Morse continues to drive forward.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Morse.
Morse is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Samuel can do to turn this around?
Samuel is looking to land body kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samuel tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Morse counters with a head kick. That will keep Samuel thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

Morse closes the distance and clinches.
Samuel jumps guard but Morse stands there with Samuel around his waist. Samuel gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Archie Morse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Leumas Samuel.

Samuel pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Samuel misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Samuel takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Morse misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Samuel.
Samuel displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Morse.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samuel throws a body kick that misses
and Morse counters with a stiff right hand.

Morse shoots in and gets a takedown into Samuel's guard.
Morse trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morse working some strikes from top position.
Samuel looking for a sweep. Not yet Samuel, not yet.

Morse stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Morse doesn't manage to clinch there - Samuel circles away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Samuel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samuel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
No luck for Samuel with that takedown attempt.
Morse thinks about countering with a head kick.
Morse tries to score a power double leg takedown but Samuel sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Morse somewhat.
Morse fails in his attempt to clinch.
Samuel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Morse defends it nicely.
Morse looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Samuel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Morse paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Archie Morse is winning the standup battle so far.
Samuel fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Morse looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Samuel looks to throw the jab but Morse is out of range.
Morse throwing a counter right hand but Samuel manages to avoid it.
Morse has a takedown stuffed.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Morse drives through with a takedown into guard.
Samuel is looking to stand back up but Morse counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Samuel.

And that's the end of the fight!
That round was too close to call.
Well Morse has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Leumas Samuel!