PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tom Morrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Adrian Darkside (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Morrow
vs
Darkside

150 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

174 cm
23
144 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tom Morrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Adrian Darkside!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Paul Gruel and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morrow swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Darkside tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Tom Morrow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Darkside shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Darkside preventing the sweep.
Morrow is pulling down on Darkside's head to control his posture.

Morrow is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Darkside is aware though and is defending well.

Darkside avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Morrow is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Darkside is aware though and is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darkside is looking to stand up but Morrow won't let him.

Morrow is looking for a triangle but Darkside pushes his legs off easily.
Morrow really is a fat lump.
Darkside controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrow tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Darkside wants to pass the guard but Morrow is keeping the position.
Darkside trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morrow keeping full guard, as Darkside tries to pass.

Morrow is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Darkside defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Darkside trying to stand up but can't free himself from Morrow's guard.
Morrow not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Morrow trying to strike off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Darkside closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Morrow's guard.
Morrow is wriggling around but Darkside manages to pass to half guard.

Darkside is thwarting Morrow's attempts to control the position.

Morrow is defending against the submission attempts here by Darkside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darkside throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Morrow wants to get back to full guard.
Darkside wants to pass to mount but Morrow is defending the position.
Morrow missing with punches from the bottom.
Darkside seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Morrow does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Morrow might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Morrow is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Morrow moves into full guard.
Morrow seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Morrow lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morrow sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Darkside's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tom Morrow will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Morrow keeps the fight on the outside.
Morrow closes the distance and clinches up with Darkside, looking for a takedown. Morrow pushes Darkside against the cage but Darkside circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Morrow tries for a takedown but Darkside circles away easily

and Darkside counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Darkside pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Morrow dives in for a single leg takedown but Darkside sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Darkside is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tom Morrow. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morrow fails with a takedown attempt.
Morrow tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Darkside swivels and escapes.
Morrow fails with a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Darkside scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Darkside is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Morrow doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Darkside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darkside trying to pass the guard but Morrow defending well.
Adrian Darkside has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morrow has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Darkside is working away from the top position though.
Darkside prevents Morrow from improving his position.
Morrow makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Morrow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Morrow has control of Darkside's left arm, preventing Darkside from doing any damage.
Morrow looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Morrow is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Morrow thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Darkside's head.
Morrow is looking to take a break and control but Darkside is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Darkside looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morrow is looking for a kimura here.
Morrow tries to pass to full mount but Darkside defends it.

Morrow is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Darkside defends it well.
Morrow looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Darkside with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.

Darkside manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Darkside tries to clinch but Morrow moves away

and Morrow counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Darkside!
Morrow working away.
Morrow grinds an elbow into Darkside's temple.
Darkside gets back to half guard.
Morrow is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Morrow scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Adrian Darkside showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Morrow drops his hands momentarily and Darkside takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Morrow misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Darkside gets caught flat footed, as Morrow shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Morrow postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Darkside is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Morrow, into his guard.

Morrow wants to sweep here but Darkside controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darkside wanted to stand there but Morrow had control of the position.
Morrow looking to hit a scissor sweep but Darkside is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darkside controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Darkside sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Morrow's guard.
Morrow slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Morrow has Darkside pulled in close to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Morrow working for submissions but it's allowed Darkside to get to half guard.
Morrow lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.
Morrow tries to roll over but Darkside keeps him under control.

Morrow is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Darkside pulls his head out easily.
Morrow works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darkside trying to control the position from guard on top but Morrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morrow is trying to keep Darkside in close.
Morrow keeping moving, preventing Darkside from controlling successfully.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Darkside is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Morrow closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Darkside to the mat! Darkside manages to get full guard.
Morrow trying to control but Darkside is working from the bottom.
Darkside looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morrow is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrow pushing down on Darkside's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Morrow thows a huge punch but Darkside dodges it nicely.
Morrow passes to full mount!
Darkside bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morrow keeping moving, preventing Darkside from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Adrian Darkside.
I think Darkside has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Josh West scores the fight 28:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 28:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Adrian Darkside!