PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between King Morris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jerry Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). King Morris has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Morris
vs
Smith

209 cm
24
193 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

187 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, King Morris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jerry Smith!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morris drives through with a takedown into Smith's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Morris stands and steps away. Smith gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Smith rushes Morris and presses him up against the cage.
Morris jumps guard but Smith stands there with Morris around his waist. Morris gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Morris manages to pull guard.
Smith pushes down on Morris's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Morris does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Smith trying to control the pace.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith looks to land a strike but Morris avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith throws a strike but Morris rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Morris loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Morris won't allow Smith to sweep him here.
Morris has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Smith trying to control the position here.

Smith scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Smith has managed to clinch.
Smith working hard to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith lands a right hand.
Morris tries to pull guard but Smith forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Morris pulls guard successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Smith stands up from Morris's guard - Smith perhaps looking for a knockout.
Morris moves out of range as Smith strikes.
As Smith tries to get set, Morris tries to push him back and clinch up but Smith manages to avoid the attempt.

Morris closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Smith kicks Morris off and gets back to his feet.
Smith looks winded!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A leg kick checked by Morris.

Morris gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Morris jumps guard but Smith stands there with Morris around his waist. Morris gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for King Morris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morris jumps guard but Smith turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Morris fails to pull guard.

Smith wants the takedown. Morris is fighting it off but Smith persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Morris's guard against the cage.
Morris has his hands on Smith's head, controlling the position.
Morris will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Morris is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morris swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith controls from within his opponent's guard.
Let's hope that Smith has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Smith wants to pass the guard but Morris is keeping the position.
Morris wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerry Smith dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Smith tries to clinch up but Morris circles away and keeps his distance.
Morris really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Smith tries to clinch but Morris is having none of it.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Morris, pushing him back against the cage.
Morris can't break the clinch.

Morris drags the fight down to the ground.

Smith gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Smith has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Smith manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Morris on his heels. He'll look to pass Morris's guard now, I'm sure.

Smith avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Jerry Smith has got the better of the ground game so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morris is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Smith is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morris scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Smith is looking to clinch but Morris is avoiding it.

Smith looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Morris has one foot on Smith's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Smith misses with a few strikes there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morris swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Smith feints and as Morris raises his hands in defense, Smith changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Smith wants to stand but Morris is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morris working a defensive guard here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morris looking for a guillotine here but Smith defends easily.
Smith is stalling in the full guard.
Smith missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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.

Morris has an active guard here but Smith has managed to pass into half guard.
Morris is trying to stand back up but Smith is controlling him
Smith seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Morris does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith is taking a breather. Morris says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Smith is looking to land body kicks.
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 King Morris will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Smith swats away the attempt to clinch by Morris.

Smith instigates a clinch.

Morris pulls guard effortlessly.

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

A momentary lapse in concentration from Morris enables Smith to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Morris manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Smith stands up and waves to Morris to follow him.
Smith takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Smith shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Morris's guard.
Smith is standing up over Morris. Morris looks to escape but Smith dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morris can't do much from the bottom here.
Morris is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Smith is controlling him well.
Morris tries to bench press Smith off him but Smith keeps the position.
Smith in side control, just content to control the action for now.

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.
Morris is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Smith asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Smith is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Morris has escaped the position, nice work there.
Smith wants to control but Morris is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith taking a break here but Morris is having none of it and regains half guard.
Smith is thwarting Morris's attempts to control the position.
Smith perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Morris has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Smith is working away from the top position though.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Smith tries to land a front kick but Morris steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Smith moves into the clinch.
Morris manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

Smith jumps guard and drags Morris to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Smith is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Jerry Smith comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Smith has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jerry Smith!