PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Simon Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bas Rutten (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morgan's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Sherry Monocle. 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.

Morgan
vs
Rutten

160 cm
38
171 lbs
25 - 15 - 0

165 cm
34
162 lbs
15 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Lion Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 15 - 0, fighting out of London, Simon Morgan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bas Rutten!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Dean Styles and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morgan misses with a body shot.
Rutten ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Morgan moves away.
Morgan went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Morgan misses with a wild combination.
Rutten scores with a decent looking hook.
Rutten fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Morgan misses with a two punch combination.
Rutten lands a glancing blow to the side of Morgan's head.
Rutten walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Morgan checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morgan throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Rutten thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rutten dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Morgan. That did some damage!
Morgan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Rutten.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rutten fails to land with a series of punches.
Rutten throws a low kick but Morgan avoids it.
Morgan listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Nice defenses there by Morgan.
Morgan looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Rutten misses with a low kick.
A quick step to the side and Morgan tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rutten throws a leg kick but Morgan moved away.
Rutten lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Rutten throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morgan.
Rutten shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A low kick from Rutten misses
and Morgan counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A looping hook to the body misses from Morgan. Rutten does a little dance to reset his feet.
Morgan looks to land a combination but Rutten avoids it well.
Rutten thows a leg kick but Morgan checks it
and Morgan counters with an inside leg kick.
Rutten blocks a head kick by Morgan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morgan checks a low kick from Rutten.
A clash of legs there as Morgan blocks the low kick.
Rutten gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Morgan.
Bas Rutten seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rutten lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Rutten moves out of range of the body kick.
Good leg kick by Rutten there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Rutten misses with an uppercut. Morgan saw that one coming.
As Rutten looks to move away, Morgan throws a big counter combo but Rutten just gets out of the way.
Morgan moves out of range of the strikes.
Rutten 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.
Morgan thumps Rutten with a low kick.
Morgan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Rutten! But no joy.
Morgan takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Rutten throws a hook to the side of Morgan's head but Morgan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan swinging wildly here.
A leg kick checked by Morgan.
Rutten throws an overhand right that lands on Morgan's shoulder, as Morgan tries to avoid the shot.
Rutten is looking to chop away at Morgan's legs.
Morgan misses with a wild body shot.
Rutten misses with a leg kick
enabling Morgan to counter with a crisp jab.
Rutten dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rutten has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Rutten misses with a straight right.
Rutten finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Morgan appears to be looking for a big counter.
Morgan just misses with a punch to the body.
Rutten fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Morgan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten throws the left hand but Morgan avoids the punch easily.
Morgan appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Rutten uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Morgan.
A swing and a miss from Rutten.
Morgan lands with a cross.
Morgan shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Rutten eats them both and turns towards Morgan to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rutten will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Morgan fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Rutten has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Morgan blocks a leg kick.
Morgan lands a nice leg kick that just misses Rutten's sensitive parts.
Rutten misses with a two punch combination.
Some wild striking there from Rutten.
Morgan went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Rutten walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Morgan checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bas Rutten 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.

Morgan with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Morgan on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Rutten. Rutten obviously looking to wear him down.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Rutten. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Morgan lands a jab-cross combination.
Rutten lands a jab.
Morgan has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Rutten throws a hook to the side of Morgan's head but Morgan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Simon Morgan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morgan misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Rutten.
Morgan lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Morgan misses with a body kick.
Morgan lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rutten at a distance.
Rutten feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Morgan's calf.
Rutten keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rutten misses with a series of wild punches.
Morgan is looking to wear down Rutten with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Morgan bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Morgan throws a big counter combination but Rutten scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Rutten throws out the jab.
Morgan blocks a jab.
Rutten throws a quick inside leg kick.
Morgan comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Morgan throws a body shot but no joy.
Morgan moves away from the strike by Rutten.
Morgan needs to keep his hands up - Rutten had a free shot at his head there.
Morgan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rutten misses with a double jab
letting Morgan counter with a right hand.
Rutten uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Morgan.
Morgan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rutten.
Morgan moves out of range of the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rutten throws a leg kick
and Morgan counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Rutten wants to clinch up but Morgan keeps it at a distance.
Morgan takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rutten throws a lazy right hand but Morgan sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Morgan appears to be looking for a big counter.
Morgan moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Rutten lands with a nice body punch.
Morgan stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Morgan throws a body shot but no joy.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Rutten! But no joy.
Rutten is looking to score with low kicks.
Rutten loads up on a big right hand but Morgan slips the punch.
Morgan looks to score with a jab to the body but Rutten is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan moves out of range as Rutten strikes.
Morgan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Rutten feints a jab promting Morgan to slip. Rutten then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Morgan slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Rutten doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Morgan on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Morgan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Rutten rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morgan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Morgan does no damage.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Rutten! But no joy.
Rutten throws a series of punches but Morgan moves out of range.
Bas Rutten seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rutten rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morgan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rutten tries to land a leg kick but Morgan saw it coming and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan misses with a wild body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Morgan fakes the leg kick and cracks Rutten in the body.
Rutten loads up on a big right hand but Morgan slips the punch.
And Morgan counters with a quick kick to the body but Rutten blocks it.
Rutten walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Morgan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Rutten.
Rutten throws a counter combo.
Morgan misses the shot to the body.
Rutten scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Rutten feints and then cracks Morgan's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Morgan down.
Rutten's corner calls for a 1-2. Rutten obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Rutten lands a jab to the head.
Rutten throws a leg kick which misses Morgan's front leg but catches the back leg as Morgan tries to avoid it.
Morgan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Morgan tries to land a front kick but Rutten steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Bas Rutten will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Rutten throws a jab when Morgan was well out of range.
Morgan slips a jab from Rutten.
Rutten dodges the punch combination from Morgan.
Morgan throws a right and a left that Rutten avoids nicely.
Rutten paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Rutten throws a hook but Morgan blocks it.
Rutten throws a big shot that misses.
Sloppy strikes from Rutten. Those never looked like landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morgan connects with a solid leg kick.
Rutten chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Morgan can pounce on him.
Morgan misses with a wild body shot.
Rutten throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan throws a leg kick
and Rutten counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Morgan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rutten moves away.
Rutten looks to land a left hand but Morgan moved out of range nicely.
Rutten throws a leg kick that is checked
and Morgan counters with a left to the body.
Morgan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rutten manages to avoid it.
Rutten throws the left hand but Morgan avoids the punch easily.
Rutten rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Morgan counters with a nice body shot.
Rutten tries to close the distance and clinch but Morgan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Morgan appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Rutten misses with a jab, cross combination.
An attempted straight right counter from Morgan misses the target.
Morgan lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Rutten lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Morgan backs up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A jab from Rutten misses.
Morgan throws a body punch but Rutten moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rutten has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Rutten throws a low kick, looking for Morgan's leg but Morgan calmly moves out of range.
Morgan swings for the body but Rutten moves out of range.
Morgan lands a jab.
Rutten keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Morgan moves away from the strike by Rutten.
Morgan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
An inside leg kick from Rutten misses.
Morgan defending well as Rutten loads up on a big left hand.
Morgan's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Morgan duly obliges.
Morgan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rutten.
No joy there for Morgan, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rutten thuds his right hand into Morgan's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Morgan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rutten sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A lazy left from Rutten finds it's target.
Morgan throws a right hand that misses
and Rutten counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Rutten falls off balance throwing a combination
and Morgan counters with a right hand to the body.
Morgan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rutten misses with an uppercut
and Morgan counters with a stiff right hand.
Rutten lands with an uppercut that bounces Morgan off the cage and back into range.
Rutten throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Morgan slips under a jab from Rutten.
Rutten tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Morgan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A quick step to the side and Morgan tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rutten ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Good exchange - Rutten coming out on top.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rutten walks into a straight right hand from Morgan.
Rutten throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rutten scores with a nice head shot.
Morgan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Morgan works Rutten's body with a nice hook.
Rutten throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morgan.
Simon Morgan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rutten takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rutten avoids the head kick by Morgan.
Rutten fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Morgan checks it well.
Rutten misses with a series of wild punches.

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 Simon Morgan.
Well Rutten 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bas Rutten!
A very excited looking Bas Rutten made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
In defeat, Simon Morgan stepped up to the mic, saying 'bad weight cut made me lose'.