PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Josh Morse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Powell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Powell has chosen CCR - Bad Moon Rising as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Morse
vs
Powell

164 cm
20
151 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

175 cm
24
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes comics

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Josh Morse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, James Powell!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Colin Fotheringham and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Powell rushes Morse and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Morse wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Morse is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Powell gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Powell breaks from the clinch.
Powell misses with a series of wild punches.
Powell throws a nice outside leg kick.

Powell drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Powell stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Morse throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Powell's waist but Powell gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Morse off to one side.
James Powell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Powell throws a head kick that misses
enabling Morse to counter with a crisp jab.

Morse gets caught napping as Powell dives in and scores a takedown. Morse manages to retain guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Morse has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Powell is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Morse.
Powell works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morse is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Powell has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Morse avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Powell.
Morse tries to buck Powell off but Powell is having none of it.
Morse is trying to control Powell's posture but Powell avoids it.
Powell tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Morse is trying to get back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Powell decides to stand back up. Powell steps back and let's Morse get back to his feet.

Powell drives through and clinches with Morse against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Powell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Powell moves into the clinch.

Powell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Powell throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Powell decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Morse punching from the bottom.

Morse looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Morse is breathing heavily.
Powell looks to land a strike but Morse avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

Powell gets to his feet - Morse follows without any prompting.

Powell has closed the distance and engaged Morse in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Powell gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Josh Morse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Powell utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Morse wants to break the clinch but can't.
Powell taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Powell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Powell forces Morse back against the cage and clinches.

Morse gets control of Powell's arms and successfully pulls guard. Morse will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

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

Powell has Morse up against the cage in a clinch.
Morse jumps guard but Powell stands there with Morse around his waist. Morse gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Powell manages to break the clinch.
Powell throws a series of punches but Morse moves out of range.
No luck for Morse with that takedown attempt.
Powell throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morse showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Powell.
Morse walks forward, straight into a front kick from Powell.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Powell wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Powell 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.

Powell clinches.
Powell has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Powell has Morse pressed against the cage, preventing Morse from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Powell has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Morse is trying to keep an underhook but Powell manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Morse is looking to get back to is feet but Powell passes into side control.
Powell tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Powell creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Morse sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

Powell is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Morse has escaped the position, nice work there.
Morse might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Powell happy to just control the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morse tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Powell wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Powell stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Powell shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Morse eats them both and turns towards Powell to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.

It looks like Josh Morse has been cut.
Morse moves forwards but Powell connects with a nice, crisp jab.

Morse is rocked!
Powell dances in with a quick combination. Morse is being worked over with jabs and crosses. Oooh, a right straight from Powell snaps Morse's head back. Morse stumbles backwards against the cage. Powell steps forward and delivers a right cross that connects with Morse's jaw, simultaneously knocking him out and sending his mouthpiece into the crowd! There's a worthy souvenir for the fans. This one is over folks. Morse just didn't come prepared.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). James Powell!
James Powell was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.