PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gene Morningstar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marvin Anjam (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morningstar's entrance music is Karma Chamelion. A fine choice. Gene Morningstar has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Morningstar
vs
Anjam

175 cm
25
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gene Morningstar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Marvin Anjam!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Peter Branson and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morningstar has managed to clinch.
Morningstar drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Anjam gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Anjam is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Morningstar manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Morningstar is pressed up against the cage. Anjam has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Morningstar down to the mat. Morningstar avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Morningstar fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Anjam to the ground. Morningstar is now in Anjam's guard.
Anjam is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Anjam has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Morningstar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anjam tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Anjam looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Anjam bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Morningstar's guard.

Morningstar on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Morningstar tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morningstar is looking to stand up but Anjam isn't so interested in that idea.
Morningstar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morningstar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Anjam throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morningstar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Anjam stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morningstar swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Anjam is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Anjam slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Anjam wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morningstar keeps working.

Anjam decides to stand up, so the ref orders Morningstar to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Morningstar. No joy for Anjam on that attempt.

Anjam moves into range and clinches up with Morningstar.
Morningstar is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Anjam gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Morningstar prevents Anjam from breaking the clinch.
Anjam pushes Morningstar back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Anjam is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gene Morningstar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morningstar is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Anjam gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Morningstar.
Morningstar is working for takedown but Anjam is calmly controlling the position for now.

Anjam jumps guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Morningstar scoring with some ground and pound.
Morningstar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Anjam on the ground.

Anjam looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Morningstar looking to sit in guard and control but Anjam gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Anjam trying to control the position from guard on top but Morningstar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anjam slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morningstar keeping moving, preventing Anjam from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Anjam has Morningstar up against the cage in a clinch.

Morningstar lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Morningstar trying to control from half guard but Anjam is working away.
Anjam tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Morningstar has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Anjam slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Anjam not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anjam bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Morningstar's guard.

Anjam has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Anjam stands and throws Morningstar's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morningstar is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Anjam has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Anjam tries for a kimura but Morningstar is defending well.
Anjam is staying tight to Morningstar's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Anjam decides to stand up, so the ref orders Morningstar to his feet.
Morningstar fails to land the takedown.
Morningstar fails with the takedown.

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.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Anjam.
Morningstar shoots in looking for a takedown. Anjam tries to sprawl out of it but Morningstar keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Anjam manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gene Morningstar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morningstar defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Anjam.
Gene Morningstar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Anjam pushes Morningstar up against the cage in a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Morningstar.
Anjam wants a takedown but no success here.
Morningstar is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Anjam gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Anjam fails to pull guard.
Morningstar has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Anjam after a bit of a struggle.
Anjam misses with the head strike.
Morningstar has Anjam pressed against the cage, preventing Anjam from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anjam jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Morningstar walks away with a smile on his face. Anjam gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Horrible takedown attempt by Anjam or perhaps it was just good defense by Morningstar, which made it look bad.
Morningstar shoots in but no luck this time.
Anjam closes the distance and clinches up with Morningstar, looking for a takedown. Anjam pushes Morningstar against the cage but Morningstar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Morningstar closes the distance and pushes Anjam back into the cage.
Anjam prevents the takedown attempt.

Morningstar lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Anjam manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Anjam is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morningstar sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice sprawl there from Anjam as Morningstar shoots in.

Anjam darts in and clinches Morningstar up against the cage.
Morningstar blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Anjam is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anjam is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Anjam looking to slow down the pace here.
Anjam can't get the takedown.
Anjam is trying to force a seperation but Morningstar has the dominant position.
Morningstar is working for takedown but Anjam is calmly controlling the position for now.
Morningstar can't get the takedown.
Morningstar has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Anjam after a bit of a struggle.
Anjam has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Morningstar after a bit of a struggle.

Anjam pulls Morningstar into guard.

Anjam escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Morningstar gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marvin Anjam showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Anjam tries to sprawl but Morningstar drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Anjam kicks Morningstar off and gets back to his feet.
Anjam stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Anjam wants it to stay on the feet.
Anjam leaves Morningstar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Anjam scores with a body shot.
Anjam shoots in for a takedown but Morningstar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Anjam shoots in for a takedown but Morningstar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Morningstar shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morningstar working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Anjam controls Morningstar momentarily but Morningstar frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anjam bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Morningstar's guard.

Anjam wants to control from the top but Morningstar keeps moving.
Morningstar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Morningstar wants to get back to his feet but Anjam is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Anjam trying to control but Morningstar is working from the bottom.
Anjam trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

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.

Anjam is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Anjam throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morningstar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Anjam throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Morningstar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

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

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Morningstar looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gene Morningstar. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anjam tries to break the clinch but Morningstar is controlling the position.
Morningstar stops a takedown attempt from Anjam.
Morningstar prevents the takedown attempt.
Anjam working hard to break the clinch.
Morningstar prevents a body shot from Anjam.

Anjam pulls Morningstar into guard.

Anjam looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Marvin Anjam has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morningstar working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Anjam is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Morningstar scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anjam wants to stand up but Morningstar is controlling him.
Morningstar with a nice head shot there.
Gene Morningstar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morningstar prevents Anjam from getting back to his feet.
Morningstar controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Anjam keeping moving, preventing Morningstar from controlling successfully.
Morningstar working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Anjam's head.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Anjam is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Marvin Anjam is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Anjam is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marvin Anjam comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Anjam 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marvin Anjam!
Gene Morningstar was interviewed post fight and said 'I made money to buy some sago green'.