PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Benito Morin (ranked 8520 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shahin Nafisi (ranked 5368 p4p, 0 weight class). Shahin Nafisi will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Morin
vs
Nafisi

158 cm
21
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
183 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Benito Morin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shahin Nafisi!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nafisi has taken the fight to the clinch.

Nafisi's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nafisi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Morin shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
No joy there for Nafisi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Morin throws a big counter combination but Nafisi scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Nafisi rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Morin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A punch combination from Nafisi misses.
It looked like Morin was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Nafisi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morin walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nafisi looks winded!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morin has taken the fight to the clinch.
Nafisi is trying to push Morin away but Morin has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Morin pulls Nafisi into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Morin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morin has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Nafisi 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 Morin.
Nafisi lands an elbow.
Morin manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nafisi's best efforts.
Morin makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Morin.

Morin looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nafisi trying to stand up but can't free himself from Morin's guard.

Morin working for a triangle but Nafisi defends it easily.

Morin working for submissions but it's allowed Nafisi to get to half guard.
Nafisi keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nafisi decides to return to a standing position.
Nafisi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morin seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Nafisi scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Morin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Morin throwing a counter right hand but Nafisi manages to avoid it.
Nafisi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Morin is looking to counter punch.
Nafisi throws a right and a left that Morin avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Nafisi. Those never looked like landing.

Morin decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Morin in particular looking to stall.
Nafisi wants to get back to his feet.
Morin keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Morin stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Nafisi to get to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nafisi misses with a double jab

and Morin holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
We've been informed that Nafisi has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Morin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Nafisi to keep the fight standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Nafisi misses with a two punch combination.
Nafisi throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Shahin Nafisi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A head kick misses from Nafisi.
Nafisi throws a head kick that misses.
As Nafisi looks to move away, Morin throws a big counter combo but Nafisi just gets out of the way.
Nafisi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morin looks to land a combination but Nafisi avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morin has managed to clinch.
Morin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Nafisi to keep the fight standing.
Nafisi is trying to pull guard but Morin has him pressed against the cage.
Nafisi is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morin gets control of Nafisi's arms and successfully pulls guard. Morin will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Morin wants to sweep here but Nafisi controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morin throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Nafisi wants to get up but he can't break Morin's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Morin uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Morin slips a jab and a cross from Nafisi.
Morin throwing a counter right hand but Nafisi manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morin fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Benito Morin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nafisi throws a combination that misses

and Morin counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Morin is trying to pull guard but Nafisi has him pressed against the cage.
Morin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nafisi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Morin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nafisi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Nafisi wants to break the clinch but can't.

Morin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morin slips a jab and a cross from Nafisi.

Nafisi gets tackled into the cage by Morin. Morin maintains the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nafisi is trying to break the clinch but Morin has him pressed against the cage.

Morin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Morin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Nafisi is fending him off so far but Morin persists. Nope, Nafisi circles away and we're back to standing.
Nafisi takes a swing at Morin's ribcage but misses.
Nafisi throws an off balance right hand
and Morin counters with a three punch combo that has Nafisi backing up. Nafisi nods at Morin to acknowledge the strikes.
Morin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Nafisi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Morin somewhat.
Nafisi misses with a leg kick
and Morin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morin shoots in looking for a takedown but Nafisi manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Morin's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Nafisi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A counter left hand to the body from Morin misses its target.
Nafisi swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morin tries to counter by clinching up but Nafisi breaks away and moves out of range.
Morin checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Morin dodges the punch combination from Nafisi.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Morin fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Nafisi to the ground. Morin is now in Nafisi's guard.
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 Benito Morin will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Morin shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Morin is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Nafisi sees it coming and defends easily.
Morin missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nafisi wants to get back to full guard but Morin has passed into side control.
Nafisi wants to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morin decides to stand back up. Morin steps back and let's Nafisi get back to his feet.
Nafisi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nafisi throws a lazy right hand but Morin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nafisi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Nafisi wants it to stay on the feet.
Nafisi shoots and misses
and Morin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nafisi moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Morin closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Morin lands in his opponent's guard.
Morin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nafisi is looking to stand up but Morin isn't so interested in that idea.
Nafisi is trying to keep Morin in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morin gets to his feet. Nafisi looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Morin takes the fight into the clinch.
Morin jumps guard but Nafisi stands there with Morin around his waist. Morin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Morin is trying to pull guard but Nafisi has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Benito Morin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Nafisi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Morin is looking to clinch.
Nafisi misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nafisi misses with a wild combination.
As Nafisi tries to get set, Morin tries to push him back and clinch up but Nafisi manages to avoid the attempt.
Nafisi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nafisi throws a counter combo.
Morin slips a straight right by Nafisi.
Morin slips a jab and a cross from Nafisi.
Morin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Nafisi sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Nafisi let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Nafisi throws a left and a right that both miss
and Morin counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Morin tries to clinch there but Nafisi circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morin dives in for a single leg takedown but Nafisi sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A low kick from Nafisi is predictable there
and Morin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Morin misses with a wild combination.
A low kick from Nafisi misses
and Morin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nafisi lands with a nice combination. Morin backs away looking to recover.
Morin tries to clinch there but Nafisi circles away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
No luck for Morin with that takedown attempt.

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 Benito Morin.
I think Morin has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benito Morin!