PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Carey Morris (ranked 8766 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ippo Makunouchi (ranked 5983 p4p, 0 weight class). Ippo Makunouchi has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Carey Morris's chin.

Morris
vs
Makunouchi

173 cm
18
140 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

164 cm
18
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Carey Morris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ippo Makunouchi!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Kenichi Hosakawa and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Makunouchi has taken the fight to the clinch.

Morris breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Makunouchi shoots in but no luck this time.
It looked like Morris was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Morris takes the fight into the clinch.
Morris has had enough of the clinch but Makunouchi keeps him there for the moment.
Makunouchi goes for a takedown attempt but Morris pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Morris pushes Makunouchi up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Makunouchi is looking to break free of the clinch but Morris has double underhooks.
Makunouchi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morris smiles and moves away.
Carey Morris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ippo Makunouchi.
Makunouchi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Morris is fending him off so far but Makunouchi persists. Nope, Morris circles away and we're back to standing.
Makunouchi fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Makunouchi throws a sloppy head kick and Morris moves out of range easily.
Morris takes a body punch but keeps moving.
No joy there for Makunouchi, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Morris has taken the fight to the clinch.
Makunouchi is trying to stall.

Morris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Makunouchi tries to land knees in the clinch but Morris avoids the damage to the body.
Morris is looking to break free of the clinch but Makunouchi has double underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi is trying to break the clinch but Morris has him pressed against the cage.
Morris wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Morris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Morris tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Makunouchi tries to counter with a clinch but Morris shakes him off and moves away.
Makunouchi misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Morris seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Morris ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Makunouchi moves away.
Makunouchi scores with a shot to the body.
Makunouchi lands a nice hook to Morris's body. Morris takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Makunouchi is defended easily by Morris.

Makunouchi tries to keep at a distance but Morris has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Morris tries to break the clinch but Makunouchi is controlling the position.

Morris breaks from the clinch.
Makunouchi tries for a takedown but Morris circles away easily
and Morris counters with a left and a right that stings Makunouchi.
Morris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ippo Makunouchi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Makunouchi clinches with his opponent.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Makunouchi tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Makunouchi is trying to pull guard but Morris has him pressed against the cage.
Morris has had enough of the clinch but Makunouchi keeps him there for the moment.
Makunouchi is trying to push Morris away but Morris has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Makunouchi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Morris is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Makunouchi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Morris's efforts to push away.

Morris manages to break the clinch.

Makunouchi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Morris breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A looping hook to the body misses from Morris. Makunouchi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Makunouchi unleashes a big counter combination but Morris bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Makunouchi shoots in for a takedown but Morris shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morris moves into the clinch.

Morris manages to break the clinch.
Makunouchi fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Morris drives through and clinches with Makunouchi against the cage.
Makunouchi tries to break the clinch but Morris is controlling the position.

Morris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Makunouchi clinches up with Morris and pushes him back against the cage.
Makunouchi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Makunouchi tries to pull guard but Morris won't allow it.
Morris working hard to break the clinch.
Makunouchi avoiding damage as Morris throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morris breaks from the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Morris is trying to push Makunouchi away but Makunouchi has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Morris gets underhooks to prevent Makunouchi's takedown attempt.
Carey Morris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ippo Makunouchi.

Morris breaks the clinch.
Morris is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Makunouchi can do to turn this around?
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Morris, right into the meat.
Makunouchi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Carey Morris is winning the standup battle so far.
Makunouchi tries for a takedown but Morris sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Morris lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Morris ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Makunouchi moves away.
Carey Morris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Makunouchi clinches up against the cage.

Morris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morris gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Makunouchi to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Morris working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Makunouchi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Morris is tightening it up a little... Makunouchi has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Makunouchi reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Makunouchi taps out! Nice BJJ there by Morris!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:28 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Carey Morris!