PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Edson Bidon Barbosa (ranked 880 p4p, 99 weight class) and Josh Morgan (ranked 1569 p4p, 178 weight class). 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.

Bidon Barbosa
vs
Morgan

178 cm
24
155 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

179 cm
24
155 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Edson Bidon Barbosa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Alan Glass and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barbosa swings for the body but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan avoids the head kick by Barbosa.
A nice side step and Morgan releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Morgan scores with a crisp jab that stopped Barbosa in his tracks.
Barbosa throws a looping overhand right but Morgan ducks down to avoid it.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Morgan has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Morgan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Morgan lands a lovely overhand right.
Morgan doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Morgan uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Barbosa.
Morgan throws a body punch but Barbosa moves out of range.
Morgan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Morgan walks into a jab.
A jab from Barbosa misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Morgan drives through with a takedown into Barbosa's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Morgan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Morgan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Morgan loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Barbosa tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Morgan wants to control from the top but Barbosa keeps moving.

Morgan drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Barbosa dives on top into guard.

Morgan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Morgan looking for a sweep. Not yet Morgan, not yet.
Morgan is adopting a defensive guard.
Morgan wants to sweep but no luck.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan keeping moving, preventing Barbosa from controlling successfully.

Morgan has his foot on Barbosa's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Barbosa works his way back into a safe position though.
Morgan looking to control but Barbosa passes into half guard.
Morgan trying to control but Barbosa postures up.

Morgan looking for a kimura from the bottom but Barbosa passes into side control!
Morgan gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barbosa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Morgan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Morgan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Barbosa works his way into full mount!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Morgan manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Morgan is looking for a sweep. Barbosa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Morgan looking for a kimura from the bottom but Barbosa passes into side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan tries to bench press Barbosa off him but Barbosa keeps the position.
A lull in the action here as Barbosa stalls from top position.
Morgan is looking to reverse the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Edson Bidon Barbosa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Barbosa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Morgan throws a jab but it's blocked by Barbosa.
Barbosa works the jab nicely.
Barbosa misses the shot to the body.
Josh Morgan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morgan misses with a takedown attempt - Barbosa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Morgan loads up on a big right hand but Barbosa slips the punch.
Barbosa was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Morgan moves away from the strike by Barbosa.
Morgan connects with the punch.
Morgan scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Barbosa doesn't seem bothered though.
Morgan tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Barbosa defends well and Morgan ends up having to push Barbosa into the ropes where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Barbosa throws a leg kick but Morgan checks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morgan blocks the body kick.
Morgan just misses with a punch to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Barbosa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Morgan looks to land a right hand but Barbosa moved out of range.
Barbosa lands with a hook. Morgan tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan connects with a single shot there.
Morgan scores with a body shot.
Morgan scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Morgan throws a body shot but no joy.
Morgan tries for a takedown but Barbosa sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Edson Bidon Barbosa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Josh Morgan.
Barbosa misses with a straight right.
Morgan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Barbosa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Morgan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Barbosa manages to avoid it.
Barbosa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A looping hook to the body misses from Morgan. Barbosa does a little dance to reset his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Morgan.
Morgan just misses with a punch to the body.
An attempted straight right counter from Barbosa misses the target.
Morgan jabs Barbosa right on the nose. Barbosa blinks but takes it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch lands to the side of Barbosa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morgan doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Barbosa counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Morgan thinking.
Morgan is breathing heavily.
Nice shot by Morgan.
Barbosa displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morgan throws out the jab.
Barbosa throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Barbosa misses with an attempted mid kick.
Barbosa throws a body punch but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan avoids the body shot from Barbosa.
Barbosa throws a body shot but no joy.
Morgan swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Morgan manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Barbosa on his heels. He'll look to pass Barbosa's guard now, I'm sure.

Morgan drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Barbosa dives on top into guard.

Morgan wants to hit a switch here but Barbosa passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Morgan there!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan working to try and regain half guard.
Barbosa controlling from mount.
Josh Morgan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Barbosa trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's four 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.
Morgan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Morgan is still trying to improve position.
Morgan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
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 Edson Bidon Barbosa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Barbosa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Barbosa gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Morgan.
A shot to the body from Morgan misses
and Barbosa counters with a body kick.
Morgan rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Barbosa counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Barbosa throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Morgan stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Barbosa looks to throw the jab but Morgan is out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Morgan. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Morgan.
Morgan keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Morgan shoots and misses
and Barbosa counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Barbosa takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Morgan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Morgan just misses with a punch to the body.
Barbosa just misses with a punch to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barbosa displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morgan throws out the jab.
Morgan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Morgan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Barbosa counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barbosa slips under a jab.
Morgan throws out a loose jab but Barbosa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Barbosa throws an overhand right that drops Morgan like a sack of potatoes! Barbosa dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:14 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Edson Bidon Barbosa!