PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James Morrow (ranked 3796 p4p, 428 weight class) and Kadali Muwamba (ranked 3025 p4p, 326 weight class). Morrow comes to the cage accompanied by Judas Priest - Breaking The Law. James Morrow had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 156.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. James Morrow could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Kadali Muwamba's chin.

Morrow
vs
Muwamba

189 cm
25
167 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

196 cm
22
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James Morrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Kadali Muwamba!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Muwamba fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Muwamba tries to close the distance and clinch up but Morrow swats him away and circles back towards the center.
It looked like Morrow was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Morrow takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Morrow throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Muwamba.
Muwamba wants to clinch.
Morrow throwing a counter right hand but Muwamba manages to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muwamba fails with the takedown.
Morrow lands a nice leg kick that just misses Muwamba's sensitive parts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrow defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Muwamba.
James Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kadali Muwamba.
Muwamba lands with a cross.
Muwamba changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Morrow tries to avoid it but Muwamba manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Morrow to the ground. Morrow escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Muwamba shoots in and drives through. Morrow sprawls well.
Morrow went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Muwamba throws a nice looking combination but Morrow bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Muwamba closes the distance and clinches up with Morrow, looking for a takedown. Muwamba pushes Morrow against the cage but Morrow circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Muwamba is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morrow sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Muwamba throws a sloppy head kick and Morrow moves out of range easily.
Morrow looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Muwamba looks winded!
Muwamba throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Morrow's waist but Morrow gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Muwamba off to one side.
Morrow misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muwamba misses with a takedown attempt - Morrow sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kadali Muwamba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Muwamba is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morrow seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Morrow looks to land a combination but Muwamba avoids it well.
Muwamba closes this distance looking for a takedown but Morrow circles away.
Morrow really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Muwamba misses with a takedown
and Morrow counters with a three punch combo that has Muwamba backing up. Muwamba nods at Morrow to acknowledge the strikes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice leg kick lands there from Morrow.
Morrow turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow misses with a double jab.
Muwamba gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
enabling Morrow to counter with a crisp jab.
Morrow stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morrow wants it to stay on the feet.
As Muwamba looks to move away, Morrow throws a big counter combo but Muwamba just gets out of the way.
Muwamba shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Morrow pinned against the cage. Morrow gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Morrow throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Muwamba.
Muwamba unleashes a big counter combination but Morrow bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Muwamba chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Morrow can pounce on him.
Muwamba throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Morrow cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrow lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Muwamba circles away quickly and effectively.
Jab from Morrow.
Morrow looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Muwamba fails with an attempt to clinch.
Morrow misses with the combination.
Muwamba shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Morrow as he jumps to the side.
Morrow fires out a quick counter leg kick but Muwamba just manages to avoid it.
Morrow lands with a thumping leg kick.
Morrow misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Muwamba scores with a sloppy right hand. Morrow should have avoided that one.
Morrow displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Muwamba.

Muwamba closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Morrow to the mat! Morrow manages to get full guard.
Morrow looking for a sweep. Not yet Morrow, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Muwamba throws a big right hand that misses.
Morrow utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Morrow has control of Muwamba's left arm, preventing Muwamba from doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrow is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morrow is working hard here to advance position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Muwamba trying to control the position from guard on top but Morrow is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morrow misses with a double jab.
Muwamba shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Morrow as he avoids it easily.
Morrow with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Morrow keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
James Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kadali Muwamba.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muwamba dives in for a single leg takedown but Morrow sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Morrow quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Muwamba is breathing heavily.
Morrow keeps the fight on the outside.
As Muwamba looks to move away, Morrow throws a big counter combo but Muwamba just gets out of the way.
Muwamba tries to clinch up but Morrow circles away and keeps his distance.
Muwamba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Muwamba tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morrow swivels and escapes.
A little feinted left hand from Morrow on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Morrow will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Morrow looks to land a combination but Muwamba avoids it well.
Muwamba doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Morrow counters with a three punch combo that has Muwamba backing up. Muwamba nods at Morrow to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow throws a right and a left that Muwamba avoids nicely.
A nice combination there by Morrow.

Muwamba forces Morrow back against the cage and clinches.

Morrow breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Muwamba swings widly with a right hand
and Morrow counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Morrow fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Muwamba has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Morrow misses with a few strikes there.
Morrow slaps away a takedown attempt from Muwamba, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Morrow appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muwamba tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morrow seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Morrow lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A punch combination from Morrow misses.
Morrow stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morrow wants it to stay on the feet.
Morrow throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Muwamba shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
James Morrow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Muwamba is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Morrow.
Muwamba shoots in and drives through. Morrow sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Morrow dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Morrow lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Muwamba backs up against the cage.
Morrow circles away from the clinch attempt
and Morrow counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Muwamba shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Morrow connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice jab there from Morrow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morrow takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Muwamba moves forwards but Morrow connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Muwamba throws a lazy body kick
and Morrow connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Muwamba takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Muwamba throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Morrow counters with a two punch combo.

Muwamba is rocked!
Morrow misses with a double jab.
A left lands for Morrow.
James Morrow is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morrow connects with a good right hand that stumbles Muwamba. Muwamba circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Muwamba is still on wobbly legs! Can Morrow finish him?
Muwamba fails with the takedown.
An attempted straight right counter from Morrow misses the target.
Muwamba seems to have recovered his senses.
Morrow throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Muwamba darts in and clinches Morrow up against the cage.

Morrow breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Muwamba tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Morrow defends well and Muwamba ends up having to push Morrow into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
James Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kadali Muwamba.
Muwamba shoots in looking for a takedown. Morrow tries to sprawl out of it but Muwamba keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Morrow manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A low kick from Muwamba is predictable there
and Morrow counters with an inside leg kick.
Muwamba fails in his attempt to clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Morrow lands a lovely overhand right.
Morrow throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow throws a series of punches but Muwamba avoids them all with ease.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
A good leg kick by Morrow.
Morrow lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Muwamba will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Muwamba moves in looking to clinch but Morrow pushes him off.
Morrow throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Muwamba steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Morrow.
A punch combination from Morrow misses.
Muwamba lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
The fight stays on the outside here - Muwamba looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
An attempted straight right counter from Morrow misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muwamba doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Morrow counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Morrow ducks under a wild hook from Muwamba.
Morrow swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morrow feints a jab promting Muwamba to slip. Morrow then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Muwamba slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Muwamba rushes Morrow and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Muwamba misses with an elbow strike.
Kadali Muwamba has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Morrow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Muwamba is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Morrow to keep the fight standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Morrow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morrow, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Morrow!
An intense looking James Morrow took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'Thank you Alexander for giving me an opportunity here. As for Muwamba, you're very talented. I hope we'll cross paths again - as friends this time, not enemies in the cage.'.