PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dexter Morgan (ranked 4160 p4p, 24524 weight class) and Robert Laird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Morgan
vs
Laird

180 cm
18
193
0 - 0 - 0

194 cm
20
185
0 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dexter Morgan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Robert Laird!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Laird.
Morgan misses with a looping left.

Morgan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Morgan misses with a body punch.
Laird is looking to break free of the clinch but Morgan has double underhooks.
Laird blocks an uppercut.
Laird tries to pull guard but Morgan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Morgan misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Morgan fails to land.
Laird wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A frustrated look appears on Laird's face as he tries to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Laird is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Morgan to keep the fight standing.
Dexter Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Laird.
Morgan misses with the head strike.
Morgan is trying to push Laird away but Laird has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Morgan working aggressively here.
Morgan can't find room to land a body shot as Laird controls the action.
Laird tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Laird tries to break free but Morgan pushes him back against the cage.
Morgan throws a head punch that misses.
Laird drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Morgan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Morgan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Morgan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Laird blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Morgan tries to circle away but Laird has him pinned against the cage.

Morgan manages to break the clinch.
Laird is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morgan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Morgan lands the left hand.

Laird closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Morgan to the mat! Morgan manages to get full guard.
Laird stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morgan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morgan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan looking to control.
Morgan is adopting a defensive guard.
Morgan trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Laird wants to control from the top but Morgan keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Morgan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Laird.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laird shoots in looking for a takedown. Morgan tries to sprawl out of it but Laird keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Morgan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Morgan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And Laird tries to counter it with a takedown but Morgan pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Morgan misses the shot to the body.
Laird staying out of range there.
Horrible takedown attempt by Laird or perhaps it was just good defense by Morgan, which made it look bad.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Morgan.
Laird uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Morgan.
Morgan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Laird fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Morgan misses the jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Laird manages to avoid it.
Morgan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morgan wants it to stay on the feet.
Laird slips under a jab from Morgan.
Laird avoids the body shot from Morgan.
Laird with the counter takedown but Morgan avoids it easily.
Morgan misses with a looping left.
A jab from Morgan misses.
Laird shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A little feinted left hand from Morgan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Morgan throws a hook but Laird avoids it easily.
Laird misses with a takedown attempt - Morgan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Laird looks winded!
Morgan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A slow jab from Morgan misses its intended target.
Morgan connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Laird momentarily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Laird tries to keep at a distance but Morgan has taken the fight into the clinch.
Morgan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Morgan dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Laird avoids a punch combination nicely.
Laird tries for a takedown but Morgan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Morgan just misses with a punch to the body.
Laird looks for a takedown but Morgan sprawls well.
Morgan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Laird can do to turn this around?
Laird fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Dexter Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Laird.
Morgan ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Laird moves away.

Laird shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Morgan is trying to defend but Laird finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Morgan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Laird.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morgan is looking to improve his position.
Morgan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Morgan tries to get out of the position.
Morgan trying to control but Laird postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laird prevents Morgan from improving his position.
Morgan is looking to escape.
Morgan is looking for a sweep. Laird is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Laird is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Morgan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Laird.
Morgan tries to get to full guard but Laird has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Morgan is trying to control but Laird passes into side control!
Morgan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Laird working the ground and pound.
Morgan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Morgan tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Morgan struggling a bit here.
Morgan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Laird on the ground.
Morgan is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan taking a bit of punishment here - Laird scoring with strikes.
Laird working away.
Morgan is not content to let Laird control the position.
Morgan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Morgan is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Laird is controlling him well.
Morgan tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Laird lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Morgan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan is trying desperately to improve position.
Laird dominating with strikes here.
Morgan holds of for dear life.
Laird with shots to the head and body - Morgan looks very uncomfortable down there.
Morgan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morgan tries to lock up and control but Laird gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Laird showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Morgan closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Morgan fails to land.
Laird blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Morgan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Morgan tries to circle away but Laird has him pinned against the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Laird drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Morgan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Morgan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Morgan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Laird breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morgan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Laird shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Morgan pinned against the cage. Morgan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laird fails with a takedown attempt.
Dexter Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Robert Laird.
Morgan throws an overhand right that lands on Laird's shoulder, as Laird tries to avoid the shot.
Dexter Morgan is winning the standup battle so far.
Laird displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morgan throws out the jab.
Laird looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Morgan is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Morgan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Laird.
Laird takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jab, jab by Morgan - just one landing.

Morgan clinches up with Laird and pushes him back against the cage.
Morgan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Morgan misses with the head strike.
Laird tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morgan just stands there and leans against the cage.
Morgan tries a body shot but Laird blocks it.
Dexter Morgan has scored more points in the clinch so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Laird keeps control of Morgan as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Morgan is trying to break free.
Laird tries to score a body lock takedown but Morgan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Laird drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Laird jumps guard but Morgan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Morgan misses with some punches.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Laird tries to score a power double leg takedown but Morgan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Laird somewhat.

Morgan moves into the clinch successfully.
Morgan lands with a light punch inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Laird tries to pull guard but Morgan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Morgan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Morgan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Morgan throws a punch but it's blocked by Laird.
Laird wants to break free but Morgan has control.
Laird is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Morgan is defending well.
Morgan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Morgan misses with the head strike.
Laird blocks an uppercut.
Laird is trying to pull guard but Morgan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Morgan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Morgan tries a body shot but Laird blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Morgan.
Morgan misses with the head strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laird tries to pull guard but Morgan won't allow it.
Morgan throws a head punch that misses.
Morgan gets underhooks to prevent Laird's takedown attempt.
Morgan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Morgan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Laird.
Morgan misses with a short punch on the inside.
Morgan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Morgan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Morgan has a couple of punches blocked by Laird.
Laird wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Laird misses with the head strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Laird tries to pull guard but Morgan won't allow it.
Laird is trying to pull guard but Morgan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Morgan has a couple of punches blocked by Laird.

Morgan breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dexter Morgan showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Morgan 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 29:27
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dexter Morgan!