PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rico Muerte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maurice Morrison (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Muerte
vs
Morrison

182 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
21
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rico Muerte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Maurice Morrison!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Muerte lands with a nice combination. Morrison backs away looking to recover.
Muerte blocks a head kick by Morrison.
Muerte misses with a wild combination.
Muerte wants to clinch up but Morrison keeps it at a distance.
Morrison fails with a takedown attempt.
Muerte tries to clinch up.
Morrison wants to clinch.

Morrison instigates a clinch.
Muerte has had enough of the clinch but Morrison keeps him there for the moment.
Morrison missing with knees to the body.

Morrison has picked Muerte up - he's going for a ride! Morrison dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Morrison is trying to work for a kimura but Muerte is defending well.
Muerte is trying to stand back up but Morrison is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morrison wants to pass the guard but Muerte is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morrison is trying to work for a kimura but Muerte is defending well.
Morrison wants to take a breather but Muerte is having none of it.
Morrison passes into side control, despite Muerte's attempt to control the position.
Muerte tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Morrison wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Muerte wants to control but Morrison postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Morrison swats away the attempt to clinch by Muerte.
Muerte lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Morrison throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Muerte closes the distance but Morrison moves to the side

and Morrison holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Morrison tries to land a knee to the head but Muerte blocks with his arms.
Morrison lands a damaging elbow.
Morrison looks gassed!
Morrison blocks a body shot from Muerte.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Muerte on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Muerte wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Morrison keeps control of Muerte as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Muerte is trying to break free.
Morrison missing with knees to the body.
Muerte goes for a takedown in the clinch but Morrison prevents it.
Morrison prevents a takedown attempt there.
Muerte tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morrison just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Muerte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morrison scores a nice knee to the body.
Morrison with a knee to the head.

It looks like Rico Muerte has been cut.
Morrison tries to land a knee to the head but Muerte blocks with his arms.
Morrison tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Muerte looking for a takedown.
Morrison stalling.
Muerte stalling in the clinch but Morrison improves position.

Morrison pulls guard successfully.
Muerte stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morrison swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morrison has control of Muerte's left arm, preventing Muerte from doing any damage.

Morrison looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Muerte passes into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrison gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Morrison works his way to full guard. Good work.

Morrison is looking for a triangle but Muerte pushes his legs off easily.
Muerte wants to control from the top but Morrison keeps moving.

Morrison working for a triangle but Muerte defends it easily.
Morrison looking for a sweep. Not yet Morrison, not yet.
Muerte pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morrison is keeping the position for now.

That's four 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.

Morrison is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Morrison escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Muerte gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Muerte wants to control from the top but Morrison keeps moving.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Muerte throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Morrison's waist but Morrison gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Muerte off to one side.
Muerte looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Morrison is fending him off so far but Muerte persists. Nope, Morrison circles away and we're back to standing.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Morrison.

Muerte throws Morrison to one side and escapes!
Morrison fails in his attempt to clinch.
Muerte tries to close the distance and clinch but Morrison swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Muerte misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A good leg kick by Muerte.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurice Morrison dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rico Muerte's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Muerte swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morrison is looking to clinch.
Muerte with a lazy takedown attempt

and Morrison counters by moving into the clinch.
Morrison tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Muerte is trying to maintain a safe position but Morrison gets an underhook and turns Muerte into the cage.
Morrison misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muerte.
Morrison on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Muerte prevents a takedown attempt there.
Morrison missing with knees to the body.
Muerte looking to slow down the pace here.
Morrison is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Morrison tries to land a knee to the head but Muerte blocks with his arms.
Muerte misses with some punches.
Morrison lands a nice elbow.
A knee to the head by Morrison.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morrison landing knees to the head.
Morrison digs a right hand underneath Muerte's ribcage. Muerte let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Morrison lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Muerte is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Morrison stalling.
Muerte tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morrison smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Muerte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Muerte fails with the takedown

and Morrison counters by clinching up.
Morrison has Muerte pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrison drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Muerte gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Morrison with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Muerte throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Muerte wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Morrison decides to pull guard.
Morrison wants to sweep but no luck.

Morrison has his foot on Muerte's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Muerte works his way back into a safe position though.
Morrison is breathing heavily.
Muerte trying to control but Morrison is working from the bottom.
Morrison wants to get back to his feet but Muerte is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Muerte trying to control the position from guard on top but Morrison is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Muerte wants to get up but he can't break Morrison's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Muerte wants to control from the top but Morrison keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Muerte clinches but Morrison breaks the clinch

and Morrison counters by moving into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Morrison throws an elbow but misses.
Morrison with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Muerte wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Morrison has him pressed against the cage.

Morrison pulls Muerte into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morrison looking to hit a scissor sweep but Muerte is one step ahead there.
Muerte has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Morrison is proving hard to escape from.
Morrison lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Muerte!
Morrison with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrison controlling his opponent.
Morrison moves to take his opponent's back.

Morrison is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Muerte defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Morrison is looking for a rear naked choke here but Muerte reverses the position brilliantly into Morrison's guard!
Muerte trying to control the position from guard on top but Morrison is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Muerte is working Morrison over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Muerte trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Morrison looking for a guillotine here but Muerte defends easily.
Muerte advances to half guard.

Muerte is trying to work for a kimura but Morrison is defending well.
Morrison is refusing to be controlled, as Muerte sits in half guard.
Morrison regains full guard. Nicely done.
Morrison lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Muerte!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurice Morrison showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rico Muerte's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Morrison rushes Muerte and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Muerte takes an elbow to the temple.
Morrison landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Muerte looking to stall.
Knees to the body from Morrison.
Morrison lands a knee to the head.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Morrison.
Muerte wants a takedown.
Morrison with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Muerte blocks an elbow strike.
Morrison misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muerte.
Muerte wants to get back to striking at distance but Morrison won't allow it.
Morrison lands a damaging elbow.
Knees to the body from Morrison.
Morrison missing with knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Morrison.
Morrison takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Muerte wants a takedown.
Morrison lands with a right to the head.

Muerte drags the fight down to the ground.

Morrison drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Morrison jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Morrison pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Muerte is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morrison thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Muerte wants to sweep but no luck.
Morrison slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Morrison thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Morrison tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Morrison has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Morrison tries to move into full mount but can't pass Muerte's legs.

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.

Morrison stands up and beckons Muerte to his feet.
Muerte circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Muerte as Morrison shoots in.
Morrison tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Muerte paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Muerte throws a leg kick that misses.

Morrison moves into range and clinches up with Muerte.
Muerte is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Morrison pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rico Muerte. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice elbow from Morrison.
Morrison misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Muerte.
Morrison connects with a knee to the head.
Muerte is trying to maintain a safe position but Morrison gets an underhook and turns Muerte into the cage.
Muerte is trying to break the clinch but Morrison has him pressed against the cage.
Muerte takes an elbow to the forehead.
Morrison is stalling here.
Morrison tries to land a knee to the head but Muerte blocks with his arms.
Morrison lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Muerte wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Morrison throws a punch but it's blocked by Muerte.
Muerte drops down looking for an ankle pick but Morrison pulls his leg out and moves away.
Morrison closes this distance looking for a takedown but Muerte circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Muerte shoots in and drives through. Morrison sprawls well.
Muerte shoots in but no luck this time.
Morrison keeps the fight on the outside.
Muerte explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Muerte tries to clinch up but Morrison circles away and keeps his distance.
Muerte shoots for a takedown but Morrison saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Muerte tries to close the distance and clinch but Morrison swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morrison looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Muerte closes the distance but Morrison moves to the side

and Morrison counters by clinching up.
Morrison throws an elbow that misses.
Morrison is working for takedown but Muerte is calmly controlling the position for now.
Muerte is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Muerte is looking to break free of the clinch but Morrison has double underhooks.
Morrison tries to score a body lock takedown but Muerte shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Morrison is stalling here.
Muerte fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Morrison jumps guard and drags Muerte to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morrison is looking for a triangle but Muerte pushes his legs off easily.
Muerte stopping the sweep attempt from Morrison.

Morrison working for a triangle but Muerte defends it easily.
Morrison working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Muerte.
Muerte stops Morrison from standing up.
Maurice Morrison has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morrison looking to hit a scissor sweep but Muerte is one step ahead there.
Morrison keeping full guard, as Muerte tries to pass.
Rico Muerte has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Morrison throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maurice Morrison comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Morrison winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maurice Morrison!