PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Morse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Rooney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rooney has chosen Belfast Boy as his entrance music. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Morse
vs
Rooney

172 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

177 cm
19
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, James Morse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ryan Rooney!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Richard Clark and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morse moves into the clinch successfully.
Morse goes for a takedown attempt but Rooney pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rooney misses with the combination.
Morse throws a leg kick but Rooney moved away.

Morse clinches up against the ropes.
Rooney is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the ropes enables Morse to keep the fight standing.
Rooney wants a takedown but no success here.
Morse is looking to break free of the clinch but Rooney has double underhooks.
Morse wants to break the clinch but can't.

Morse turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Rooney is looking for a sweep.
Morse tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Rooney is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Morse decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rooney to his feet.
Morse tries to bum rush Rooney with a series of wild strikes but Rooney uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Morse misses with a double jab.
Rooney keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Rooney misses with the combination.

Morse gets a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morse manages to break the clinch.
Rooney tries to close the distance and clinch up but Morse swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rooney tries to score a power double leg takedown but Morse sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Rooney somewhat.
James Morse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Rooney.
Morse's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Morse duly obliges.
Rooney has a takedown stuffed.
Rooney showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morse.
James Morse seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rooney defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Morse.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Morse avoids it really well and circles away.
Morse tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Rooney paws at him with a jab and circles away.
An inside leg kick lands from Morse.
Morse fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Morse pushes Rooney up against the ropes in a clinch.

Morse breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morse shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rooney sprawls well. Rooney wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Morse gets slowly back to his feet.
Morse looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rooney is fending him off so far but Morse persists. Nope, Rooney circles away and we're back to standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rooney showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morse.

Morse rushes Rooney and presses him up against the ropes.

Rooney drags the fight down to the ground.
Rooney bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Morse's guard.
Rooney in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Morse wants to get back to his feet but Rooney is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Rooney trying to move into half guard but instead Morse has managed to sweep!
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rooney keeping full guard, as Morse tries to pass.
Morse is fighting to break Rooney's control of his arms but Rooney is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Morse dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Morse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rooney keeps the fight on the outside.
Horrible takedown by Rooney or perhaps it was just good defense by Morse which made him look bad.
Morse swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Morse wants to clinch.
Morse fails to land the takedown.
Rooney dives in and grabs Morse's left leg, looking for a takedown. Morse pushes down on Rooney's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morse has Rooney up against the ropes in a clinch.
Rooney is looking to take this one to the mat.
James Morse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Rooney.
Morse wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rooney has him pressed against the ropes.
Rooney prevents Morse from breaking the clinch.
Rooney is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Morse gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Rooney is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Rooney is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rooney wants to get back to striking at distance but Morse won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morse ties up his opponent against the ropes and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Morse no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Rooney stopping the sweep attempt from Morse.
Rooney postures up.
Rooney with a flurry of punches that miss.
Rooney working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Morse's head.
Rooney works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Rooney wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morse keeps working.
Rooney not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney is stalling here. Morse is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Rooney seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Morse has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Morse tries for a kimura but Rooney is defending well.

Morse swings around for an armbar but Rooney sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Morse's guard.
Morse working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Rooney.
Rooney postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rooney postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rooney pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morse is keeping the position for now.
Rooney's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rooney advances position into side control!
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.
Rooney looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Morse is avoiding damage well.
Morse seems a little lost for a moment, as Rooney dominates the positioning.
Rooney trying to control the action but Morse is working from the bottom.
Rooney in side control lands a decent elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morse is not content to let Rooney control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rooney is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Rooney showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Morse lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Rooney avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rooney throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rooney stuffs the takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morse looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
James Morse is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morse swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Morse lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Morse.
Morse throws a nice looking combination but Rooney bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
No luck for Rooney with that takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rooney shoots in looking for a takedown. Morse tries to sprawl out of it but Rooney keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Morse manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Morse closes the distance and pushes Rooney back into the ropes.
Morse is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Rooney is defending well for now.
Morse tries to circle away but Rooney has him pinned against the ropes.

Morse breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rooney is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morse sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
James Morse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Rooney.
A left and a right from Morse both land. Nice combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rooney will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Morse rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rooney moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morse lands a head kick!
Rooney shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Morse sprawls well. Morse wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Rooney gets slowly back to his feet.
Rooney pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Morse back to the ropes. Rooney follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Morse goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Rooney rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morse moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rooney shoots in and drives through. Morse sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rooney shoots in looking for a takedown. Morse tries to sprawl out of it but Rooney keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Morse manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Horrible takedown by Rooney or perhaps it was just good defense by Morse which made him look bad.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rooney.
Rooney looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Morse is fending him off so far but Rooney persists. Nope, Morse circles away and we're back to standing.
Morse tries to clinch but Rooney moves out of range.
Morse throws a right and a left that Rooney avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rooney tries for a takedown but Morse sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Rooney fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Morse throws a solid leg kick but Rooney takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Morse.
Morse tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rooney shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Morse defends it nicely.
Morse doesn't manage to clinch there - Rooney circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rooney will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Morse showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Morse 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 James Ackerman scores the fight for James Morse!
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight for James Morse!
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight for James Morse!

James Morse wins by unanimous decision!