PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jackson Morrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sanek Karelin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sanek Karelin has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Jackson Morrow's chin.

Morrow
vs
Karelin

188 cm
25
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jackson Morrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sanek Karelin!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Aleksandr Martynov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morrow displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Karelin throws out the jab.

Morrow looking to score a takedown here. Karelin is defending well but Morrow drives through and ends up in Karelin's guard.
Morrow trying to stand up but can't free himself from Karelin's guard.
Karelin wants to get back to his feet but Morrow is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Morrow missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Karelin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morrow is looking to stand up but Karelin won't let him.
Morrow stops Karelin from standing up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Karelin can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Morrow stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morrow wants it to stay on the feet.
Morrow circles away from the clinch attempt.
Karelin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Morrow manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Morrow moves into range and clinches up with Karelin.
Karelin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Morrow manages to break the clinch.
Morrow uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Karelin.
Morrow tries to clinch up
and Morrow takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Morrow fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Karelin looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Karelin looks gassed!
Karelin gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Morrow.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Morrow.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown but Morrow shows good takedown defense.
Jackson Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sanek Karelin.
Karelin has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morrow lands a jab-cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrow lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Karelin is rocked!
Morrow fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Karelin is still on wobbly legs! Can Morrow finish him?

Morrow decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Morrow slows the pace down in half guard.
Karelin seems to have recovered his senses.
Morrow has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Jackson Morrow has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Morrow pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Karelin back to the cage. Morrow follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Morrow.
Nice defenses there by Morrow.
Morrow swats away the attempt to clinch by Karelin.
Morrow misses with a series of wild punches.
Morrow tries to close the distance and clinch but Karelin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Left hook, right uppercut from Morrow.
Karelin tries to clinch there but Morrow circles away.
Morrow shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Karelin as he avoids it easily.
Morrow tries to clinch there but Karelin circles away.
Morrow avoids a punch combination nicely.
Morrow lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Karelin backs up against the cage.
Karelin jabs Morrow to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrow jabs Karelin to the body, keeping him at a distance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morrow throws a nice looking combination but Karelin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Morrow gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Karelin postures up in Morrow's guard and throws a big left but Morrow blocks it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Morrow is on top in guard.

Morrow stands up and waves to Karelin to follow him.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Morrow swats away the attempt to clinch by Karelin.
Nice cross by Morrow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Morrow dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Morrow dives in and grabs Karelin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Karelin pushes down on Morrow's head and hops out.
Morrow is looking to clinch.

Karelin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Karelin cracks Morrow with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Karelin cracks Morrow with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Karelin tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The strikes coming from Karelin are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Morrow is trying to buck Karelin off.
Morrow manages to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Karelin is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Karelin lands a nice short elbow.
Morrow keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Morrow moves into full guard.

Morrow is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Karelin trying to control but Morrow is working from the bottom.
Morrow is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Morrow bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Karelin's guard.
Karelin is controlling Morrow's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Karelin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Karelin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Sanek Karelin has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Morrow scores with a push kick.
Some wild striking there from Morrow.
Morrow throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Karelin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Karelin swings for the body but Morrow moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Morrow - that will leave a mark!
Karelin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morrow scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Morrow misses with a two punch combination.
Karelin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Morrow swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Morrow lands a nice leg kick that just misses Karelin's sensitive parts.
Jackson Morrow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Karelin missing with a left hand there. Morrow was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Karelin throws a big shot that misses.
Morrow pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Karelin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Morrow throws a right and a left that both miss.
Karelin shoots in for a double leg but Morrow sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Karelin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Karelin wants to clinch up but Morrow keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrow thuds a left hand into Karelin's body.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Karelin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morrow.
Jackson Morrow is winning the standup battle so far.
Karelin tries to clinch there but Morrow circles away.
Morrow shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Karelin as he jumps to the side.
Morrow steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Karelin.
Morrow slips under a jab.

Morrow darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
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 wants to control but Karelin is keeping him busy.
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 Jackson Morrow will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Karelin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Karelin throws a right and a left that both miss.

Morrow instigates a clinch.
Karelin working hard to break the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Morrow.
Karelin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morrow just stands there and leans against the cage.

Morrow breaks from the clinch.
Karelin is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Morrow.
Danga de danga de dang - Morrow scores with a four punch combination!
Morrow closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morrow works over Karelin's head and body with a nice combination.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morrow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Karelin darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Karelin.
Karelin looks to throw the jab but Morrow is out of range.
Morrow tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Karelin swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Karelin swings for the body but Morrow moves out of range.
A combination from Morrow does no damage.
Karelin wants to clinch.
Morrow looks to land a combination. Karelin sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Morrow slips a straight right by Karelin.
Morrow rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Karelin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Karelin shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Morrow sprawls well. Morrow wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Karelin gets slowly back to his feet.
Morrow scores with a push kick.
Morrow throws a head kick that misses.
Morrow keeps the fight on the outside.
Karelin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morrow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Karelin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Karelin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Karelin jumps guard but Morrow turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Jackson Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sanek Karelin.
Karelin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Morrow lands a right hand.

Morrow breaks from the clinch.
Morrow works over Karelin's head and body with a nice combination.
Morrow displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Karelin throws out the jab.
Morrow scores with a jab to the body.
Morrow blocks a leg kick.
Morrow is working the combinations to good effect here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A right-left combo lands from Morrow.
Karelin wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karelin throws a jab when Morrow was well out of range.
Morrow uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Karelin.
Morrow is trying hard to land a takedown here. Karelin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Karelin tries to clinch but Morrow is having none of it.
Karelin tries to clinch up.
Karelin tries to close the distance and clinch but Morrow swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Morrow stalks Karelin and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Karelin's face. Karelin staggers backwards, shaken.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Morrow!
Karelin paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Karelin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Karelin wants it to stay on the feet.
Morrow scores with a push kick.

Karelin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Jackson Morrow overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Morrow is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Morrow manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Karelin holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Morrow tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morrow controlling the pace for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morrow throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jackson Morrow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Morrow has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jackson Morrow!
After winning the bout, Jackson Morrow thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.