PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Danial Morse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lou Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Danial Morse had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Morse
vs
Johnson

192 cm
20
193 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

185 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

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 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Danial Morse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lou Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Donatello Bradman and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morse sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lou Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morse avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Morse's hands.

It looks like Danial Morse has been cut.
Morse keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Morse counters by clinching up.
Johnson lands with a right to the head.
Morse tries to circle away but Johnson has him pinned against the cage.
Morse jumps guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Morse drops back down to his feet.

Johnson drags the fight down to the ground.
Morse has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Johnson wants to stand but Morse is controlling the position.
Morse trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morse working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Johnson wants to improve his position but instead Morse has moved into half guard.
Morse not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morse thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Johnson's head.
Johnson wants to control but Morse is keeping busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morse wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Johnson is trying to stand back up but Morse is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morse prevents Johnson from improving his position.
Johnson is looking to escape.
Johnson is staying active underneath Morse, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Johnson controlling the position for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Morse in a clinch.
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Morse is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Johnson to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danial Morse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Johnson's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Johnson scores with a nice short uppercut.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Morse has him pressed against the cage.
Morse misses with a punch to the body.
Johnson working hard to break the clinch.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
Morse is trying to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling him.
Johnson is trying to break free.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Morse wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.
Johnson tries to break free but Morse pushes him back against the cage.
Morse misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Morse tries to land knees in the clinch but Johnson avoids the damage to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands with a short shot to the head.
Morse is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
A short left from Johnson.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Johnson creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Morse has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Morse is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Johnson to keep the fight standing.
Morse is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Morse tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.

Johnson ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Johnson no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morse trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
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!
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morse is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lou Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Danial Morse's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Johnson misses with a few strikes there.

Johnson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Johnson pushes Morse back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Morse won't allow it.
Johnson lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Morse backwards.
Johnson lands a left hand that snaps the head of Morse backwards.
Morse has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Johnson leaning his opponent against the cage.
Johnson scores with a shot to the side of Morse's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
A nice left hand lands by Johnson.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Morse is controlling the position.
Morse tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johnson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Morse has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Morse tries to land knees in the clinch but Johnson avoids the damage to the body.
Johnson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Morse wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Johnson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Morse jumps guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danial Morse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A body shot lands from Johnson.
Morse putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Johnson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to take the fight to the mat but Morse manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Johnson trying to control the position but instead, Morse has worked for underhooks and has pushed Johnson into the cage.

Morse escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sloppy strikes from Johnson. Those never looked like landing.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Morse sprawls well. Morse wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson throws a right hand that Morse ducks under and follows up with a left that Morse also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Johnson.
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson misses with a wild combination.
Morse tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
A cross from Johnson lands.
Johnson throws a combination that misses

and Morse holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Morse has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Johnson uses from the top position.

Johnson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Morse looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Morse looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Morse!

Morse stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johnson throws a combination that misses

and Morse moves into the clinch.
Johnson is trying to break free.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Morse is trying to pull guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Morse has him pressed against the cage.
Morse tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johnson just stands there and leans against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Morse tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Morse keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lou Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Danial Morse's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Johnson tries to clinch there but Morse circles away.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johnson throws a wild body kick that Morse sees coming a mile off.
Johnson misses with a double jab

and Morse holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Morse is controlling him.
With the fighters up against the cage, Morse throws an elbow but misses.
Morse misses with a knee strike.
Morse misses with a punch to the body.
Morse has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Johnson lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Morse breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson misses with a two punch combination.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Morse moves into the clinch.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Morse is trying to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling him.
Morse has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Johnson lands a nice uppercut.
Morse misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Johnson.
Morse is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Johnson to keep the fight standing.
Morse jumps guard but Johnson stands there with Morse around his waist. Morse gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danial Morse. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Morse.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morse is trying to pull guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Morse wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Morse tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson throws an elbow but it misses.
Johnson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Johnson pushes Morse back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson lands with a left to the head.
Johnson lands a nice shot to the body.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Morse keeps him there for the moment.
Morse is trying to pull guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A hook to the body from Johnson.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Johnson is trying to force a seperation but Morse has the dominant position.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Morse tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
Morse keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson is looking for a takedown.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Johnson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morse jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Morse gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Johnson tries to bum rush Morse with a series of wild strikes but Morse uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson moves into range and connects with a jab.

Johnson rushes Morse and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Morse controlling the action here for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morse gets underhooks to prevent Johnson's takedown attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lou Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Johnson 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lou Johnson!