PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ross Morrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Otto Rahn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Morrow
vs
Rahn

165 cm
18
161 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ross Morrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Otto Rahn!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morrow shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rahn as he avoids it easily.
Rahn throws a counter combo.
Rahn is looking to clinch.
Morrow looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Rahn closes the distance and clinches.
Rahn misses with a short punch on the inside.
Morrow is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Morrow is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Rahn is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Morrow pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ross Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Otto Rahn.

Rahn successfully pulls guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rahn trying to control the position.
Morrow wants to stand but Rahn is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morrow throws a big right hand that misses.
Morrow could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Morrow stops Rahn from standing up.
Rahn is trying to control the position but Morrow postures up.
Rahn wants to control the position but Morrow says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Rahn is looking to control Morrow's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rahn avoid being mounted?

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Morrow shoots in looking for a takedown. Rahn tries to sprawl out of it but Morrow keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Rahn manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A head kick misses from Rahn.
Morrow is looking for a counter combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Morrow shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Rahn napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Morrow scores with a couple of short elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morrow working away.
Rahn trying his best to control but Morrow has mounted him.
Morrow looking to ground and pound but Rahn is blocking nicely.
Morrow avoids the attempt from Rahn to control.
Morrow throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Rahn because Morrow loaded up on that one.
Morrow prevents Rahn from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Morrow looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rahn wants to hold on but Morrow pushes him away.
Morrow unloads with some shots from mount but Rahn bucks and avoids them well.
Rahn holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Morrow tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Rahn wants to control but Morrow is having none of it.
Rahn is working to get back to half guard.

Morrow wants to finish this one by submission but Rahn is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Morrow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morrow sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Morrow thowing shots but they're missing.
Rahn is looking to get to half guard.
Morrow with good strikes from the mount here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morrow throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Rahn is looking to get to half guard.
Morrow is stalling here but it's allowed Rahn to get half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Morrow dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Morrow closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Otto Rahn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morrow misses with a takedown attempt - Rahn sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rahn shapes to counter with a head kick.
Rahn will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Morrow appears to be looking for a big counter.
Rahn tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morrow swivels and escapes.
Morrow is looking to counter punch.
Rahn shoots for a takedown but Morrow saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ross Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Otto Rahn.
Rahn shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rahn is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morrow keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Morrow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Morrow but Morrow pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Ross Morrow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rahn wants to clinch
and Morrow counters with a straight right hand.
Morrow tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Rahn defends well and Morrow ends up having to push Rahn into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Rahn tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Rahn shoots in for a takedown but Morrow shows good takedown defense.
A punch combination from Rahn misses.

Morrow changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rahn looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rahn is working to avoid the ground and pound but Morrow connects with a decent elbow.
Rahn trying to remain calm as Morrow controls from the top position.

Morrow looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Morrow's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Morrow is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Rahn is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Morrow fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Morrow gets to mount! Rahn was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Rahn wants to control but Morrow is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow throws some wild stikes that Rahn manages to avoid easily.
Morrow with a couple of short strikes.
Rahn's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Morrow looking to control but Rahn is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Morrow is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Rahn has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Rahn blocking the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rahn holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Morrow tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Morrow avoids the attempt from Rahn to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morrow lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Morrow dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rahn shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Morrow kicks off Rahn and gets to his feet.
Morrow fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Morrow is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rahn can do to turn this around?

Rahn drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rahn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morrow keeps working.
You can see the frustration on Morrow's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Morrow managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Rahn.
Rahn trying to control the action but Morrow is working from the bottom.
Morrow prevents Rahn from improving position.
Rahn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rahn is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Morrow will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Morrow gets back to half guard.
Rahn is thwarting Morrow's attempts to control the position.

Rahn seems to be working for a kimura but Morrow defends the submission attempt.
Rahn is looking to take a break and control but Morrow is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morrow controlling the position for now.

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.
Rahn thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Morrow has one foot on Rahn's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Morrow blocks a head kick by Rahn.

Rahn looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Morrow pushes Rahn off and gets back to his feet.
Morrow fails with a takedown attempt.
Morrow shoots in for a takedown but Rahn shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ross Morrow. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Rahn feints and as Morrow raises his hands in defense, Rahn changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Morrow manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Rahn using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Morrow has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Rahn is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Morrow to keep the fight standing.
Rahn trying to control the position but instead, Morrow has worked for underhooks and has pushed Rahn into the cage.
Rahn tries to pull guard but Morrow forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Morrow prevents Rahn from breaking the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rahn is trying to pull guard but Morrow turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Morrow can't get the takedown.
Rahn tries to pull guard but Morrow won't allow it.

Morrow jumps guard and drags Rahn to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Rahn prevents Morrow from getting back to his feet.
Morrow trying to keep a closed guard but Rahn is proving a slippery customer.
Rahn wants to control from the top but Morrow keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Morrow showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morrow, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ross Morrow!