PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Weimin Liaw (ranked 1711 p4p, 219 weight class) and Arthur Morgan (ranked 1854 p4p, 237 weight class). Arthur Morgan has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Liaw
vs
Morgan

187 cm
30
187 lbs
7 - 6 - 1

186 cm
24
195 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter
Condemned

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 7 - 6 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Weimin Liaw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Arthur Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Vladimir Khabensky and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liaw clobbers Morgan with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

It looks like Arthur Morgan has been cut.
Liaw takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Morgan cracks Liaw with an open hand slap.
Morgan dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Morgan moves into the clinch.
Morgan lands a nice uppercut.
Morgan misses with a hook from the clinch.
Liaw is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Morgan keeps control of Liaw as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Morgan.

Liaw breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Morgan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Morgan paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morgan misses with a straight left.

Liaw darts in and clinches Morgan up against the cage.

Liaw breaks from the clinch.
Liaw ducks under a wild hook from Morgan.
A swing and a miss from Morgan.
Liaw half committed to a counter leg kick.
Weimin Liaw seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morgan misses with an uppercut.
Morgan misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morgan has Liaw up against the cage in a clinch.
Morgan keeps control of Liaw as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Morgan lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Liaw breaks the clinch.
Morgan misses with a jab, cross combination.

Liaw has Morgan up against the cage in a clinch.

Liaw's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Liaw is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morgan avoids the body shot from Liaw.
Morgan throws out a counter right but Liaw avoids it with no problem.
Liaw is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Liaw lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Liaw misses with a head kick.
Liaw throws a sloppy head kick and Morgan moves out of range easily.

Liaw instigates a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan misses with some punches.
A short right from Morgan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morgan has a couple of punches blocked by Liaw.
Morgan working aggressively here.
Morgan lands an uppercut.
Liaw tries to break the clinch but Morgan is controlling the position.
Morgan digs a right hand into Liaw's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Liaw's gas tank.
Morgan lands a left hand that snaps the head of Liaw backwards.
Morgan prevents Liaw from breaking the clinch.
Morgan lands an uppercut.
Morgan working aggressively here.
Morgan lands a body punch in the clinch.
Morgan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Morgan misses with the head strike.
Liaw is trying to break the clinch but Morgan is controlling him.

Liaw's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Morgan cracks Liaw with a big right hand and Liaw goes down!

Liaw is rocked!

Morgan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Morgan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Oh Liaw is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Morgan sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Liaw's guard.
Liaw seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morgan is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Liaw defends it well.
Liaw knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Morgan on the ground.

Morgan wants to work for an arm triangle but Liaw is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Morgan is looking for a kimura but Liaw is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Morgan to get the leverage.

Morgan is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Liaw sees it coming and defends easily.

Morgan is looking for a kimura here.

Morgan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Liaw doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Morgan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liaw wants to control but Morgan is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Liaw is not content to let Morgan control the position.

Morgan is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Liaw is just riding it out for now. Morgan eventually gives up the hold.
Morgan is trying to control the action in half guard but Liaw is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Morgan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Arthur Morgan's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Morgan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Morgan lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Morgan lands with a cross.
Morgan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Liaw fails in his attempt to clinch.
Liaw looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Liaw clinches with his opponent.
Morgan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Liaw tries for a takedown. No joy.

Liaw breaks the clinch.

Morgan drops his shoulder and cracks Liaw with a huge uppercut! Liaw goes down! Can Morgan finish him?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morgan trying to control but Liaw is working from the bottom.
Morgan is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liaw working a defensive guard here.
Morgan trying to control the position from guard on top but Liaw is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liaw looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morgan sizes up Liaw with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A leg kick checked by Morgan.
Morgan has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Liaw tries to clinch there but Morgan circles away.
Morgan cracks Liaw with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Morgan throws a jab when Liaw was well out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan takes a swing at Liaw's ribcage but misses.
Liaw throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Morgan might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Liaw tries to clinch there but Morgan circles away.
Morgan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Liaw throws a sloppy head kick and Morgan moves out of range easily.
A good leg kick by Morgan.
Liaw doesn't manage to clinch there - Morgan circles away.
Morgan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morgan takes a kick to the side of the head.
Liaw throws a head kick but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan wants to clinch up but Liaw keeps it at a distance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice shot by Morgan.
Liaw takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Morgan misses with a straight right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liaw tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Morgan was well out of range. Poor timing from Liaw.
Morgan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Morgan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Liaw rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Liaw takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Liaw ducks right into an uppercut from Morgan.
Liaw ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

Morgan moves into range and clinches up with Liaw.
Morgan throws a head punch that misses.
Morgan misses with some punches.
A right hand to the body from Morgan.
Morgan tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Liaw with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A head punch on the inside from Morgan fails to land.
Liaw goes for a takedown attempt but Morgan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Morgan steps into range and cracks Liaw with a monster punch that buckles his knees! Liaw flops backwards and Morgan dives into his guard looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morgan trying to control but Liaw is working from the bottom.
Morgan prevents Liaw from getting back to his feet.

Morgan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Morgan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Liaw is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Morgan, into his guard.

Morgan trying to keep a closed guard but Liaw is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Morgan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Arthur Morgan's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Morgan looks to land a right hand but Liaw moved out of range.
Morgan bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Liaw moves into the clinch successfully.
Morgan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Liaw's elbow.

Liaw breaks from the clinch.
A big left from Morgan misses.
Morgan digs a good hook to Liaw's body.

Morgan rushes Liaw and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Morgan is fighting off a takedown attempt but Liaw is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Morgan to the mat. Morgan regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Morgan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morgan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Liaw avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Liaw missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liaw trying to control the position from guard on top but Morgan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morgan trying to keep a closed guard but Liaw is proving a slippery customer.

Morgan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Liaw has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Morgan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Liaw defends it easily.
Morgan is controlling Liaw's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Liaw is looking to work some ground and pound but Morgan has wrist control.

Liaw avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Weimin Liaw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Liaw got a little sloppy there for a moment and Morgan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Liaw has managed to get both his arms back between Morgan's legs - danger averted.
Liaw wants to control from the top but Morgan keeps moving.
Morgan is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Liaw accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Morgan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Arthur Morgan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Liaw controlling from the top position.
Morgan managing to control the position.
Morgan wants to sweep but no luck.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Morgan scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Liaw moves into the clinch.
Liaw tries to land knees in the clinch but Morgan avoids the damage to the body.
Liaw is looking to take this one to the mat.
Liaw can't break the clinch.
Morgan lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Liaw backwards.
Liaw tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morgan avoids it.

Liaw manages to break the clinch.
Morgan buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Nice body punch from Liaw.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
That kick from Morgan tenderised Liaw's leg. Liaw is trying to keep his angry face on.

Liaw clinches up against the cage.
Liaw blocking some punches.
Liaw blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Arthur Morgan.
Well Morgan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arthur Morgan!
An out of breath Arthur Morgan thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.