PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryder Morningstar (ranked 4068 p4p, 4097 weight class) and Melly Hartwick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Morningstar
vs
Hartwick

175 cm
20
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ryder Morningstar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Melly Hartwick!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hartwick has managed to clinch.
Morningstar tries to break free but Hartwick pushes him back against the cage.
Hartwick taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Hartwick gets control of Morningstar's arms and successfully pulls guard. Hartwick will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hartwick trying to strike off his back.
Morningstar is looking to stand up but Hartwick won't let him.
Hartwick seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Hartwick wants to sweep here but Morningstar controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morningstar wants to stand and escape but instead Hartwick has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Hartwick's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hartwick stands up from Morningstar's guard - Hartwick perhaps looking for a knockout.

Hartwick shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hartwick showed some decent athleticism there.
Morningstar tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Hartwick manages to move to mount!
Hartwick throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Hartwick goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Morningstar is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar wants to get up but he can't break Hartwick's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Morningstar decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Hartwick darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Morningstar tries to kick Hartwick off in order to stand up. Hartwick Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morningstar prevents Hartwick from moving into mount.
Morningstar is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar trying to remain calm as Hartwick controls from the top position.

Hartwick stands up.
Morningstar avoids the body shot from Hartwick.
Morningstar misses with a lunging right hand
and Hartwick counters with a head kick. That will keep Morningstar thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar with a hook.
Morningstar swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Hartwick.
Ryder Morningstar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morningstar misses with a hook

and Hartwick decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Morningstar's guard.

Morningstar has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Hartwick off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good exchange - Morningstar coming out on top.
Hartwick bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hartwick steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Morningstar.
Morningstar is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Morningstar throws a lazy right hand but Hartwick sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Morningstar moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Hartwick goes down! Can Morningstar finish him!?

Hartwick is rocked!
Morningstar wanted to stand there but Hartwick had control of the position.
Hartwick is still in real trouble! Can Morningstar finish him?
Morningstar wants to stand and escape but instead Hartwick has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryder Morningstar dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Hartwick slips a jab from Morningstar.
Hartwick seems to have recovered his senses.

Hartwick gets a double leg takedown into Morningstar's guard.
Hartwick throws a big right hand that misses.
Morningstar being controlled here, momentarily.
Melly Hartwick has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hartwick pushes down on Morningstar's leg and manages to get into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morningstar looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hartwick is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hartwick stands up from half guard.

Hartwick moves into the clinch.
Morningstar is trying to break the clinch but Hartwick is controlling him.

Hartwick decides to pull guard.
Morningstar wants to stand but Hartwick is controlling his posture from full guard.

Hartwick 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 two minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar has had enough of the clinch but Hartwick keeps him there for the moment.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hartwick creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Morningstar wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hartwick makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Hartwick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Morningstar enables Hartwick to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Morningstar manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Morningstar manages to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morningstar with a nice cross.
Morningstar lands with an uppercut that bounces Hartwick off the cage and back into range.
Hartwick ducks right into an uppercut from Morningstar.

Hartwick forces Morningstar back against the cage and clinches.
Hartwick trying to land knees to the body.
Morningstar wants to break the clinch but can't.

Hartwick gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Morningstar regains guard.
Hartwick is breathing heavily.
Hartwick passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar wants to get back to his feet but Hartwick drags him back down.

Hartwick swings around for an armbar but Morningstar sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Hartwick's guard.
Morningstar would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Morningstar trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Morningstar decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A decent looking cross lands there for Morningstar.
Hartwick slips a straight right by Morningstar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Decent striking displayed by Morningstar there.
Morningstar throws a big shot that misses.

Hartwick moves into the clinch.
Morningstar can't break the clinch.

Hartwick pulls Morningstar into guard.
Hartwick tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hartwick has a closed guard, preventing Morningstar from standing up.

Morningstar stands and steps away. Hartwick gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hartwick shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morningstar scores with a jab.
Morningstar throws a jab when Hartwick was well out of range.
Hartwick avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Ryder Morningstar will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Morningstar dips to his left and cracks Hartwick with an uppercut!

Hartwick rushes Morningstar and presses him up against the cage.
Hartwick prevents Morningstar from breaking the clinch.

Hartwick pulls guard effortlessly.
Morningstar would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Hartwick throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Morningstar is looking to stand up but Hartwick won't let him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Hartwick manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Morningstar is trying to push Hartwick away but Hartwick has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morningstar is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hartwick takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A frustrated look appears on Morningstar's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Morningstar wants to get back to striking at distance but Hartwick won't allow it.
Morningstar is trying to break the clinch but Hartwick is controlling him.

Hartwick breaks the clinch.
Hartwick avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Hartwick closes the distance and clinches.
Hartwick keeps control of Morningstar as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Morningstar looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Hartwick manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Hartwick looking for a sweep. Not yet Hartwick, not yet.

Morningstar decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hartwick, up you get!
Morningstar thows a left - swing and a miss!
Morningstar connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Hartwick rushes Morningstar and presses him up against the cage.
Morningstar gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hartwick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar can't break the clinch.
Morningstar wants to break the clinch but can't.

Hartwick breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Decent striking displayed by Morningstar there.
Morningstar misses with a hook. Hartwick ducked under it nicely.
Morningstar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Morningstar misses with a hook

and Hartwick counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hartwick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hartwick won't allow Morningstar to get back to his feet.

Morningstar manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hartwick takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Morningstar throws an overhand right that lands on Hartwick's shoulder, as Hartwick tries to avoid the shot.
Morningstar misses with a hook.
Hartwick shoots for a double leg takedown but Morningstar sprawls well. He's pushed Hartwick's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Ryder Morningstar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Melly Hartwick.
The fighters circling - Morningstar throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Morningstar cracks Hartwick with an open hand slap.
Melly Hartwick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morningstar misses with a straight right.
Morningstar scores with a hook.

Hartwick is rocked!
Morningstar throws a hook to the side of Hartwick's head but Hartwick sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Morningstar jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice shot by Morningstar.
Hartwick is still on wobbly legs! Can Morningstar finish him?
Morningstar with a hook.
Morningstar tests Hartwick's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Ryder Morningstar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hartwick slips a straight right by Morningstar.
Morningstar throws a shot from downtown. Hartwick moves away and avoids it.
Hartwick seems to have recovered his senses.
Hartwick is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Hartwick scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Morningstar tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Morningstar wants to get back to his feet.

Hartwick is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryder Morningstar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morningstar, 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryder Morningstar!