PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryder Morningstar (ranked 4467 p4p, 4336 weight class) and Deniz Bican (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Morningstar
vs
Bican

175 cm
20
155
2 - 0 - 0

172 cm
23
154
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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 2 - 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, Deniz Bican!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morningstar throws a shot from downtown. Bican moves away and avoids it.

Bican takes the fight into the clinch.

Bican pulls guard.

Bican looking for subs off his back but Morningstar has passed one foot through into half guard.
Morningstar wants to get back to his feet.
Bican is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bican tries to roll over but Morningstar keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Bican manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Morningstar would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Bican is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Bican is pulling down on Morningstar's head. It's preventing any offense from Morningstar, at least for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two 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.
Bican is continuing to stall.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Bican displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morningstar throws out the jab.
Bican moves away from the strike by Morningstar.
Bican ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
And Bican tries to counter it with a takedown but Morningstar pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Morningstar misses with a two punch combination.
Morningstar throws a series of punches but Bican moves out of range.
Bican tries to counter by closing the distance.
A slow jab from Morningstar misses its intended target.
Morningstar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Bican.
It looked like Morningstar was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Morningstar stuffs the takedown attempt from Bican. Bican gets slowly back to his feet.
Ryder Morningstar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morningstar throws a jab when Bican was well out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Morningstar. Those never looked like landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Morningstar.
Bican shoots in for a takedown but Morningstar shows good takedown defense.
Bican uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Morningstar.
Morningstar looks to land a left hand but Bican moved out of range nicely.

Morningstar drops Bican with a left and a right! Oh, Bican is hurt - Morningstar dives into side control looking to finish!

Bican is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Bican throws Morningstar to one side and escapes!
Bican is still on wobbly legs! Can Morningstar finish him?
Morningstar will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bican scores with a nice body kick.
Bican seems to have recovered his senses.
Bican slips under a jab from Morningstar.
Bican swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Morningstar moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Morningstar throws a right and a left that both miss.

Morningstar moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Bican goes down! Can Morningstar finish him!?
Bican tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bican has his hands on Morningstar's head, controlling the position.

Bican pushes Morningstar off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Bican misses with the combination.
Morningstar throws a lazy uppercut

and Bican holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bican holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Morningstar working hard to break the clinch.
Morningstar tries to circle away but Bican has him pinned against the cage.

Bican pulls guard effortlessly.
Bican pulls Morningstar in close to his closed guard and prevents Morningstar from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryder Morningstar dominated that round.
That's time! Morningstar's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Morningstar falls off balance throwing a combination

and Bican counters by clinching up.

Bican jumps guard and drags Morningstar to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Morningstar wants to stand and escape but instead Bican has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Bican decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Morningstar is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bican can do to turn this around?
Morningstar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bican moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bican dives in and grabs Morningstar's left leg, looking for a takedown. Morningstar pushes down on Bican's head and hops out.
Morningstar takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morningstar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bican moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Bican throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bican misses with a takedown attempt - Morningstar sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bican gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Morningstar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bican lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Morningstar batters Bican with a massive right followed by a huge left! Bican is out on his feet looking like a zombie as Morningstar lands a final crushing right hand to drop Bican to the mat with a gruesome thud! Morningstar is running around like a mad man after that fight and for good reason!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:11 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Ryder Morningstar!