PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryder Morningstar (ranked 25062 p4p, 25357 weight class) and Punch Bag (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bag has chosen Eye of the tiger as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Morningstar
vs
Bag

175 cm
22
155
5 - 9 - 0

175 cm
19
147
5 - 12 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
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 5 - 9 - 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 5 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Punch Bag!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice shot by Morningstar.
Morningstar misses with an uppercut.
Morningstar rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Bag counters by clinching up.

Bag breaks from the clinch.
Morningstar misses the jab.
Morningstar rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Bag holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Morningstar is trying to break free.
Bag tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morningstar just stands there and leans against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bag has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Morningstar is trying to keep an underhook but Bag manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Bag with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bag is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Bag winds up and cracks Morningstar with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Bag takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Bag moves nicely into side control.

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

Bag is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Morningstar is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Morningstar dodges the ground and pound from Bag.
Bag controls the position from side control.
Bag landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Morningstar is being controlled here.
Bag wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morningstar keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bag is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Morningstar is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Bag is controlling him well.

Bag tries for a kimura but Morningstar is defending well.
We've been informed that Bag has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Bag tries to move to mount but Morningstar blocks the move with his legs.
Bag in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
Bag is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Morningstar clobbers Bag with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Bag defending well as Morningstar loads up on a big left hand.
Morningstar sets himself, and Bag steps forward looking for the clinch! Morningstar avoids it this time.
Morningstar throws a hook but Bag avoids it easily.
Morningstar misses with a right hand

and Bag counters by moving into the clinch.

Bag manages to break the clinch.

Morningstar feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Bag sprawling to the canvas! Bag rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Morningstar finish him?!

Bag is rocked!
Morningstar misses with an uppercut.
Bag is still on wobbly legs! Can Morningstar finish him?
Ryder Morningstar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bag defending well as Morningstar loads up on a big left hand.
Morningstar is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bag.
A countering left hand to the body from Bag misses.
Morningstar works the jab nicely.
Bag slips a jab from Morningstar.
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.

Bag moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Morningstar misses with a lunging right hand

and Bag counters by moving into the clinch.
Bag seems to have recovered his senses.
Morningstar wants to break free but Bag has control.

Bag gets control of Morningstar's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bag will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Bag is pulling down on Morningstar's head to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bag is looking to stand up but Morningstar isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morningstar wants to stand but Bag is controlling his posture from full guard.

Bag pushes Morningstar off and scrambles back to his feet.
Bag throws a one two combo.
Bag moves away from the strike by Morningstar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bag scores with a nice right hand.
Morningstar scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Morningstar throws a right hand that misses

and Bag holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Bag with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Bag pulls Morningstar into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morningstar won't allow Bag to sweep him here.
Morningstar wants to get up but he can't break Bag's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Bag seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Bag's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar trying to stand up but can't free himself from Bag's guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Bag looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Morningstar jabs Bag right on the nose. Bag blinks but takes it well.
Morningstar lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Morningstar throws a jab but it's blocked by Bag.
Bag is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar throws a lazy uppercut

and Bag counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Bag is trying to control the action in half guard but Morningstar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Bag content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Bag is looking for a kimura here.
Bag is pressing down on Morningstar's thigh, looking to free his foot. Morningstar is holding on for now.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bag throwing shots but Morningstar is blocking nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Punch Bag showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Morningstar misses with a straight left.
Bag wants to counter with a clinch but Morningstar pushes him away.
Morningstar throws a jab when Bag was well out of range.
Morningstar throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Morningstar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Morningstar throws a hook to the side of Bag's head but Bag sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bag bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Bag throws out a counter right but Morningstar avoids it with no problem.
Punch Bag is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bag staying out of range there.
Bag displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morningstar throws out the jab.
Morningstar scores with a decent looking hook.
Bag defending well as Morningstar loads up on a big left hand.
Morningstar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morningstar throws a big shot that misses.
Bag slips a jab from Morningstar.
Morningstar throws a shot from downtown. Bag moves away and avoids it.
Bag is looking for the big counter here.
Morningstar swings widly with a right hand

and Bag counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bag tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morningstar smiles and moves away.
Morningstar swings widly with a right hand

and Bag decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Morningstar's guard.
Morningstar keeping moving, preventing Bag from controlling successfully.
Bag content to stall in guard here.
Punch Bag has got the better of the ground game so far.
Bag slips nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bag lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morningstar is defending against the submission attempts here by Bag.
Morningstar tries to kick Bag off but Bag keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Bag missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Bag is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Morningstar sees it coming and defends easily.
Bag seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar wants to get back to his feet.

Bag is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Morningstar has managed to free his arm - good work.

Bag is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Bag seems to be working for a kimura but Morningstar defends the submission attempt.
Bag wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morningstar keeps working.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Nice defenses there by Bag.
Bag lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Morningstar lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Morningstar throws a lazy uppercut

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

Bag pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed right hand from Morningstar misses the target.
Despite the aggression on Bag's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morningstar misses with a looping right.
Morningstar misses with a hook.
Morningstar misses with a looping right.
Bag moves out of range of the strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryder Morningstar showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Morningstar has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryder Morningstar!
The defeated Punch Bag had this to say: '"Everybody out there know I beat him, I controlled the fight, he was missing, I hit him plenty more times. I beat him.Let me talk something... I want to thank the whole hood who came out here. I love y'all. I did this for the hood, you know I beat that boy.'.