PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dana Black (ranked 5755 p4p, 24580 weight class) and Ryder Morningstar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Ryder Morningstar was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Black
vs
Morningstar

165 cm
25
147
6 - 7 - 0

175 cm
23
155
8 - 17 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dana Black !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 17 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ryder Morningstar!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Gregory Folan and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Black shoots in and bounces Morningstar off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

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

Black drops back looking for a leg! Morningstar is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Morningstar manages to kick Black off! Black jumps back into Morningstar's guard.

Black drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Black jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Black drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Black jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Morningstar looking for a sweep. Not yet Morningstar, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Black drops back looking for a leg! Morningstar is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Morningstar manages to kick Black off! Black jumps back into Morningstar's guard.
Morningstar wants to stand but Black is controlling the position.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morningstar keeping full guard, as Black tries to pass.
Morningstar is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Black drops back looking for a leg! Morningstar is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Morningstar manages to kick Black off! Black jumps back into Morningstar's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Black forces his way into half guard.

Morningstar actively working from the bottom here.

Black is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Morningstar wants to control but Black is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Black seems to be looking for submissions.

Black seems to be looking for submissions.
Black prevents Morningstar from improving his position.

Black seems to be working for a kimura but Morningstar defends the submission attempt.

Black is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Morningstar is just riding it out for now. Black eventually gives up the hold.
Morningstar is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar trying to control here.

Black is working for a submission of some sort.
Morningstar wants to get back to his feet.

Black is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Black is trying to work for a kimura but Morningstar is defending well.
Morningstar trying to control but Black postures up.

Black seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four 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.

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

Black wants to work for an arm triangle but Morningstar is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Morningstar tries to kick Black off but Black keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

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

Black looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morningstar is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Black 's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Black 's back!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dana Black 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.

Black steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Morningstar.
Black shoots in looking for a takedown but Morningstar manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Black 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Black avoids the body shot from Morningstar.
Black looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Black shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Morningstar as he jumps to the side.
Morningstar works Black 's body with a nice hook.
Morningstar connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Black momentarily.
Black has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

It looks like Dana Black has been cut.
Morningstar throws a big shot that misses.
Black attempts a counter takedown but Morningstar avoids it well and moves away.
Black gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Morningstar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dana Black . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morningstar scores with a jab to the head.

Black is rocked!
Morningstar tries to work over Black 's front leg with a kick but Black checks it.
Black feinted with a counter takedown.
Oh Black is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Morningstar misses with a head kick.
Morningstar misses with a low kick.
Black seems to have got his legs back now.
Black slips a jab from Morningstar.
As Morningstar looks to move away, Black throws a big counter combo but Morningstar just gets out of the way.
Black fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Morningstar avoids it really well and circles away.
Morningstar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Morningstar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morningstar looks to land a right hand but Black moved out of range.
Morningstar misses with a head kick.
Black looks for a takedown but Morningstar sprawls well.
Black avoids the head kick by Morningstar.
Morningstar rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Black moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Black ducks under a wild hook from Morningstar.
Black shoots in for a double leg but Morningstar sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Morningstar throws a leg kick but Black moved away.
Black bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Morningstar lands with a good body shot.
Morningstar throws a shot from downtown. Black moves away and avoids it.
Morningstar misses with a jab, cross combination.
Black shoots for a takedown but Morningstar saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Ryder Morningstar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morningstar works Black 's body with a nice hook.
A lazy left from Morningstar finds it's target.
Morningstar punishes Black 's body with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morningstar throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Black appears to be looking for a big counter.
Morningstar feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Black s jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Morningstar lands a nice hook to Black 's body. Black takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Morningstar throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Black stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Black shoots in for a double leg but Morningstar sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Morningstar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Black manages to avoid it.
A big right from Morningstar misses.
Morningstar scores with a shot to the body.
Black doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Morningstar swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morningstar ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Morningstar displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Black .
Morningstar misses with an uppercut.
Morningstar throws a head kick but Black moves out of range.
Morningstar throws a body punch but Black moves out of range.
Morningstar tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Black manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Morningstar on his heels. He'll look to pass Morningstar's guard now, I'm sure.
Black slips nicely into half guard.

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

Black seems to be working for a kimura but Morningstar defends the submission attempt.

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

Black looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Black prevents Morningstar from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar tries to get to full guard but Black has control of the leg.
Morningstar has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Black is working away from the top position though.
Dana Black overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Black prevents Morningstar from improving his position.

Black is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Morningstar defends it well.

Black is working for a kimura but Morningstar is defending it quite comfortably.
Morningstar misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryder Morningstar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Dana Black 's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Black changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Morningstar tries to avoid it but Black manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Morningstar to the ground. Morningstar escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Morningstar throws the left hand but Black avoids the punch easily.
Black fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Black shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Black was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Morningstar is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Black has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Morningstar tries to improve position but can't.

Black is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Morningstar knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Black goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Morningstar rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Black 's guard! Nice work there by Morningstar!
Morningstar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Black works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morningstar tries to stand but Black is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Black throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Morningstar trying to control but Black is working from the bottom.
Black throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Morningstar has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Black is proving hard to escape from.
Black bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Morningstar's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Black is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Morningstar tries to get to full guard but Black has control of the leg.

Morningstar is defending against the submission attempts here by Black .
Morningstar trying to control here.

Black is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Morningstar is just riding it out for now. Black eventually gives up the hold.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Black is working for a submission of some sort.
Morningstar is trying to maintain the position but Black is very close to passing his half guard.
Morningstar is looking to improve his position.

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

Black is trying to work for a kimura but Morningstar is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Black is looking for a kimura but Morningstar is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Black to get the leverage.
Morningstar wants to control but Black is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Black shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Morningstar counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dana Black . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Black displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morningstar throws out the jab.
Morningstar loads up on a big right hand but Black slips the punch.
Morningstar misses with a looping left.
Horrible takedown attempt by Black or perhaps it was just good defense by Morningstar, which made it look bad.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
A left and a right from Morningstar both land. Nice combination.
Black changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Morningstar tries to avoid it but Black manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Morningstar to the ground. Morningstar escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryder Morningstar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Morningstar has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29

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