PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Craig David (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). David's entrance music is Craig David - Rise and Fall. A fine choice. 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.

David
vs
Morgan

179 cm
22
192 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Craig David!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Tyler Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morgan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morgan defends well against a solid takedown attempt from David.
David throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Morgan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
David closes the distance and clinches up with Morgan, looking for a takedown. David pushes Morgan against the cage but Morgan circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Morgan fails in his attempt to clinch.
David shoots in for a takedown but Morgan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig David. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morgan is looking to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morgan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A right-left combo lands from Morgan.
Morgan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but David circles away quickly and effectively.
Morgan should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

David closes the distance and pushes Morgan back into the cage.
Morgan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. David is defending well for now.
Morgan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and David avoids it.
Morgan misses with an elbow strike.
David is working for takedown but Morgan is calmly controlling the position for now.
Morgan tries to land knees in the clinch but David avoids the damage to the body.
Morgan prevents the takedown attempt.
Morgan prevents a takedown attempt there.
David changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Morgan fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Morgan tries to clinch but fails miserably

and David counters with a single leg into guard. Morgan didn't expect that.
Morgan wants to stand but David is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
David postures up in Morgan's guard and throws a big left but Morgan blocks it.
David stops Morgan from standing up.
David wants to control from the top but Morgan keeps moving.
David throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
David working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
David postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
David passes into half guard.

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.

David is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Morgan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time David.
David is breathing heavily.
David throwing shots but Morgan is blocking nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
David thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Morgan's head.

David stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Morgan to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan fails with an attempt to clinch.
David avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morgan wants to clinch

and David counters with a nice double leg into side control. Morgan won't be happy with that.
Morgan takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Morgan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with David. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
David lands an elbow.
Morgan avoids any damage from the ground and pound of David.
David looks up at the clock and then as Morgan takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, David smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
David wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morgan keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
David cracks Morgan with an elbow. That is naaassty.
David lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

David stands up and beckons Morgan to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from David.

David scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

David decides to stand up, so the ref orders Morgan to his feet.
Morgan avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig David dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A really sloppy takedown attempt there from David.
Tyler Morgan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
David goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
David shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Morgan but Morgan pushes him off and we're back to square one.
David is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Morgan.
Morgan wants to clinch
and David counters with a lovely straight right hand!
David tries for a takedown but Morgan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig David. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morgan tries to clinch up
and David counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morgan throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morgan swinging wilding here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but David circles away quickly and effectively.
Morgan tries to clinch up
and David counters with a two punch combo.
Morgan clinches but David breaks the clinch
letting David counter with a right hand.
Morgan closes the distance but David moves to the side

and David counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Morgan!
David scoring with strikes but Morgan is staying in there.
David trying to control but he's not successful this time.
David has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Morgan takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
David lands with some strikes.
David looking to finish Morgan with some ground and pound. This is bad for Morgan!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
David working away from the top, dropping strikes.
David landing strikes from the mount and Morgan is in trouble!
David in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
David looking to finish Morgan with some ground and pound. This is bad for Morgan!
David landing shots from mount.
David lands a heavy elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
David working Morgan over with strikes here.
David looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Morgan is rocked!
A nice elbow there by David.
Morgan is still in real trouble! Can David finish him?
David raining down shots from the mount!
Morgan takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
David looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Morgan seems to have recovered his senses.
David is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Morgan can do to turn this around?
David has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Morgan's face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
David is in the full mount, landing strikes.
David lands a big shot there that rocks Morgan but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
David scores with a couple of good head shots there.
David with the ground and pound from mount.
David scores with a couple of good head shots there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
David landing strikes from the mount and Morgan is in trouble!
David scores with a couple of good head shots there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
David is landing with some decent strikes but Morgan is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
David lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig David dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

David is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morgan sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Morgan tries to clinch but David moves away
and David counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice body kick from Morgan.

David clinches up with Morgan and pushes him back against the cage.
Morgan stops a takedown attempt from David.
Morgan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Morgan missing with knees to the body.
David on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Morgan missing with knees to the body.
David wants a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Craig David. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morgan tries to land knees in the clinch but David avoids the damage to the body.

David breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
David misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Morgan closes the distance looking to clinch
and David counters with a left and a right that stings Morgan.
Morgan wants to clinch but David slips to the side
and David counters with a series of strikes. Morgan will be more careful next time no doubt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morgan gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Morgan closes the distance looking to clinch

and David counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by David.

That's one minute gone in the round.
David tries to score a body lock takedown but Morgan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Morgan misses with a knee to the head.
David wants a takedown.
Morgan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but David blocks it with crossed arms.
David on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
David has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Morgan avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Morgan missing with knees to the body.
David can't get the takedown.
David fails to pull guard.
Morgan prevents the takedown attempt.
David has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Morgan is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Morgan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. David is defending well for now.
Morgan trying to land knees to the body.

David pulls guard successfully.
David wants to get back to his feet but Morgan is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

David has his foot on Morgan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Morgan works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
David looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morgan is one step ahead there.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

David is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
David striking off his back but it's not causing Morgan any problems.
Tyler Morgan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Craig David is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
David manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Morgan manages to get himself to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig David showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for David, 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:26
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:26
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig David!