PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thaniel Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Henning (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.

Morales
vs
Henning

183 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thaniel Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Henning!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Henning stuffs the takedown.
Henning tries to work over Morales's front leg with a kick but Morales checks it.
Morales is looking to clinch but Henning is avoiding it.
Morales tries to clinch up but Henning circles away and keeps his distance.
Thaniel Morales seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morales fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Henning looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Morales controlling Henning's posture.

Morales is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Morales is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Henning wants to stand but Morales is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henning slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Henning decides to stand up, so the ref orders Morales to his feet.
Henning avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Henning throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Morales tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Henning closes the distance and clinches.
Henning takes a knee right on the jaw!
Morales tries to pull guard but Henning holds him up against the cage and eventually Morales drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thaniel Morales. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henning keeps control of Morales as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Morales tries to score a body lock takedown but Henning shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Morales jumps guard and drags Henning to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morales wants to get back to his feet but Henning is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morales is breathing heavily.

Morales has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Henning can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Morales working a defensive guard here.
Morales is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Henning slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Morales wants to stand but Henning is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Henning fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Morales sprawls well initially but Henning persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Henning 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.
Morales wants to control but Henning is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Morales looks like he's trying to stand up.
Morales is looking to control Henning's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Morales avoid being mounted?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morales is trying to stand back up but Henning is controlling him
Henning with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Morales gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Morales tries to land a knee to the head but Henning blocks with his arms.
Morales tries to score a body lock takedown but Henning shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Henning gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Henning in particular looking to stall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Henning dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Henning bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Morales is pushing Henning's head away, looking to escape. Henning manages to hold on to the position though.
Morales wants to control but Henning postures up.
Morales prevents Henning from improving position.
Morales manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Henning looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Morales stands up out of the half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morales doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Henning counters by clinching up.
Morales avoiding damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henning takes an elbow to the forehead.
Morales has Henning pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Henning manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Henning working hard to break the clinch.
Henning tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morales smiles and moves away.
Henning throws a head kick but Morales moves out of range.
Morales looks for a takedown but Henning sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thaniel Morales. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henning throws a low kick but Morales avoids it.
Morales shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Henning as he avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Morales.
Henning circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two 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.
Henning tries to clinch up but Morales circles away and keeps his distance.
Morales takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Henning shoots in looking for a takedown. Morales tries to sprawl out of it but Henning keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Morales manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Henning slaps away a takedown attempt from Morales, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Henning tries to clinch there but Morales circles away.
Morales looks to clinch

and Henning counters with a single leg into guard. Morales didn't expect that.

Henning postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Morales is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Henning, into his guard.
Thomas Henning has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morales wants to pass the guard but Henning is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales wants to stand but Henning has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Morales postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Henning is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Morales is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Morales in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Morales gets to his feet. Henning looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Morales gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Henning counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morales pushes Henning away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Henning gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Morales manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Morales wants to stand up but Henning has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Henning keeps control of the position for the meantime.

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

Morales seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Henning showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Morales's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Henning shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Morales manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Henning wants to pass the guard but Morales is keeping the position.
Morales trying to keep a closed guard but Henning is proving a slippery customer.
Morales is really struggling to control Henning but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales controlling Henning's posture.
Morales looking to control.

Morales is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Morales has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Henning uses from the top position.
Morales trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Morales is trying to keep Henning in close.
Morales is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Morales is trying to work for a kimura but Henning is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henning keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Henning wants to control but Morales is keeping busy.

Morales is working for a kimura but Henning is defending it quite comfortably.

Morales decides to stand and escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morales takes the fight into the clinch.
Morales lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Morales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Morales misses with a takedown
and Henning counters with a one-two to the body.
Morales tries for a takedown but Henning circles away easily
and Henning counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Morales looks to clinch

and Henning counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Morales has his hands on Henning's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henning postures up.

Morales is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Henning is aware though and is defending well.
Morales wants to get back to his feet but Henning is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Morales is trying to control the position but Henning postures up.
Morales keeping moving, preventing Henning from controlling successfully.

Morales is working an open guard so Henning takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Thaniel Morales has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Thomas Henning is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Henning moves into range and clinches up with Morales.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Henning comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Henning has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Henning!