PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thaniel Morales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and jake walden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). walden is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: the way i am. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Morales
vs
walden

183 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

183 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good knees
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 1 - 2 - 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, jake walden!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Frank Dennis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morales gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
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.
walden trying to control the position from guard on top but Morales is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morales can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as walden controls the pace.
Morales looking to hit a scissor sweep but walden is one step ahead there.
Morales is trying to control the position but walden postures up.
walden slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Morales throws a couple of heel strikes.
Morales is looking to stand up but walden isn't so interested in that idea.
walden wanted to stand there but Morales had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Morales looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

walden shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
walden perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Morales wants to stand back up but walden manages to pass into side control.
walden working away.
walden misses with the ground and pound.
Morales is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

walden stands up and we're back to a striking position.

walden scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Morales is trying to control walden's posture but walden avoids it.

walden thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
walden looks gassed!
Morales struggling a bit here.
Morales is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked walden off and has taken his back!
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
walden manages to reverse the position and now he's in Morales's guard. Nice work there by walden.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
walden in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
walden's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Morales is trying to control the position from the bottom.
walden trying to control but Morales is working from the bottom.
Morales is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

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

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

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.

Morales manages to break the clinch.
Morales tries to clinch but walden is having none of it.
Morales tries for a takedown but walden circles away easily

and walden counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
walden must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Morales keeping full guard, as walden tries to pass.
walden trying to control but Morales is working from the bottom.

Morales is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. walden is aware though and is defending well.

walden drops back, looking for a kneebar! Morales looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Morales looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Morales!
walden tries to bench press Morales off him but Morales keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

jake walden dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Morales clinches but walden breaks the clinch

and walden counters with a shoot takedown. Morales fights it but they end up in guard.
walden wants to control from the top but Morales keeps moving.
Morales keeping full guard, as walden tries to pass.
Morales controls walden momentarily but walden frees himself.
Morales utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Morales working a defensive guard here.
Morales keeping moving, preventing walden from controlling successfully.
walden is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
walden postures up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
walden tries to close the distance and clinch but Morales swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Thaniel Morales seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Morales shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Morales wanted to stand there but walden had control of the position.

walden is working an open guard so Morales takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Morales tries to clinch but walden is having none of it.
walden keeps the fight on the outside.
walden keeps the fight on the outside.
walden shoots in for a takedown but Morales shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Thaniel Morales is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Morales clinches.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by walden as Morales tries to tie him up.
Morales stops a takedown attempt from walden.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
walden tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morales smiles and moves away.
Thaniel Morales has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of jake walden.
Morales with a poor takedown

and walden counters with a shoot takedown. Morales fights it but they end up in guard.
Morales is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
walden stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morales swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morales is trying to control the position from the bottom.
walden sitting in guard, not really doing much.
walden is looking to advance position but Morales has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morales working for a submission but walden is keeping him at bay.
walden tries to hold on but Morales postures up.
Morales landing shots from mount.

walden tries to control Morales's head but Morales pushes him back down and moves quickly to lock up an arm here - he's swung around for an armbar! Will he get it??? Yes! walden is tapping out! Lovely Jiu Jitsu there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:03 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (armbar). Thaniel Morales!