PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dominik Starr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kolya Morozov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Starr
vs
Morozov

173 cm
19
160 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
23
161 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dominik Starr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kolya Morozov!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morozov ducks under a wild hook from Starr.
Starr throws a series of punches but Morozov avoids them all with ease.

Morozov closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Starr did well to prevent Morozov getting side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morozov thows a huge punch but Starr dodges it nicely.

Starr is defending against the submission attempts here by Morozov.
Starr is trying to control but can't.
Morozov looks to land a strike but Starr avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Starr wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Morozov throws and elbow that misses. Starr uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Morozov's guard. Nice move by Starr!
Starr slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Starr stopping the sweep attempt from Morozov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Morozov has Starr pulled in close to control his posture.
Morozov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Morozov keeping moving, preventing Starr from controlling successfully.
Starr throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Starr sitting in guard, not really doing much.

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.
Starr trying to control the position from guard on top but Morozov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morozov trying to control the position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Morozov holds on and takes a little breather.
Morozov keeping moving, preventing Starr from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Starr throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Morozov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Starr looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Starr tries to improve position but can't.
Sloppy strikes there by Morozov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morozov landing a few strikes.
Morozov fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Starr is looking for a sweep.
Starr wants to control but Morozov postures up.
Morozov misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Morozov tries to score with some ground and pound. Starr controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Starr wants to control but Morozov postures up.
Morozov wants to control but Starr is keeping him busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Starr pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Morozov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Morozov defending well as Starr loads up on a big left hand.

Morozov shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Starr striking from half guard on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starr tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Morozov throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Starr is positioning himself well to prevent Morozov advancing to mount.
Morozov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Starr blocking the ground and pound attempt from Morozov.
Morozov looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Starr makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Morozov slips under a jab from Starr.
Starr swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Starr throws a jab but it's blocked by Morozov.
Morozov slips a straight right by Starr.
Starr throws a lazy right hand but Morozov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Starr misses with a straight right.
Starr fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Morozov dodges the punch combination from Starr.
Starr throws a shot from downtown. Morozov moves away and avoids it.
Starr connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Dominik Starr seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Starr fails to land with a series of punches.
Starr scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Morozov slips a jab and a cross from Starr.
Starr misses with a looping left.
Morozov blocks a jab.
Dominik Starr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morozov slips under a jab.
Nice straight punches there by Starr. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Starr.
Morozov slips a jab from Starr.
Morozov slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr swinging wildly here.
Morozov slips a jab from Starr.
Starr scores with a decent looking hook.
A punch combination from Starr misses.
Starr throws a jab when Morozov was well out of range.
Starr throws a right and a left that Morozov avoids nicely.
Starr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Morozov tries to clinch but Starr is having none of it.
Starr throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Starr fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Morozov manages to avoid it.
Starr displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Starr with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Starr misses with a jab, cross combination.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Starr looks to score with a jab to the body but Morozov is just out of range.
Morozov throws a head kick that misses.
Morozov misses with a wild combination.
Starr misses with a wild combination.
Starr looks to throw the jab but Morozov is out of range.

Morozov closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Starr to the mat! Starr manages to get full guard.
Morozov looking to sit in guard and control but Starr gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Starr trying to control but Morozov is working from the bottom.
Morozov wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morozov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Morozov looking to control.
Starr trying to control the position from guard on top but Morozov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morozov trying to control the position.
Morozov has Starr pulled in close to control his posture.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Morozov can do anything to dispel that myth.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morozov needs to keep his hands up - Starr had a free shot at his head there.
Morozov uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Starr.
Starr throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Some wild striking there from Starr.
Morozov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Starr swings for the body but Morozov moves out of range.
Starr scores with a decent looking hook.

Morozov shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Morozov showed some decent athleticism there.
Starr is trying to get back to full guard.
Starr looks like he's trying to stand up.
Starr is trying to maintain the position but Morozov is very close to passing his half guard.
Morozov working Starr over with strikes.
Morozov lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Morozov winds up and cracks Starr with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dominik Starr dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Starr throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Morozov bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Starr wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Starr regains half guard.
Morozov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Starr pushes Morozov off looking to stand but Morozov dives back in and keeps control.
Starr taking some punishment here, with Morozov in his half guard.
Kolya Morozov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morozov is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Morozov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Starr manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Morozov thows a big elbow that misses.
Starr working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Morozov.
Morozov working some strikes from top position.
Starr throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Starr has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Starr throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Morozov thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Morozov works over Starr with some ground and pound from guard.
Starr wants to stand but Morozov is controlling the position.
Starr trying to control the position.
Starr wants to sweep but no luck.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Starr misses the jab.
Morozov on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Starr swings for the body but Morozov moves out of range.

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.
Morozov throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Starr's waist but Starr gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Morozov off to one side.
Morozov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Starr looks to land a right hand but Morozov moved out of range.
Starr looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Morozov slips a jab and a cross from Starr.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morozov moves out of range of the strikes.
Starr lands a head shot.

Morozov shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Morozov prevents Starr from getting the reversal.
Starr is working hard here to advance position.
Morozov lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Starr slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Starr blocking the ground and pound attempt from Morozov.
Morozov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Starr tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Morozov drops an elbow to the side of Starr's head.
Morozov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Morozov is stalling here. Starr is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Morozov seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Starr has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Starr is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Morozov will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Morozov is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Starr off and has taken his back!
Morozov lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Morozov loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Starr hold on?
Starr grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Starr looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Starr breaks Morozov's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Morozov is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Morozov manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Starr manages to get himself to full guard.
Morozov postures up in Starr's guard and throws a big left but Starr blocks it.
Morozov must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Starr tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Morozov throwing strikes but missing.
Morozov throws a big right hand that misses.
Starr working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Morozov.
Starr wants to stand but Morozov is controlling the position.
Morozov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kolya Morozov comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Morozov 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kolya Morozov!