PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Morris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Holyfield (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dan Holyfield looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Morris
vs
Holyfield

179 cm
18
195 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
178 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

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, Thomas Morris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dan Holyfield!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fight stays on the outside here - Morris looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Morris moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Morris tries to clinch there but Holyfield circles away.
Morris will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Morris jabs Holyfield right on the nose. Holyfield blinks but takes it well.
Morris fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holyfield throws a body punch but Morris moves out of range.
Morris fails with a takedown attempt.
Morris misses with a wild combination.
Morris fails in his attempt to clinch.
Holyfield misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Holyfield as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Morris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A nice leg kick lands there from Holyfield.
Morris lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Morris tries to close the distance and clinch but Holyfield swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Holyfield lands a head kick. Morris smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Morris fails with the takedown.
Holyfield tries to clinch there but Morris circles away.

Holyfield drives through and clinches with Morris against the cage.
Morris is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Holyfield gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Holyfield breaks the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Morris or perhaps it was just good defense by Holyfield which made him look bad.
Morris is breathing heavily.
Morris throws a half hearted mid kick.
Morris tries to clinch

and Holyfield counters by clinching up.
Morris has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Holyfield is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Holyfield breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Holyfield has managed to clinch.
Holyfield is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
A short body shot lands from Holyfield as the two fighters clinch.

Holyfield breaks from the clinch.

Morris takes the fight into the clinch.
Holyfield tries to score a body lock takedown but Morris shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Holyfield breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Morris fails to land the takedown.
Holyfield misses the shot to the body.
Morris misses with a takedown

and Holyfield counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Holyfield escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Holyfield looks to score with a jab to the body but Morris is just out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holyfield thows a body kick. Morris tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Holyfield throws a shot to the body.

Holyfield drives through and clinches with Morris against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Holyfield.
Stalling in the clinch from Holyfield.
Morris wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Holyfield has Morris pushed against the cage.
Holyfield lands an elbow inside.
Holyfield stalling the fight.
Morris tries a knee to the head but Holyfield blocks it.
Holyfield changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Morris fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Holyfield tries a head kick but it misses.
Morris misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Morris shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Holyfield as he jumps to the side.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Morris
and Holyfield counters with a big head kick but Morris shrugs it off.
Morris tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Holyfield counters by clinching up.
Holyfield tries to break the clinch but Morris is controlling the position.
Holyfield has Morris pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Morris manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

Holyfield breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Morris takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Holyfield rushes Morris and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Holyfield controlling the action here for a moment.
Morris swings wildly with an uppercut but Holyfield uses good head movement to avoid it.
Morris wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Holyfield working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Holyfield pulls guard successfully.
Morris is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holyfield is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Holyfield dominated that 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.

Holyfield fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Morris on the side of the head.
Morris fails with a takedown attempt.
Morris clinches but Holyfield breaks the clinch
and Holyfield counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Thomas Morris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morris shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Holyfield counters by moving into the clinch.
Holyfield lands with a light punch inside.
Morris tries to pull guard but Holyfield won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Morris. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Holyfield has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Morris clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Morris trying to control the hands but Holyfield won't let him.
Morris prevents Holyfield from getting a body triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holyfield might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Morris kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Holyfield is trying to stick to Morris's back but Morris is turning into Holyfield. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Holyfield's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Morris.
Holyfield keeping full guard, as Morris tries to pass.
Holyfield working a defensive guard but Morris manages to pass into side control anyway.

Morris stands up and beckons Holyfield to his feet.
Morris fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Holyfield tries to clinch but Morris moves out of range.
A shot to de liver by Morris. Beautiful body shot.
Morris swats away the attempt to clinch by Holyfield.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morris closes the distance and clinches.

Holyfield breaks the clinch.
Morris shoots for a double leg takedown but Holyfield sprawls well. He's pushed Morris's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Morris tries for a takedown but Holyfield circles away easily

and Holyfield moves into the clinch.
Morris stalling in the clinch but Holyfield improves position.
with the fighters clinched against the cage, Holyfield creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Morris shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Holyfield makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Morris gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Holyfield.
Morris looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Holyfield stuffs the takedown attempt from Morris. Morris gets slowly back to his feet.
Morris throws a left and a right that both miss
and Holyfield counters with a nice uppercut.
Morris lands an overhand right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris darts in trying to clinch

and Holyfield counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Morris's guard now.
Holyfield looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Holyfield stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Morris swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Morris wants to sweep here but Holyfield controlling him for the moment.
Holyfield controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morris is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Holyfield with a flurry of punches that miss.
Holyfield wants to control from the top but Morris keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Morris closes the distance and clinches up with Holyfield, looking for a takedown. Morris pushes Holyfield against the cage but Holyfield circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Morris clinches up with Holyfield and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Holyfield showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Holyfield takes a swing at Morris's ribcage but misses.
Holyfield tries to clinch but Morris is having none of it.
Morris keeps the fight on the outside.
Morris doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Holyfield counters with a nice body shot.
Morris clinches but Holyfield breaks the clinch

and Holyfield counters with a shoot takedown. Morris fights it but they end up in guard.
Morris wants to improve his position but instead Holyfield has moved into half guard.
Holyfield with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Holyfield is thwarting Morris's attempts to control the position.
Holyfield really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Morris. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris wants to get back to full guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holyfield wants to stand but Morris has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Morris keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Morris trying to hold on to Holyfield's head to control him but Holyfield postures up.
Holyfield is looking to take a break and control but Morris is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Holyfield wants to clinch up but Morris keeps it at a distance.
Thomas Morris seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morris shoots in for a takedown but Holyfield shows good takedown defense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Holyfield clinches with his opponent.

Holyfield manages to break the clinch.
Holyfield scores with a hook to the body. Morris takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Holyfield.

Holyfield is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Morris knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Morris is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Holyfield in side control lands a decent elbow.
Holyfield wants to control but Morris is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morris wants to get back to his feet but Holyfield drags him back down.

Holyfield working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Morris manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Morris prevents Holyfield from improving his position.
Morris seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Holyfield does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Holyfield misses with a combination

so Morris counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Holyfield looking to control.
Morris distracts Holyfield with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morris sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Holyfield not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Holyfield preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morris trying to control the position from guard on top but Holyfield is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Holyfield throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Morris's head.
Thomas Morris has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morris throws a sloppy head kick and Holyfield moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dan Holyfield comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Holyfield 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dan Holyfield!