PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Forrest Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Michael Morgan looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Morgan
vs
Vera

185 cm
21
201 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

187 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Michael Morgan !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Forrest Vera!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Dillan Fox and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vera clinches.
Morgan is pressed up against the cage. Vera has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Morgan down to the mat. Morgan avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Vera gets a clinch.
Vera tries to pull guard but Morgan holds him up against the cage and eventually Vera drops back down to his feet.

Vera works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Vera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Vera decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Vera shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Vera gets to his feet - Morgan follows without any prompting.

Vera closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Vera lands in his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Morgan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Vera showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera tries to stand but Morgan is controlling from the bottom.
Vera is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morgan wants to get back to his feet but Vera is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

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.
Vera 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.
Vera looks gassed!
Vera pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morgan is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera stays in close to Morgan 's body and controls the position.
Vera looking to sit in guard and control but Morgan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Despite being in the dominant position, Forrest Vera just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vera throws a head kick but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan darts in trying to clinch

and Vera counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Vera tries to free his leg and advance position but Morgan is retaining full guard.
Morgan being controlled here, momentarily.
Morgan throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Vera has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Morgan is proving hard to escape from.
Vera won't allow Morgan to get back to his feet.
Vera trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.
Vera stops Morgan from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Vera lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Morgan closes the distance but Vera moves to the side

and Vera counters by clinching up.
Morgan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Vera.
Vera throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Morgan blocks it with crossed arms.
Vera avoiding damage as Morgan throws knees to the body.
Vera is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Morgan gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vera tries for a takedown. No joy.
Michael Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forrest Vera.
Morgan tries a knee to the head but Vera blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Morgan .
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Morgan is stalling here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Morgan wants to break free but Vera has control.
A bit of stalling here from Vera.
Vera working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Vera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice takedown defense from Morgan . No joy for Vera on that attempt.
Vera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Michael Morgan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Morgan gets caught flat footed, as Vera shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Morgan scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Forrest Vera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morgan tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Vera counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vera.
Vera is working for takedown but Morgan is calmly controlling the position for now.

Vera breaks the clinch.

Morgan gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Morgan can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Vera controls the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Let's hope that Vera has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Vera trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Morgan kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Morgan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Vera is controlling him.
Vera trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.
Vera looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Forrest Vera has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vera trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Despite being in the dominant position, Forrest Vera just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vera shoots for a double leg takedown but Morgan sprawls well. He's pushed Vera's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Vera circles away from the clinch attempt
and Vera counters with a good low kick that Morgan was not able to check.

Vera shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Vera was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Vera trying to control but Morgan is having none of it.

Vera is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Morgan has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Morgan !
Vera trying to keep a closed guard but Morgan is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Forrest Vera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Vera shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Morgan as he jumps to the side.
Morgan wants to clinch

and Vera counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Morgan 's guard now.
Vera sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Vera wants to stand and escape but instead Morgan has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Morgan stopping the sweep attempt from Vera.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morgan throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vera works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera looking to control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vera can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vera throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Vera pulls Morgan in close to prevent any damage.

Vera pushes Morgan off and gets back to his feet.
Vera misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Vera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Michael Morgan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Forrest Vera.

Vera shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Vera was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Vera sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vera's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera lands a big shot there that rocks Morgan but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Vera tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Forrest Vera just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Vera moves into the clinch.
Morgan stops a takedown attempt from Vera.
Morgan managing to block the knees to the body from Vera.
Vera avoiding damage.
Morgan creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's four 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.
Vera goes for a takedown in the clinch but Morgan prevents it.
Morgan wants to get back to striking at distance but Vera won't allow it.
Vera fails to pull guard.
Morgan is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Morgan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Michael Morgan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vera wants a takedown.
Vera is working for takedown but Morgan is calmly controlling the position for now.
Morgan landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Vera using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Vera's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

And that's the end of the fight!
Forrest Vera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vera winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Forrest Vera!