PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between James Morse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Hathaway (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Morse has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Morse
vs
Hathaway

172 cm
31
192 lbs
7 - 12 - 0

187 cm
19
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 7 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, James Morse!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike Hathaway!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Phil Schofield and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hathaway misses with a series of wild punches.
Hathaway closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Hathaway throws a combination. Morse tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Morse misses with an uppercut. Hathaway saw that one coming.
Hathaway will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A combination from Hathaway does no damage.
Morse misses with a head kick.
Hathaway shoots for a double leg takedown but Morse sprawls well. He's pushed Hathaway's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hathaway misses with a jab, cross combination.
Morse misses with a wild body shot.
Morse avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morse misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hathaway.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morse thuds his right hand into Hathaway's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Hathaway throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Morse swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Morse throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Morse tries to keep at a distance but Hathaway has taken the fight into the clinch.
Morse is looking to break free of the clinch but Hathaway has double underhooks.

Morse ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Morse no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hathaway pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morse is keeping the position for now.
Hathaway trying to control the position from guard on top but Morse is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hathaway drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Morse manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Hathaway has Morse in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hathaway controls Morse momentarily but Morse frees himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morse slips nicely into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hathaway wants to get back to full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hathaway tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Morse has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Morse raining down shots from the mount!

Morse is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Hathaway has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Hathaway is bucking up trying to escape but Morse cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hathaway is trying to escape the mount.
Morse can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hathaway is looking to escape.
Hathaway is wriggling around trying to escape.

Morse is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Hathaway has managed to escape the submission attempt.
BOOM! Morse connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Morse looking for a guillotine from mount but Hathaway is having none of it.

Morse wants to finish this one by submission but Hathaway is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Morse.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Morse lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hathaway keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Morse punishing his opponent with strikes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hathaway is trying to escape the mount.
Morse unloads with some shots from mount but Hathaway bucks and avoids them well.
Hathaway working to try and regain half guard.
Morse raining down shots from the mount!
Morse raining down shots from the mount!
Hathaway manages to regain half guard. Good work.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Morse prevents Hathaway from improving his position.
Hathaway is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Morse jumps into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Morse fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hathaway manages to avoid it.
Morse dodges the punch combination from Hathaway.
Morse cracks Hathaway with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Morse swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Morse throws a leg kick which misses Hathaway's front leg but catches the back leg as Hathaway tries to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Hathaway.
Hathaway tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Morse paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hathaway tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Morse manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
James Morse seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hathaway moves away from the strike by Morse.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hathaway throws a jab but it's blocked by Morse.
Hathaway avoids the body shot from Morse.
Hathaway fails to land with a series of punches.
Morse misses with a double jab.
Hathaway closes this distance looking for a takedown but Morse circles away.
Morse looks to land a combination but Hathaway avoids it well.
Hathaway misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick misses from Morse.
Morse throws a nice looking combination but Hathaway bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Morse throws a lazy head kick
and Hathaway counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Morse throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Hathaway throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Morse has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Morse avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morse finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Hathaway doesn't manage to clinch there - Morse circles away.
Morse is looking to wear down Hathaway with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Morse avoids the body shot from Hathaway.
Hathaway misses with a head kick.
A combination from Hathaway does no damage.
Morse misses with a body kick.
Hathaway tries to clinch but Morse moves out of range.
Hathaway throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morse wants it to stay on the feet.
Hathaway is looking to clinch but Morse is avoiding it.
Hathaway takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Morse jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Morse misses with a body shot.
No joy there for Morse, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hathaway throws a right hand that Morse ducks under and follows up with a left that Morse also avoids with ease.
Hathaway showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morse.
Morse throws a series of punches but Hathaway avoids them all with ease.
Hathaway fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
James Morse has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Hathaway.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morse thows a body shot but no joy.
Morse listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Hathaway fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hathaway throws a series of punches but Morse avoids them all with ease.
Morse looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hathaway tries to bum rush Morse with a series of wild strikes but Morse uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Morse misses with a straight left.
Morse avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hathaway scores with a jab to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Morse dominated that second round.
That's time! Morse's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Morse dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hathaway throws an overhand right that lands on Morse's shoulder, as Morse tries to avoid the shot.
Morse throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hathaway looks to land a combination but Morse avoids it well.
Hathaway throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hathaway tries to clinch but Morse is having none of it.
Morse is looking to score with low kicks.
Hathaway on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Morse. Morse obviously looking to wear him down.
Morse throws a predictable looking body shot
and Hathaway counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hathaway throws a head kick that misses.
A good leg kick by Morse.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morse ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hathaway moves away.
Morse throws a combination. Hathaway tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Morse swats away the attempt to clinch by Hathaway.
Hathaway throws a sloppy head kick and Morse moves out of range easily.
Hathaway swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hathaway tries to bum rush Morse with a series of wild strikes but Morse uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Morse throws a series of punches but Hathaway avoids them all with ease.
Morse misses with a body shot.
Hathaway swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morse moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hathaway fails with the takedown
and Morse counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Morse lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hathaway circles away quickly and effectively.
Hathaway tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hathaway wants to clinch.
Morse tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hathaway is able to avoid easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morse throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morse throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hathaway is trying desperately to land a takedown but Morse is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Hathaway.
Hathaway displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morse throws out the jab.
Morse throws a right and a left that Hathaway avoids nicely.
Hathaway tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Morse paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hathaway swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hathaway misses with the combination.
Morse throws a series of punches but Hathaway avoids them all with ease.
Hathaway fails with an attempt to clinch.
Morse's jab looks to have found its range, popping Hathaway under the eye.
Mike Hathaway has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morse misses with a kick to the body.
Morse misses with a hook.
Hathaway tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hathaway rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Morse moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Morse misses with a jab, cross combination.
James Morse is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morse fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hathaway manages to avoid it.
James Morse is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hathaway takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hathaway steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Morse.
Morse misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Morse connects with a good right hand that stumbles Hathaway. Hathaway circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Morse showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Morse has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Morse!