PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ilia Livov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Robert Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Morgan's choice of entrance music: Knock you out. Robert Morgan will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Livov
vs
Morgan

170 cm
22
153 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

179 cm
25
155 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Good elbows
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ilia Livov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Robert Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Morgan clinches with his opponent.
Morgan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Livov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Morgan obliges.
Morgan blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Knees in the clinch landing for Morgan.

Livov has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Morgan is trying to keep an underhook but Livov manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Morgan tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Livov manages to move to mount!
Morgan trying desperately to get to his feet.
Morgan is desperately trying to improve his position but Livov has a good base and remains in mount.
Livov throwing strikes but Morgan bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.
Livov lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Livov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Morgan is keeping the position for now.
Livov wants to control from the top but Morgan keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan keeping full guard, as Livov tries to pass.
Morgan wants to sweep but no luck.
Livov stops Morgan from standing up.
Livov trying to control but Morgan is working from the bottom.
Livov sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Morgan's guard.
Livov throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Morgan to regain full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morgan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

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.
Livov trying to control the position from guard on top but Morgan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morgan wants to stand but Livov is controlling the position.

Morgan has his feet on Livov's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Morgan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Morgan instigates a clinch.
Morgan lands a nice knee to the body.
Morgan blocks a body shot from Livov.
Morgan lands a nice knee to the body.
Morgan looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Morgan avoiding damage as Livov throws knees to the body.
Livov has Morgan pressed against the cage, preventing Morgan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Morgan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Morgan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Livov.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Morgan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Livov throws a punch but it's blocked by Morgan.
Livov misses with a hook from the clinch.

Livov works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Livov trying to control the position from guard on top but Morgan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Livov is standing up over Morgan. Morgan looks to escape but Livov dives into side control.

Livov is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Morgan knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Livov wants to control but Morgan is keeping him busy.
Livov wants to take a breather but Morgan manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Livov.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan keeping moving, preventing Livov from controlling successfully.
Morgan wants to get back to his feet but Livov is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Livov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morgan is looking to stand up but Livov isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Good work by Morgan as he checks the leg kick.

Morgan clinches up with Livov and pushes him back against the cage.
Morgan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Livov keeps control of Morgan as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Livov manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Morgan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Livov gets tackled into the cage by Morgan. Morgan maintains the clinch.
Morgan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morgan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Livov has him pressed against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Livov misses with the head strike.
Livov misses with an elbow over the top.

Livov has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Morgan clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Morgan is trying to shake Livov off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Livov won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.

Morgan has managed to clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Livov lands a right hand.
Morgan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Morgan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Livov avoids it.
Livov managing to block the knees to the body from Morgan.
Morgan crunches a lovely knee into Livov's ribcage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan misses with a body punch.
Morgan wants to break free but Livov has control.
Morgan tries to land knees in the clinch but Livov avoids the damage to the body.
Morgan is trying to push Livov away but Livov has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Morgan breaks the clinch.

Morgan rushes Livov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Morgan is trying to break free.
Livov managing to block the knees to the body from Morgan.
Livov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Livov misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Morgan.
Morgan tries to work over Livov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Livov is pushing Morgan up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Morgan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Livov avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Livov just leaning against Morgan, taking a breather.
Morgan can't break the clinch.
Livov stalling against the cage.
Livov holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Livov prevents Morgan from breaking the clinch.
Morgan is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Livov blocks the elbow strike.
Morgan trying to land knees to the body.
Morgan trying to land knees to the body.
Morgan prevents a takedown attempt there.
Morgan looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Morgan stops a takedown attempt from Livov.
Stalling in the clinch from Livov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Livov looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Morgan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Livov avoids it.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Morgan has Livov up against the cage in a clinch.
Livov throws an elbow that misses.
Morgan doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Come on Livov - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Livov pulls guard.

Morgan got a little sloppy there for a moment and Livov has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Morgan has managed to get both his arms back between Livov's legs - danger averted.
Livov wants to sweep but no luck.
Livov controls Morgan momentarily but Morgan frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morgan gets to his feet. Livov looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Morgan rushes Livov and presses him up against the cage.
Robert Morgan seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Livov lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Livov misses with a punch on the inside.

Morgan breaks from the clinch.
Livov seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

Morgan closes the distance and clinches.
Morgan lands a good knee to the midsection. Livov won't want to take too many of those.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Livov blocks a body shot from Morgan.

Livov gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Morgan regains guard.

Morgan has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Livov has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Livov on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Livov blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Morgan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Morgan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Livov.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Morgan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Livov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Morgan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Livov misses with a body punch.

Morgan breaks the clinch.

Morgan instigates a clinch.
Livov avoiding damage as Morgan throws knees to the body.
Livov trying to land knees to the body.
Livov missing with knees to the body.
Morgan wants to break free but Livov has control.
Morgan putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Livov in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Morgan trying to land knees to the body.
Livov tries a body shot but Morgan blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Livov avoiding damage as Morgan throws knees to the body.
Livov keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Morgan's efforts to push away.
Morgan trying to land knees to the body.

Morgan manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morgan closes the distance and clinches.
Morgan avoids a wild elbow strike from Livov.
Morgan lands a knee to the body.
Morgan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Livov tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morgan avoids it.
Knees to the body from Morgan.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Morgan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Morgan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Morgan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Morgan trying to land knees to the body.
Morgan tries to break free but Livov pushes him back against the cage.
Livov has Morgan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Morgan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Livov lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Morgan misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Livov.
Morgan can't find room to land a body shot as Livov controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Livov managing to block the knees to the body from Morgan.
Livov effectively controlling the action here.
Livov lands a shoulder strike.
Livov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Morgan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Livov content to slow the pace in the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morgan lands a knee to the body.
Morgan throws an elbow that misses.
Livov trying to land knees to the body.
Livov misses with the head strike.
Morgan wants to break free but Livov has control.
Livov prevents Morgan from breaking the clinch.

Morgan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Robert Morgan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Livov has Morgan up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Livov dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ilia Livov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Livov prevents Morgan from breaking the clinch.
Morgan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Livov lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Livov fails to pull guard.
A frustrated look appears on Morgan's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Robert Morgan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Morgan misses with a knee strike.
Morgan managing to block the knees to the body from Livov.
Livov misses with some punches.
Livov dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Livov just leaning against Morgan, taking a breather.
Livov gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Livov throws an elbow but misses.
A head punch on the inside from Livov fails to land.
Morgan with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Livov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Morgan slips under a jab.
Livov tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Livov moves into the clinch.
Livov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Morgan working hard to break the clinch.
Livov tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morgan avoids it.
Livov trying to land knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Robert Morgan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Morgan 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Morgan!
A victorious Robert Morgan thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.