PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ali Ajan (ranked 6110 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Morgan (ranked 6386 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Ajan
vs
Morgan

155 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

210 cm
20
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

RAGS of a RONIN

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ali Ajan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt Morgan!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Richard Clark and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ajan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Morgan sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Morgan leaves Ajan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A nice side step and Morgan releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Morgan looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Morgan prevents Ajan from improving his position.
Ajan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Morgan wants to free his trapped foot but Ajan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morgan seems to be working for a kimura but Ajan defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morgan is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ajan defends it well.
Ajan is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Morgan scores with a couple of nice shots.
Ajan trying to control here.
Ajan wants to improve his position but Morgan is controlling well.
Morgan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Morgan is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Let's hope that Morgan 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.
Morgan passes to side control.

Morgan tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Morgan has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Ajan being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Morgan lands a decent elbow from side control.
Ajan is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ajan could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Morgan is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Ajan will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's four 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.
Ajan struggling a bit here.
Morgan controlling from side mount.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Morgan throws a sloppy head kick and Ajan moves out of range easily.
Ajan swinging wildly here.
Morgan stuffs the takedown.
Morgan fails with a takedown attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morgan looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Morgan dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Morgan throws out a leg kick but Ajan moves out of range and Morgan only half commits.
Ajan drops down looking for a counter takedown but Morgan sprawls and moves away.
Morgan tries to clinch there but Ajan circles away.
Ajan drops down looking for a counter takedown but Morgan sprawls and moves away.
Morgan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Morgan shoots in but Ajan avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Ajan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Morgan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morgan wants it to stay on the feet.
Ajan tries to score a power double leg takedown but Morgan sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ajan somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Ajan moves into range and clinches up with Morgan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

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

Morgan forces Ajan back against the cage and clinches.
Morgan goes for a takedown in the clinch but Ajan prevents it.
Morgan tries to score a body lock takedown but Ajan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Ali Ajan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Morgan.

Ajan decides to pull guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ajan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morgan is one step ahead there.
Ajan is trying to control the position but Morgan postures up.
Morgan wanted to stand there but Ajan had control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Morgan stopping the sweep attempt from Ajan.
Morgan is working Ajan over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Morgan content to stall in guard here.
Morgan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ajan is keeping the position for now.
Matt Morgan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Morgan is fighting to break Ajan's control of his arms but Ajan is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ajan misses with a takedown attempt

and Morgan counters by clinching up.

Morgan manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Morgan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Morgan wants to stand but Ajan is controlling the position.
Morgan is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Morgan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Ajan is one step ahead there.
Morgan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Ajan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ajan throws an elbow that misses. Morgan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ajan's guard. Nice move by Morgan!

Morgan stays in close to Ajan's body and controls the position.
Ajan is trying to hold Morgan in close to prevent damage but Morgan has managed to pass into half guard.
Still in half guard, Morgan seems content to control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ajan moves into full guard.
Morgan is looking to stand up but Ajan won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Morgan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Morgan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ajan, pushing him back against the cage.
Ajan tries to pull guard but Morgan won't allow it.
Morgan content to slow the pace in the clinch.

Morgan breaks from the clinch.
Ajan shoots for a takedown but Morgan saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Morgan shoots in for a takedown but Ajan shows good takedown defense.
Morgan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A little feinted left hand from Ajan on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Morgan stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morgan wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ali Ajan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ajan moves in looking to clinch but Morgan pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morgan keeps the fight on the outside.

Ajan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Morgan gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Morgan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ajan is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morgan is looking to stand up but Ajan won't let him.
Morgan not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Morgan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Morgan landing some decent shots from guard.
Morgan wants to stand but Ajan is controlling his posture from full guard.

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.
Morgan with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Morgan working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Morgan landing some decent shots from guard.
Morgan wants to pass the guard but Ajan is keeping the position.
Morgan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Morgan is looking to stand up but Ajan won't let him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan stuffs the takedown attempt from Ajan. Ajan gets slowly back to his feet.
Ajan tries to clinch but Morgan moves away
and Morgan counters with a one-two to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ajan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Morgan counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A frustrated look appears on Ajan's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Morgan manages to break the clinch.

Morgan moves into the clinch successfully.

Ajan pulls guard effortlessly.
Morgan pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ajan is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ajan wants to stand and escape but Morgan is having none of it.
Morgan preventing the sweep.
Morgan controlling from the top position.
Ajan is looking to sweep but instead, Morgan has passed into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Morgan content to control rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt 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 Donald Grub scores the fight for Matt Morgan!
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight for Matt Morgan!
Judge James Atkins scores the fight for Matt Morgan!

Matt Morgan wins by unanimous decision!