PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Murad Tursunboev (ranked 1988 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lincoln Morissette (ranked 24635 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Tursunboev
vs
Morissette

185 cm
25
157 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

179 cm
25
157 lbs
5 - 15 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Murad Tursunboev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lincoln Morissette!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Franklyn Lucas and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from Morissette. Those never looked like landing.

Tursunboev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Morissette, pushing him back against the cage.
Tursunboev tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morissette smiles and moves away.
Tursunboev showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Morissette.
Morissette throws a left and a right that both miss

and Tursunboev counters by moving into the clinch.
Tursunboev keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Morissette's efforts to push away.
Tursunboev tries to pull guard but Morissette holds him up against the cage and eventually Tursunboev drops back down to his feet.

Tursunboev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Morissette scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tursunboev slips a jab and a cross from Morissette.
Morissette swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tursunboev lands a really nice looking cross but Morissette seems unphased.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Morissette will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Morissette stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morissette wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Murad Tursunboev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morissette throws a series of punches but Tursunboev avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tursunboev fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tursunboev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tursunboev has a takedown stuffed.
Morissette throws a right and a left that both miss.
Morissette throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morissette looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tursunboev throws a quick counter kick to the body but Morissette avoids it.

Tursunboev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Morissette, pushing him back against the cage.
Morissette tries to break free but Tursunboev pushes him back against the cage.
Morissette wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Tursunboev pulls guard effortlessly.

Morissette gets to his feet. Tursunboev looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Morissette looks to land a combination but Tursunboev avoids it well.
Morissette looks to land a combination but Tursunboev avoids it well.
Tursunboev drops down looking for a counter takedown but Morissette sprawls and moves away.
Morissette slaps away a takedown attempt from Tursunboev, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tursunboev dodges the punch combination from Morissette.
Morissette tries to bum rush Tursunboev with a series of wild strikes but Tursunboev uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Morissette lands a jab-cross combination.
Morissette throws a nice looking combination but Tursunboev bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Morissette looks winded!

Tursunboev moves into the clinch.
Tursunboev works on Morissette's body with a couple of short punches.
Morissette tries to break free but Tursunboev pushes him back against the cage.

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

Tursunboev drives through and clinches with Morissette against the cage.
Tursunboev tries to pull guard but Morissette won't allow it.

Tursunboev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tursunboev tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Morissette defends well and Tursunboev ends up having to push Morissette into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Morissette fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A quick step to the side and Tursunboev tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

Tursunboev moves into the clinch successfully.

Tursunboev pulls guard successfully.

Morissette decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Tursunboev, up you get!
Lincoln Morissette seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tursunboev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Morissette takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Morissette misses with a series of wild punches.
Morissette will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Morissette swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tursunboev dodges the punch combination from Morissette.
As Morissette tries to get set, Tursunboev tries to push him back and clinch up but Morissette manages to avoid the attempt.
Morissette throws a right hand that Tursunboev ducks under and follows up with a left that Tursunboev also avoids with ease.
Morissette misses with a wild combination.
Morissette throws a left and a right that both miss

so Tursunboev counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morissette being controlled here, momentarily.
Morissette preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morissette wants to get back to his feet but Tursunboev is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tursunboev would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Morissette wriggles free and stands up.
Morissette will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Morissette stuffs the takedown attempt from Tursunboev. Tursunboev gets slowly back to his feet.
Tursunboev changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Morissette tries to avoid it but Tursunboev manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Morissette to the ground. Morissette escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tursunboev really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Morissette misses with a few strikes there.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tursunboev dodges the punch combination from Morissette.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lincoln Morissette 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.

Morissette keeps the fight on the outside.
Tursunboev fails with a takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Morissette tries to break the clinch but Tursunboev is controlling the position.
Tursunboev drops down looking for an ankle pick but Morissette pulls his leg out and moves away.
Morissette throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lincoln Morissette seems to be getting the better of the standup.
No joy there for Morissette, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tursunboev fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Murad Tursunboev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice takedown defense from Morissette. No joy for Tursunboev on that attempt.
Morissette throws a counter combo.
Morissette throws a series of punches but Tursunboev avoids them all with ease.
Tursunboev went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Morissette throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morissette throws a right hand that Tursunboev ducks under and follows up with a left that Tursunboev also avoids with ease.
Tursunboev is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Morissette.
Morissette displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tursunboev.
Tursunboev shoots in looking for a takedown. Morissette tries to sprawl out of it but Tursunboev keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Morissette manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tursunboev fails with a takedown attempt.
Morissette lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Morissette lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Murad Tursunboev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morissette throws a right hand that Tursunboev ducks under and follows up with a left that Tursunboev also avoids with ease.
Morissette throws a left and a right that both miss

and Tursunboev counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tursunboev.
Morissette is looking to break free of the clinch but Tursunboev has double underhooks.
Tursunboev tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morissette avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tursunboev keeps control of Morissette as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tursunboev slowing the pace effectively.
Morissette has had enough of the clinch but Tursunboev keeps him there for the moment.
Tursunboev keeps control of Morissette as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Morissette wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tursunboev has him pressed against the cage.
Morissette wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tursunboev has him pressed against the cage.
Morissette has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Tursunboev is trying to pull guard but Morissette has him pressed against the cage.
Morissette is trying to push Tursunboev away but Tursunboev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Morissette is trying to push Tursunboev away but Tursunboev has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Tursunboev lands a body punch.
Morissette tries to break the clinch but Tursunboev is controlling the position.
A bit of stalling here from Tursunboev.
Tursunboev drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Morissette gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A hook to the body from Tursunboev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tursunboev prevents Morissette from breaking the clinch.
Morissette wants to break the clinch but can't.
Morissette is trying to force a seperation but Tursunboev has the dominant position.
Tursunboev tries to land knees in the clinch but Morissette avoids the damage to the body.
Morissette working hard to break the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Tursunboev.
Morissette wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tursunboev has him pressed against the cage.

Tursunboev breaks the clinch.
Morissette tries to bum rush Tursunboev with a series of wild strikes but Tursunboev uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Morissette keeps the fight on the outside.
Lincoln Morissette is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Morissette will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Morissette swinging wildly here.
Morissette misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tursunboev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Morissette was well out of range. Poor timing from Tursunboev.
Tursunboev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Morissette swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morissette misses with a few strikes there.
Tursunboev will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Tursunboev doesn't manage to clinch there - Morissette circles away.
Morissette is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Morissette lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tursunboev circles away quickly and effectively.
Morissette swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Tursunboev closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tursunboev has Morissette pushed against the cage.
Tursunboev stalling in the clinch.

Tursunboev has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Morissette uses from the top position.
Tursunboev pulls Morissette in close to prevent any damage.
Morissette has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Morissette stands and steps away. Tursunboev gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lincoln Morissette 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!

No joy there for Morissette, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Morissette fails to land with a series of punches.
Tursunboev shoots in but Morissette avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Morissette lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Tursunboev circles away quickly and effectively.
Some wild striking there from Morissette.
Tursunboev shoots for a takedown but Morissette saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Morissette misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Morissette swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Morissette swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tursunboev is looking to clinch.
Morissette takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tursunboev shoots in for a takedown but Morissette shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Murad Tursunboev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tursunboev dodges the punch combination from Morissette.
Tursunboev shoots in and drives through. Morissette sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tursunboev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Morissette swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sloppy strikes from Morissette. Those never looked like landing.
Morissette throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tursunboev fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tursunboev tries to clinch but Morissette moves out of range.
Tursunboev fails with a takedown attempt.
Morissette fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tursunboev appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Sloppy strikes from Morissette. Those never looked like landing.
Tursunboev tries to clinch but Morissette is having none of it.
Tursunboev shoots in for a double leg but Morissette sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tursunboev tries for a takedown but Morissette sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Morissette throws a nice looking combination but Tursunboev bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Morissette scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morissette misses with a wild combination.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tursunboev or perhaps it was just good defense by Morissette, which made it look bad.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Morissette misses with a wild combination.
Morissette swinging wildly here.
Tursunboev lands a head shot.

Tursunboev feints and as Morissette raises his hands in defense, Tursunboev changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Morissette is looking to stand up but Tursunboev isn't so interested in that idea.
Morissette is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Tursunboev dives into side control.
Morissette is pushing Tursunboev's head away, looking to escape. Tursunboev manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tursunboev taking a breather here.
Morissette wants to get back to his feet but Tursunboev drags him back down.
Tursunboev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Morissette on the ground.
You can see the frustration on Morissette's face as Tursunboev controls the position.
Morissette wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Tursunboev misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tursunboev wants to control but Morissette is keeping him busy.
Morissette is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Tursunboev is controlling him well.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Tursunboev lands with a nice combination. Morissette backs away looking to recover.
Tursunboev shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Morissette pinned against the cage. Morissette gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A combination from Morissette does no damage.
Morissette looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Morissette will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
As Morissette tries to get set, Tursunboev tries to push him back and clinch up but Morissette manages to avoid the attempt.
Morissette fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tursunboev looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Morissette is fending him off so far but Tursunboev persists. Nope, Morissette circles away and we're back to standing.
Murad Tursunboev has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lincoln Morissette is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Morissette lands a two punch combo.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lincoln Morissette comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Morissette 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lincoln Morissette!