PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Omari Morales (ranked 3021 p4p, 2521 weight class) and Jo Monkee (ranked 364 p4p, 315 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Morales
vs
Monkee

201 cm
26
200
2 - 1 - 0

150 cm
20
183
6 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Heavy handed

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Omari Morales!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jo Monkee!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morales will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Monkee steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Morales.
Monkee misses with a hook.
Morales was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Monkee connects with a right hand. Morales shakes it off.
A big right from Morales misses.
Monkee throws a hook but Morales blocks it.
Monkee misses with an uppercut
and Monkee takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monkee defending well as Morales loads up on a big left hand.
Morales seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Morales keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Monkee.
Morales appears to be looking for a big counter.
Monkee ducks under a wild hook from Morales.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales slips under a jab.
Morales was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Morales scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Monkee doesn't seem bothered though.
Monkee displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morales throws out the jab.
Morales thuds a left hand into Monkee's body.
Monkee dodges the punch combination from Morales.
Monkee jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Morales will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Monkee tries to counter with a clinch but Morales shakes him off and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monkee misses with an uppercut. Morales saw that one coming.
Morales throws a hook to the side of Monkee's head but Monkee sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Monkee throws out a loose jab but Morales uses good head movement to avoid it.
Monkee walks into a left hand.
Monkee gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Morales.
Morales staying out of range there.
Monkee throws a shot from downtown. Morales moves away and avoids it.
Morales is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Morales throws a right hand that misses

and Monkee counters by clinching up.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A head punch on the inside from Morales fails to land.
A short right from Monkee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monkee blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Morales misses with a short punch on the inside.
Morales misses with a hook to the ribs.
Morales lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Monkee backwards.
Monkee misses with a hook from the clinch.
Morales misses with some punches.
Monkee working some nice short punches in the clinch.
We've been informed that Monkee has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Morales.
Morales has a couple of punches blocked by Monkee.
Morales taking a breather.
Monkee lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Morales backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Monkee.
Morales misses with a punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morales misses with a punch on the inside.
Morales's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Morales.
Morales has a couple of punches blocked by Monkee.
Monkee misses with a hook from the clinch.
Morales lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Monkee or not.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morales is trying to push Monkee away but Monkee has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Monkee misses with a short punch on the inside.
Morales misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Monkee blocking some punches.
Monkee misses with the head strike.
Monkee misses with some punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Omari Morales will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Monkee misses with a right hand
and Morales counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Monkee might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Morales displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Monkee throws out the jab.
A big left from Monkee misses.
Monkee moves out of range as Morales strikes.
Morales connects with a body shot.
Morales comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Monkee has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Morales finds it's way round the side to connect with Monkee's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales lands a head shot.
Morales with a nice cross.
Monkee throws a lazy uppercut
letting Morales counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales slips a jab from Monkee.
Morales steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Monkee.
Morales fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Monkee manages to avoid it.
Monkee wants to counter with a clinch but Morales pushes him away.
Morales swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Monkee throws an off balance right hand
and Morales counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Omari Morales is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Monkee displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Morales throws out the jab.
Monkee wants to counter the offense by Morales and move into the clinch position.
Morales throws the left hand but Monkee avoids the punch easily.
Morales really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Monkee throws a jab but it's blocked by Morales.
Morales went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Omari Morales is winning the standup battle so far.
Morales rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Monkee moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morales will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Monkee misses with a left hand
and Morales counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Morales fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Monkee manages to avoid it.
Monkee is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
The fighters circle momentarily. Morales darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Monkee lands a glancing blow to the side of Morales's head.

It looks like Omari Morales has been cut.
A big left from Monkee misses.
Morales swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morales lands a slapping body shot.
A big left from Monkee misses.
A little feinted left hand from Morales on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales moves out of range of the strikes.
Morales staying out of range there.
Morales loads up on a big right hand but Monkee slips the punch.
Monkee is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Morales.
Morales uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Monkee.
Monkee is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Monkee swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Morales throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Morales ducks under a wild hook from Monkee.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monkee throws a jab but it's blocked by Morales.
Some wild striking there from Morales.
Monkee tries to counter with a clinch but Morales shakes him off and moves away.
Monkee throws a body shot but no joy.
Monkee loads up on a big right hand but Morales slips the punch.
Monkee darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Monkee throws a lazy right hand but Morales sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Morales is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Monkee misses with an uppercut.
It looked like Morales wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
A looping hook to the body misses from Morales. Monkee does a little dance to reset his feet.
Monkee tries to counter by closing the distance.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Omari Morales dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Omari Morales's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Monkee throws the left hand but Morales avoids the punch easily.
Morales misses with a wild combination.
Monkee wants to counter the offense by Morales and move into the clinch position.
Monkee loads up on a big right hand but Morales slips the punch.
Monkee misses with a lunging right hand
and Morales counters with a lovely straight right hand!
No joy there for Morales, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Monkee's hands.
Monkee ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Monkee tries to counter by closing the distance.
Monkee misses with a hook. Morales ducked under it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Morales displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Monkee throws out the jab.
Morales was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Monkee throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Morales connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Monkee's hands.
Monkee waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Morales.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Morales!

It looks like Jo Monkee has been cut.
Morales takes a swing at Monkee's ribcage but misses.
Monkee swings widly with a right hand
and Morales counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Morales cracks Monkee with a good jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monkee misses with a looping left.
Monkee throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Morales lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Monkee looks to land a right hand but Morales moved out of range.
Morales was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Monkee walks into a straight right hand from Morales.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Monkee is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Morales.
A big left from Morales misses.
Morales connects with a right hand. Monkee shakes it off.
Monkee misses with a hook
and Morales connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monkee slips under a jab.
Morales ducks under a wild hook from Monkee.
Morales misses with a wild combination.
Morales tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Monkee was well out of range. Poor timing from Morales.
Monkee tries to counter with a clinch but Morales shakes him off and moves away.
Morales blocks a jab.
Monkee pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
It looked like Morales wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Monkee has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Morales works Monkee's body with a nice hook.
Morales staying out of range there.
It looked like Morales wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monkee missing with a left hand there. Morales was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A quick step to the side and Morales tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Monkee keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Morales.
The crowd cheers as Morales lands an impressive looking overhand right. Monkee doesn't seem phased though.
Monkee throws a hook but Morales blocks it.
Morales seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Morales is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Monkee can do to turn this around?
Nice defenses there by Morales.
Morales swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Monkee avoids the body shot from Morales.
Morales throws a shot to the body.
Jo Monkee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Omari Morales is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Morales staying out of range there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Omari Morales showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morales, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Omari Morales!
Omari Morales bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.