PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryder Morningstar (ranked 25031 p4p, 23739 weight class) and Pawel Nastula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Morningstar
vs
Nastula

175 cm
22
155
6 - 10 - 0

185 cm
25
150
13 - 59 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ryder Morningstar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 59 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pawel Nastula!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Viktor Lagutenko and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Morningstar misses.
Morningstar cracks Nastula with an open hand slap.

Nastula decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Morningstar has one foot on Nastula's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Morningstar jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Morningstar cracks Nastula with an open hand slap.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nastula blocks a jab.

Nastula gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nastula can't get the takedown.
Nastula is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Nastula changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Morningstar fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Ryder Morningstar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pawel Nastula.
Nastula uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Morningstar.
Nastula tries a quick counter leg kick but Morningstar is wise to it.

Nastula shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Morningstar manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Nastula's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nastula trying to control but Morningstar is working from the bottom.

Nastula gets to his feet. Morningstar looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Morningstar throws an off balance right hand

and Nastula holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Nastula is trying to trip Morningstar. He has hold of a leg but Morningstar is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Nastula persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Morningstar keeping moving, preventing Nastula from controlling successfully.
Nastula trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Nastula drops back, looking for a kneebar! Morningstar looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Morningstar looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Morningstar!

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Morningstar stands up and beckons Nastula to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nastula tries to move into range but Morningstar moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Nastula uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Morningstar.
Nastula keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Morningstar.
Nastula is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Morningstar with a body shot.

Nastula rushes Morningstar and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A frustrated look appears on Morningstar's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Nastula wants a takedown but no success here.
Morningstar stops a takedown attempt from Nastula.
Morningstar is pressed up against the cage. Nastula has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Morningstar down to the mat. Morningstar avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Nastula darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Nastula is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nastula stops Morningstar from getting back to his feet.

Nastula is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Morningstar looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Nastula is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Morningstar is just riding it out for now. Nastula eventually gives up the hold.

Nastula seems to be looking for submissions.

Nastula looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Nastula is working for a kimura but Morningstar is defending it quite comfortably.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryder Morningstar dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Nastula slips under a jab.
A little jabbing left from Nastula on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Nastula steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Morningstar.
Nastula uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Morningstar.
Morningstar darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Morningstar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Morningstar throws out a powerful jab.

Morningstar drops Nastula with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Nastula looks back up at him and smiles so Morningstar waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Nastula is rocked!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Morningstar throws a big shot that misses.
Nastula looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Nastula is still on wobbly legs! Can Morningstar finish him?
Morningstar misses with a right hand

and Nastula moves into the clinch.
Nastula is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Nastula has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Morningstar regains guard immediately.

Nastula thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Nastula seems to have recovered his senses.
Nastula tries to free his leg and advance position but Morningstar is retaining full guard.

Nastula drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Morningstar dives on top into guard.

Morningstar wants to get up but he can't break Nastula's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nastula looking for a sweep. Not yet Nastula, not yet.
Morningstar would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Nastula looking for a sweep. Not yet Nastula, not yet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Nastula can do anything to dispel that myth.
Morningstar wants to stand and escape but instead Nastula has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Nastula sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Morningstar's guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Nastula working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nastula is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Morningstar doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nastula.

Nastula is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Nastula is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Morningstar doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nastula.
Morningstar is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nastula is looking to advance position but Morningstar won't allow it.

Nastula is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Morningstar is just riding it out for now. Nastula eventually gives up the hold.

Nastula is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four 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.

Nastula is working for a kimura but Morningstar is defending it quite comfortably.
Morningstar is trying to stand.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Nastula is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Morningstar has managed to free his arm - good work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Morningstar is trying to stand back up but Nastula is controlling him

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ryder Morningstar dominated that second round.
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!

Morningstar misses with an uppercut

and Nastula counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Nastula is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Morningstar can't fight it off and eventually Nastula manages to take the fight to the floor. Morningstar looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Morningstar manages to escape and get back to his feet.
A big left from Morningstar misses.
The fighters circling - Morningstar throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Nastula closes the distance and pushes Morningstar back into the cage.
Nastula is trying to drag Morningstar to the mat but Morningstar just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Morningstar can't break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nastula works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Nastula wants to control from the top but Morningstar keeps moving.
Nastula is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Nastula thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

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

Nastula trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nastula wants to sweep here but Morningstar controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nastula is working an open guard so Morningstar takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nastula misses with a wild body shot.
Pawel Nastula is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morningstar thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nastula avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nastula clinches up against the cage.
Nastula looking for a takedown.
Morningstar is trying to break the clinch but Nastula has him pressed against the cage.

Nastula has Morningstar pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Nastula pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Morningstar tumbling to the mat - Nastula dives into Morningstar's guard.

Nastula drops back looking for a leg! Morningstar is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Morningstar manages to kick Nastula off! Nastula jumps back into Morningstar's guard.

Nastula stands up and waves to Morningstar to follow him.
Ryder Morningstar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morningstar misses the jab.
The fighters circling - Morningstar throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Nastula defending well as Morningstar loads up on a big left hand.
Nastula is looking for the big counter here.

Nastula closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Pawel Nastula has got the better of the ground game so far.

Nastula is trying to get an arm triangle but Morningstar is defending well.
Morningstar is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Morningstar prevents Nastula from moving into mount.

Nastula thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Pawel Nastula has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Nastula is trying to get an arm triangle but Morningstar is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Pawel Nastula.
I think Morningstar has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 29:28
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryder Morningstar!