PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Justin Morgan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cormac Donovan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Morgan comes into the arena with The Greatest Man That Ever Lived blaring out of the sound system. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Morgan
vs
Donovan

189 cm
26
185 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

179 cm
25
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Morgan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Cormac Donovan!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Russell Pearce and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morgan moves out of range of the body kick.
Donovan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Donovan misses with a head kick.
Donovan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Donovan thuds his right hand into Morgan's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
A telegraphed right hand from Morgan misses the target.
Donovan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Morgan checks a leg kick.
Donovan falls off balance throwing a combination

and Morgan counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Morgan.

Morgan is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Donovan is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Donovan has escaped and now he's on top!

Morgan had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Donovan defends it easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morgan has a closed guard, preventing Donovan from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan wants to stand and escape but instead Morgan has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Morgan won't allow Donovan to get back to his feet.
Morgan tries to free his leg and advance position but Donovan is retaining full guard.

Morgan stands and steps away. Donovan gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Morgan takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Donovan misses with a right hand

and Morgan counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Morgan.
Donovan looks winded!

Morgan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Morgan with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan is looking to work some ground and pound but Donovan has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

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

Morgan decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Morgan moves out of range of the strikes.
Donovan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Morgan cracks Donovan with an open hand slap.
Morgan moves away from the strike by Donovan.
Donovan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Morgan looks to land a left hand but Donovan moved out of range nicely.
Cormac Donovan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Morgan feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan trying to control but Donovan is working from the bottom.
Morgan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Morgan thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Morgan with a nice head shot there.
Morgan postures up in Donovan's guard and throws a big left but Donovan blocks it.
Morgan is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morgan drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Morgan jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Morgan is pushing down on Donovan's leg trying to pass to half guard. Donovan is fighting to maintain full guard but Morgan has managed to sneak the leg through.
Morgan perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
We've been informed that Donovan has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Morgan is pressing down on Donovan's thigh, looking to free his foot. Donovan is holding on for now.
Donovan avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Morgan.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Morgan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morgan wants to free his trapped foot but Donovan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Donovan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Morgan.
Donovan looks to throw the jab but Morgan is out of range.
Donovan throws a wild body kick that Morgan sees coming a mile off.
A jab from Morgan misses.
Donovan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Morgan.
A slow jab from Donovan misses its intended target.
Cormac Donovan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morgan scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Donovan scores with a head kick. Morgan tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Donovan misses with a straight right.
Morgan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Donovan throws a head kick but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan slips a jab from Donovan.
Donovan is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Morgan.
Donovan is breathing heavily.
Donovan throws a head kick but Morgan moves out of range.
Morgan checks a leg kick nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Donovan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Morgan.
Donovan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Morgan feints and as Donovan raises his hands in defense, Morgan changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Morgan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Morgan with a flurry of punches that miss.
Morgan engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Donovan keeping moving, preventing Morgan from controlling successfully.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morgan controls from within his opponent's guard.
Morgan trying to control but Donovan is working from the bottom.
Morgan wants to pass the guard but Donovan is keeping the position.
Morgan is looking to work some ground and pound but Donovan has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morgan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Justin Morgan just wasn't active enough.
A big left from Donovan misses.
Morgan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Morgan ducks under a wild hook from Donovan.
Morgan thows a left - swing and a miss!
Donovan throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Morgan counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Some bone on bone action there as Donovan checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Morgan blocks a head kick by Donovan.
Donovan throws a nice outside leg kick.
Donovan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Morgan scores with a one two! Donovan had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Donovan attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan avoids a kick to the body.
Donovan misses with a hook.
Donovan tries a low kick but Morgan avoids it.

Morgan closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Donovan quickly recovers to half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Morgan is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Morgan is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Donovan doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Morgan.
Morgan lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Morgan dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Morgan closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Donovan quickly recovers to half guard.
Morgan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Donovan is trying to stand up here but Morgan is controlling him well.
Donovan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Morgan drops an elbow to the side of Donovan's head.
Morgan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Morgan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Morgan has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Morgan throwing shots but Donovan is blocking nicely.
Donovan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Morgan is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Morgan working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Justin Morgan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Morgan is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Donovan has managed to free his arm - good work.
Donovan won't allow Morgan to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donovan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Morgan.
Well, if Morgan is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Morgan wants to work for an arm triangle but Donovan is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Morgan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Morgan is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Donovan looks like he's trying to stand up.

Morgan is looking for a kimura but Donovan is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Morgan to get the leverage.
Morgan trying to pass the guard but Donovan defending well.
Morgan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Donovan can do to turn this around?

Donovan makes his way to full guard, as Morgan worked for a kimura.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morgan landing some decent shots from guard.
Cormac Donovan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Morgan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Morgan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Morgan, 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Justin Morgan!
Justin Morgan took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.