PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sokratis Gekas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marlon Moraes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Gekas
vs
Moraes

165 cm
25
152 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

170 cm
25
144 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sokratis Gekas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marlon Moraes!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Sam Margolis and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Moraes clinches.
Moraes looking to stall.
Moraes dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Moraes connects with a nasty looking knee right to Gekas's face.

It looks like Sokratis Gekas has been cut.
Moraes with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gekas has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Moraes is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Moraes tries to land a knee to the head but Gekas blocks with his arms.
Moraes stalling against the cage.
Moraes looking to throw knees to the head but Gekas is blocking nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gekas avoiding damage as Moraes throws knees to the body.
Moraes misses with a knee strike.
Moraes avoiding damage.
Moraes is pressed up against the cage. Gekas has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Moraes down to the mat. Moraes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Moraes looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Gekas half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Gekas keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Gekas changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Moraes throws a sloppy head kick and Gekas moves out of range easily.

Moraes moves into the clinch.
Gekas has Moraes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Moraes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sokratis Gekas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gekas is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Moraes is defending well.
Moraes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Moraes tries to land knees in the clinch but Gekas avoids the damage to the body.
Moraes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gekas.
Moraes unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gekas lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moraes missing with knees to the body.
Moraes tries to land a knee to the head but Gekas blocks with his arms.
Moraes is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Moraes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gekas blocks it with crossed arms.
Moraes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Gekas has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Gekas wants to take the fight to the mat but Moraes manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Moraes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gekas drops down looking for an ankle pick but Moraes pulls his leg out and moves away.
Moraes wants to clinch up but Gekas keeps it at a distance.
Moraes throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gekas swats away the attempt to clinch by Moraes.
Gekas takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Gekas drops down looking for a counter takedown but Moraes sprawls and moves away.
Moraes tries a head kick but it misses.
Gekas attempts a counter takedown but Moraes avoids it well and moves away.
Moraes wants to land a leg kick but Gekas is out of range.
Gekas attempts a counter takedown but Moraes avoids it well and moves away.
Moraes tries to work over Gekas's front leg with a kick but Gekas checks it.
Moraes is looking to chop away at Gekas's legs.
Gekas feinted with a counter takedown.
Moraes throws a head kick that misses.
Gekas attempts a counter takedown but Moraes avoids it well and moves away.
Moraes wants to clinch up but Gekas keeps it at a distance.
Moraes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Moraes

and Gekas counters with a nice double leg into side control. Moraes won't be happy with that.
Moraes is trying to improve his position.
Moraes prevents Gekas from improving position.
Moraes is trying to improve his position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Moraes can do anything to dispel that myth.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Moraes stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marlon Moraes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Sokratis Gekas's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Moraes throws a head kick that misses.
Gekas feinted with a counter takedown.

Moraes clinches up with Gekas and pushes him back against the cage.
Gekas is looking to take this one to the mat.
Moraes has Gekas pushed against the cage.
Moraes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Moraes with a knee to the head.
Moraes looking to throw knees to the head but Gekas is blocking nicely.
Gekas avoiding damage as Moraes throws knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gekas has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Moraes is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gekas is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Moraes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sokratis Gekas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gekas goes for a takedown in the clinch but Moraes prevents it.
Moraes putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Gekas in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moraes misses with a knee strike.
Gekas goes for a takedown attempt but Moraes pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Moraes tries to clinch up.
Gekas changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Gekas checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Marlon Moraes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Moraes throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Marlon Moraes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Moraes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gekas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gekas moves out of range of the body kick from Moraes.
Moraes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Gekas blocks a head kick by Moraes.
Gekas half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moraes throws a half hearted mid kick.
Gekas drops down looking for a counter takedown but Moraes sprawls and moves away.
Moraes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
A head kick misses from Moraes.
Gekas tries to counter with a takedown but Moraes is quick to defend against it.
Moraes doesn't manage to clinch there - Gekas circles away.
Moraes lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Moraes throws a push kick but Gekas slaps the foot to one side.
Gekas feinted with a counter takedown.
Moraes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gekas drops down looking for a counter takedown but Moraes sprawls and moves away.
Moraes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Gekas drops down looking for a counter takedown but Moraes sprawls and moves away.
Moraes is looking to land body kicks.
Moraes throws a chopping leg kick but Gekas manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Gekas half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moraes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Moraes throws a head kick that misses.
Moraes throws a head kick but Gekas moves out of range.
Moraes is breathing heavily.
Gekas avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gekas tries to counter with a takedown but Moraes is quick to defend against it.
Moraes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Moraes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gekas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Moraes throws a push kick but Gekas slaps the foot to one side.
Gekas tries to counter with a takedown but Moraes is quick to defend against it.
Moraes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gekas takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Moraes tries to land a front kick but Gekas steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moraes lands with a nice body kick.
Moraes throws a body kick that misses

and Gekas counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gekas won't allow Moraes to sweep him here.
Gekas wants to control from the top but Moraes keeps moving.
Gekas passes Moraes's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Gekas controlling the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marlon Moraes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Sokratis Gekas's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Moraes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Moraes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gekas changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Moraes clinches up against the cage.
Moraes tries to land a knee to the head but Gekas blocks with his arms.
Moraes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Moraes trying to land knees to the body.
Moraes throws a knee to the head but misses.
Moraes tries to land a knee to the head but Gekas blocks with his arms.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gekas is working for takedown but Moraes is calmly controlling the position for now.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Gekas tries to score a body lock takedown but Moraes shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Gekas is trying to drag Moraes to the mat but Moraes just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sokratis Gekas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moraes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gekas.
Gekas has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Moraes is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Moraes avoiding damage.
Moraes misses with a knee strike.
Gekas is looking for a takedown.
Moraes misses with a knee to the head.
Gekas goes for a takedown in the clinch but Moraes prevents it.

That's two 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.
Gekas wants a takedown.
Moraes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gekas.
Moraes landing knees to the head.
Moraes lands a knee to the head.
Moraes tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Moraes has Gekas pushed against the cage.
Moraes using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Gekas has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Moraes tries to stall but Gekas uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gekas is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Moraes trying to land knees to the body.
Gekas is looking to take this one to the mat.
Gekas takes a knee right on the jaw!
Moraes tries to land knees in the clinch but Gekas avoids the damage to the body.
Moraes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Moraes looking to throw knees to the head but Gekas is blocking nicely.
Moraes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Marlon Moraes seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Moraes throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gekas blocks it with crossed arms.
Moraes with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gekas has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Moraes avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Moraes is trying to maintain a safe position but Gekas gets an underhook and turns Moraes into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gekas tries for a takedown. No joy.
Moraes looking to throw knees to the head but Gekas is blocking nicely.
Moraes connects with a knee to the head.
Moraes stalling in the clinch but Gekas improves position.
Gekas avoiding damage as Moraes throws knees to the body.
Moraes looking to throw knees to the head but Gekas is blocking nicely.
Gekas changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Moraes fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Moraes throws the kick towards the body but Gekas avoids it.
Gekas attempts a counter takedown but Moraes avoids it well and moves away.
Moraes misses with a low kick.
Gekas tries to counter with a takedown but Moraes is quick to defend against it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Gekas moves out of range of the body kick.
Gekas changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Sokratis Gekas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Moraes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gekas paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Gekas feinted with a counter takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marlon Moraes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Moraes 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 James Atkins scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 26:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marlon Moraes!