PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Robert Zeal (ranked 8207 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fernando Morales (ranked 6888 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Zeal
vs
Morales

165 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

173 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very confident

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Robert Zeal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Fernando Morales!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, William Peck and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Zeal rushes Morales and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Zeal stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Morales is pressed up against the cage. Zeal has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Morales down to the mat. Morales avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Morales shoots in looking for a takedown but Zeal manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Morales's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Zeal tries to counter by clinching up but Morales breaks away and moves out of range.

Zeal gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Morales tries to stall but Zeal uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Zeal manages to pull guard.

Zeal has his foot on Morales's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Morales works his way back into a safe position though.
Morales being controlled here momentarily.
Zeal looking for a sweep. Not yet Zeal, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Zeal is looking for a triangle but Morales pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morales looking to pass the guard.
Morales is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Morales being controlled here momentarily.
Morales wants to pass the guard but Zeal is keeping the position.
Zeal preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Morales throwing strikes but missing.
Zeal is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Morales makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Morales.
Morales has momentary wrist control but Zeal slips an elbow through the middle.
Zeal throws a strike but Morales rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Zeal has his hands on Morales's head, controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales stopping the sweep attempt from Zeal.

Morales gets to his feet. Zeal looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Zeal is trying hard to land a takedown here. Morales sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Morales misses with a head kick.
Morales shoots and misses

and Zeal counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Zeal.
Zeal is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Morales pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Zeal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morales pushes off an throws an elbow but Zeal leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Morales fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeal wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Zeal has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Morales avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Zeal just leaning against Morales, taking a breather.
Zeal wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A frustrated look appears on Zeal's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Morales is looking to break free of the clinch but Zeal has double underhooks.
Morales goes for a takedown attempt but Zeal pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Zeal throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Morales's waist but Morales gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Zeal off to one side.
Zeal stuffs the takedown attempt from Morales. Morales gets slowly back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zeal shoots for a takedown but Morales saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Zeal is breathing heavily.
Morales fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Zeal defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Morales.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Zeal dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Zeal has taken the fight to the clinch.
Morales is trying to maintain a safe position but Zeal gets an underhook and turns Morales into the cage.
Morales is trying to drag Zeal to the mat but Zeal just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Morales fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Morales goes for a takedown in the clinch but Zeal prevents it.
Zeal is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Morales is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales tries to pull guard but Zeal holds him up against the cage and eventually Morales drops back down to his feet.
Robert Zeal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fernando Morales.
Morales prevents the takedown attempt.
Morales tries to pull guard but Zeal forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zeal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Zeal tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Morales defends well and Zeal ends up having to push Morales into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Zeal looks to score with a jab to the body but Morales is just out of range.
Morales throws a head kick but Zeal moves out of range.
Morales wants to clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Morales.
Zeal is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Morales can do to turn this around?
Morales throws a leg kick that misses.
Morales tries to clinch but Zeal is having none of it.

Morales closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Morales tries for a takedown but Zeal manages to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zeal gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Morales.
Zeal is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Morales gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Zeal wants to break the clinch but can't.
Morales is looking for a takedown.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Zeal scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Zeal gets control of Morales's arms and successfully pulls guard. Zeal will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Zeal keeping moving, preventing Morales from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zeal is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Morales trying to control but Zeal is working from the bottom.
Zeal pulls Morales in close to his closed guard and prevents Morales from doing any damage or advancing position.
Morales trying to control but Zeal is working from the bottom.

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.
Morales throwing strikes but missing.
Zeal is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Zeal tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Morales defends well and Zeal ends up having to push Morales into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Zeal looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Morales is fending him off so far but Zeal persists. Nope, Morales circles away and we're back to standing.
Zeal stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Zeal wants it to stay on the feet.
Morales throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Zeal's waist but Zeal gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Morales off to one side.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morales shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zeal but Zeal pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Morales fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robert Zeal dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Morales pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Morales looks to land a combination but Zeal avoids it well.

Zeal has Morales up against the cage in a clinch.
Morales looking for a takedown.
Zeal jumps guard but Morales stands there with Zeal around his waist. Zeal gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Morales has Zeal pressed against the cage, preventing Zeal from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Morales is working for takedown but Zeal is calmly controlling the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morales can't break the clinch.
Zeal tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morales smiles and moves away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Zeal.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Zeal. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zeal darts in looking for a takedown but Morales gets double underhooks and turns Zeal into the cage.
Fernando Morales seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Morales!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
No luck for Morales with that takedown attempt.

Zeal gets a clinch.
Zeal wants to break the clinch but can't.
Zeal blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Morales is looking to break free of the clinch but Zeal has double underhooks.
Zeal keeps control of Morales as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Zeal displaying some good clinch control by pressing Morales up against the cage.
Morales lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Zeal - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Morales tries to pull guard but Zeal holds him up against the cage and eventually Morales drops back down to his feet.
Zeal jumps guard but Morales turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Zeal is trying to drag Morales to the mat but Morales just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Zeal just leaning against Morales, taking a breather.
Robert Zeal has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Zeal has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Morales regains guard immediately.
Morales is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Zeal dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morales is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Morales wants to control but Zeal is keeping busy.
Zeal throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Zeal prevents Morales from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zeal is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Morales is looking to escape.
Morales manages to get to full guard.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Morales manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Zeal escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Fernando Morales has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Robert Zeal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Zeal shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Morales but Morales pushes him off and we're back to square one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fernando Morales comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Zeal 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Robert Zeal!