PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Carey Morris (ranked 25840 p4p, 0 weight class) and Liam Bens (ranked 6291 p4p, 0 weight class). Liam Bens will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Morris
vs
Bens

173 cm
18
140 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

166 cm
20
132 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Carey Morris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Liam Bens!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bens looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bens tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Morris swivels and escapes.
Morris avoids the head kick by Bens.
Morris tries a head kick but it misses.

Bens drives through with a takedown into Morris's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Morris working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Bens has passed into half guard!
Bens is pressing down on Morris's thigh, looking to free his foot. Morris is holding on for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bens gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Morris enables Bens to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Morris manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bens throws an elbow that misses. Morris uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bens's guard. Nice move by Morris!

Morris would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Bens is controlling Morris's posture.
Morris tries to free his leg and advance position but Bens is retaining full guard.
Morris trying to control the position from guard on top but Bens is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Morris stops Bens from standing up.
Morris wanted to stand there but Bens had control of the position.
Bens throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bens trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Bens is trying to keep Morris in close.
Morris looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Bens shoots in and bounces Morris off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Morris is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bens flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Morris is looking for a kimura but Bens is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Morris to get the leverage.
Morris 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.
Bens wants to get back to his feet.
Morris passes to full mount!
Bens really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Morris avoids the attempt from Bens to control.
Bens is looking to improve his position but Morris isn't that keen on the idea.

Morris working for a guillotine from mount but Bens is in no mood to give up.
Morris landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morris is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Morris lands a big shot there that rocks Bens but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Morris controlling from the full mount.

Morris working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Bens working to try and regain half guard.
Morris lands a big elbow.
Morris lands a big elbow.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Morris tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Morris scores with a couple of good head shots there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carey Morris dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bens throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Morris stuffs the takedown attempt from Bens. Bens gets slowly back to his feet.
Morris fires out a quick counter leg kick but Bens just manages to avoid it.
Bens tries for a takedown but Morris sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Bens swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Morris throws a head kick but Bens moves out of range.

Morris rushes Bens and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Morris wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Bens has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bens ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Bens no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Morris works over Bens with some ground and pound from guard.
Morris is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Morris postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Morris looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Bens is trying to keep Morris in close.
Bens is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Morris is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Morris controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bens is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Morris thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Morris wants to get up but he can't break Bens's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Bens has his feet on Morris's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
A lazy left from Bens finds it's target.

Morris moves into the clinch.
Morris working hard to break the clinch.

Bens's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Carey Morris is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Morris closes the distance and clinches.
Morris is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bens can do to turn this around?

Bens has hold of one of Morris's legs. Morris is fighting the takedown attempt but Bens gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Morris is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bens is aware though and is defending well.
Carey Morris overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bens looking to sit in guard and control but Morris gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Morris is looking to work some ground and pound but Bens has wrist control.
Morris postures up.
Morris trying to control but Bens is working from the bottom.
Bens is breathing heavily.
Morris seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Morris has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Bens is proving hard to escape from.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morris has gone for a leg lock! Bens slips out almost immediately though and dives into Morris's guard.

Bens slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Morris looking for subs off his back but Bens has passed one foot through into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Morris keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Liam Bens will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Morris doesn't manage to clinch there - Bens circles away.
Bens raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Morris crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Bens - the referee stops the clock and Morris gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Bens. Morris manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Morris leaves Bens with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Bens darts in looking for a takedown but Morris gets double underhooks and turns Bens into the cage.
Morris throws a big counter combination but Bens scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Morris gets tackled into the cage by Bens. Bens maintains the clinch.
Morris wants to get back to striking at distance but Bens won't allow it.
Morris is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Morris tries to break the clinch but Bens is controlling the position.
Morris is trying to break free.

Bens breaks from the clinch.
A combination from Bens does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bens looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Morris is fending him off so far but Bens persists. Nope, Morris circles away and we're back to standing.
Carey Morris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Liam Bens.
Bens darts in looking for a takedown but Morris gets double underhooks and turns Bens into the cage.
Bens takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Bens tries for a takedown but Morris circles away easily
and Morris counters with an inside leg kick.
Bens dives in for a single leg takedown but Morris sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Morris throws a big counter combination but Bens scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Morris moves into range and clinches up with Bens.
Bens wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Morris pressing his opponent against the cage.
Morris is trying to force a seperation but Bens has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morris breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bens blocks a head kick by Morris.
Bens shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Morris sprawls well. Morris wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bens gets slowly back to his feet.

Morris darts in and clinches Bens up against the cage.
Bens keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Morris's efforts to push away.

Morris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bens gets tackled into the cage by Morris. Morris maintains the clinch.

Bens gets control of Morris's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bens will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Morris gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Bens fails to land the takedown.
Morris has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Morris tries a head kick but it misses.

Bens forces Morris back against the cage and clinches.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Bens.
Bens has Morris pressed against the cage, preventing Morris from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Bens breaks the clinch.
Bens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Morris swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Morris is looking to clinch.
Carey Morris is winning the standup battle so far.
Morris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Liam Bens seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Morris fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Bens looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Bens swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Morris throws a quick counter head kick but Bens was just out of range.
Morris throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morris throws a head kick that Bens semi-blocks.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morris pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Bens throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Morris throws a right and a left that both miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carey Morris showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Morris has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carey Morris!