PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Garrett Medina (ranked 5746 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicolas Morales (ranked 25314 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!

Medina
vs
Morales

183 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Garrett Medina!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nicolas Morales!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Morales is looking to clinch but Medina is avoiding it.
Medina connects with an inside leg kick.
Morales throws a leg kick but Medina sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Morales fails with an attempt to clinch.

Medina scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Morales throws Medina to one side and escapes!

Medina closes the distance and clinches.
Medina keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Morales's efforts to push away.
Medina blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Morales gets control of Medina's arms and successfully pulls guard. Morales will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Medina wants to get up but he can't break Morales's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Morales is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Medina dives into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Medina throws an elbow but Morales slips to the side and avoids it well.

Medina decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Medina misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Medina fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Morales sprawls well initially but Medina persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Morales has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Medina is on him like a limpet, forcing Morales back against the cage.
Morales looks winded!
Morales on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Medina tries to pull guard but Morales won't allow it.

Morales ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Morales no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Medina is looking to stand up but Morales won't let him.

Medina gets to his feet. Morales looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Morales doesn't manage to clinch there - Medina circles away.
Morales just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMedina.
Morales tries to close the distance and clinch up but Medina swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Morales throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Medina sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Medina wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Medina shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Morales's guard.

Morales manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Medina keeps control of Morales as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Medina pulls guard effortlessly.
Morales must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Medina is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Medina looking to hit a scissor sweep but Morales is one step ahead there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Morales controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales trying to control but Medina is working from the bottom.
Medina wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Medina looking to control.
Morales throws a big right hand that misses.
Morales content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Morales looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Medina 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.
Medina manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Morales manages to get himself to full guard.

Medina has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Morales is proving hard to escape from.
Medina trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Morales wants to stand up but Medina is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Nicolas Morales will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Morales throws a leg kick

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

Medina ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Medina no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Medina is trying to keep Morales in close.
Medina has a closed guard, preventing Morales from standing up.
Medina not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Morales really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Medina. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Morales content to stall in guard here.
Medina manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Morales manages to get himself to full guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Medina stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Medina looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Morales gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Morales is breathing heavily.
Morales preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Medina decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Morales, up you get!
Morales throws the kick towards the body but Medina avoids it.
Medina avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Morales throws a push kick but Medina slaps the foot to one side.
Medina tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Morales manages to circle out of the way.
Morales is looking to clinch but Medina is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Medina keeps the fight on the outside.
Medina shoots for a takedown but Morales saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
An inside leg kick from Morales misses.

Morales clinches.
Medina is trying to pull guard but Morales has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Garrett Medina. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Morales tries to break the clinch but Medina is controlling the position.
A short body shot lands from Morales as the two fighters clinch.

Morales manages to pull guard.
Medina loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Medina lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Nicolas Morales has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Medina wanted to stand there but Morales had control of the position.
Morales utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Medina in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Medina tries to stand but Morales is controlling from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Medina gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Medina is looking to take this one to the mat.
Medina jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Morales walks away with a smile on his face. Medina gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Morales closes the distance and clinches.
Morales tries a knee to the head but Medina blocks it.
Medina tries to pull guard but Morales holds him up against the cage and eventually Medina drops back down to his feet.
Medina tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Morales just stands there and leans against the cage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Medina tries to pull guard but Morales won't allow it.

Medina is fighting off a takedown attempt but Morales is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Medina to the mat. Medina regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Medina manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Morales manages to get himself to full guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Garrett Medina will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Medina shoots and misses
and Morales counters with a left and a right that stings Medina.
Morales throws out a leg kick but Medina moves out of range and Morales only half commits.
Medina blocks a low kick nicely.
Morales lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Medina circles away quickly and effectively.

Medina shoots in and gets a takedown into Morales's 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.
Medina is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Morales to keep the fight standing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Morales misses with a knee to the head.
Medina taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Morales is trying to break the clinch but Medina is controlling him.

Medina breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Medina forces Morales back against the cage and clinches.
Medina is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Morales to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Garrett Medina. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Medina manages to pull guard.
Medina has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Morales has passed into side control.
Medina is looking to reverse the position.

Morales stands up and beckons Medina to his feet.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Morales!
Morales tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Medina clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Medina tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Morales avoids it.
Morales looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Morales drags the fight down to the ground.
Morales wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Medina manages to pass to side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Medina stands up and beckons Morales to join him on the feet.
Medina shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Morales defends it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morales looking to land some kicks to the body here.
A head kick misses from Morales.

Medina clinches up against the cage.
Medina tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Morales smiles and moves away.
Nicolas Morales is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Morales throws a head kick but Medina moves out of range.
Morales misses with a few strikes there.
Morales takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Morales tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Morales is looking to clinch but Medina is avoiding it.

Medina shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Medina showed some decent athleticism there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Morales has one foot on Medina's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Morales connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Nicolas Morales is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Medina shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Morales as he avoids it easily.
Morales misses with a head kick.

Medina clinches.
Medina tries to pull guard but Morales won't allow it.
Morales is trying to break the clinch but Medina is controlling him.

Medina pulls guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicolas Morales comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Morales has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicolas Morales!