Anthony “Cheesesteak” Morrison back in the grind with powerful KO of Nick Gonzalez at Matrix Fights 2 (video)

Morrison happy to get a win but he knows this just the beginning, again. Photo Coutresy of Megan LavelleNick Gonzalez got ghost. Photo Courtesy of Megan Lavelle

Anthony Morrison was within grasp of a World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) title shot when he lost to former champ Mike Brown last January. His next loss, another early submission at the hands of upstart Chad Mendes, pushed him well out of contention. At this point, Morrison and the WEC agreed he should look outside the league to regain his confidence. Many fighters never regain that confidence but this wasn’t Morrison’s first rebuild. Years before, sick of the injuries and below sustenance income, he stopped training altogether to work a nine-to-five. The competitive North Philly native found it in his nature to get up, return to the octagon to begin the run that would bring him so painfully close of a title shot. (Read Cheesesteak’s full story here.)

Morrison started his next long trek last night against former Strikeforce and Bellator Fighting Championships veteran Nick Gonzalez. Gonzalez came into the fight 10 pounds heavier then Morrison but was picked apart. His strikes were easily absorbed into Morrison’s simple but frustratingly effective helmet guard and the one technique he could score with— three times through the three round fight he landed heavy spinning kicks — would lead to him being splayed out on the mat. On his fourth spinning kick attempt, Morrison read and reacted with a right hand to the chin that spoke volumes about his desire to reemerge as a title contender.

Here he explains how the KO came together in front of him, where he goes from here and where you can see him on Saturday eating cheesesteaks and hanging with this hometown fateful.

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