PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ryan McCauley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

McCauley
vs
Johnson

178 cm
22
162 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Ryan McCauley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Billy Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Viktor Lagutenko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCauley fails with a takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
McCauley closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. McCauley pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Johnson drives through and clinches with McCauley against the cage.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
McCauley thows a left - swing and a miss!
No joy there for McCauley, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Johnson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Johnson with a poor takedown

and McCauley counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by McCauley.
McCauley wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
McCauley looking to pass the guard.

McCauley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, McCauley has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but McCauley pushes his legs off easily.
McCauley trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
McCauley has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnson is proving hard to escape from.
McCauley not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson wants to sweep here but McCauley controlling him for the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Johnson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but McCauley is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson looks gassed!

Johnson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
You can see the frustration on McCauley's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
McCauley is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Johnson asserts his dominance and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on McCauley's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCauley manages to work his way to half guard, despite Johnson's best efforts.
Johnson tries to stand and escape but McCauley actually recovers to full guard.

McCauley working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

McCauley working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.
McCauley being controlled here, momentarily.

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.

McCauley wriggles free and stands up.
McCauley tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a nice leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan McCauley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McCauley takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
McCauley uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Johnson.

McCauley decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Johnson pushes McCauley off looking to stand but McCauley dives back in and keeps control.
McCauley content to control rather than advance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan McCauley dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson wants to clinch

and McCauley counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johnson's guard now.
McCauley trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson being controlled here, momentarily.
McCauley missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Johnson is trying to keep McCauley in close.
Johnson seems keen to control McCauley's posture.
Johnson is striking from the bottom but McCauley uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.

McCauley wants to work for an arm triangle but Johnson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Ground and pound from McCauley.

McCauley gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
McCauley shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johnson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Johnson wants to control from the top but McCauley keeps moving.
McCauley has his hands on Johnson's head, controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but McCauley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McCauley controlling the position.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but McCauley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson is fighting to break McCauley's control of his arms but McCauley is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from McCauley.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McCauley has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Johnson is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for McCauley.
Johnson working away.
McCauley tries to improve position but can't.

Johnson stands up.

Johnson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCauley utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
McCauley throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

McCauley has his feet on Johnson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Johnson closes the distance but McCauley moves to the side

and McCauley decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson wants to stand and escape but McCauley is having none of it.
Johnson wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and McCauley is now in half guard.

McCauley stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
No joy there for Johnson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan McCauley dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and McCauley counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johnson's guard now.
McCauley trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McCauley lands a couple of digs.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as McCauley controls the pace.

Johnson is working an open guard so McCauley takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Johnson shoots and misses
and McCauley counters with a stiff right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson tries to clinch up

and McCauley counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCauley working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

McCauley gets to his feet. Johnson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and McCauley counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.
Johnson wants to control but McCauley postures up.

McCauley stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Johnson clinches.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McCauley is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Johnson can't fight it off and eventually McCauley manages to take the fight to the floor. Johnson looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
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!
McCauley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
McCauley trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

McCauley stands up from Johnson's guard - McCauley perhaps looking for a knockout.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed

and McCauley counters with a takedown into side control.
Ryan McCauley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Billy Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to buck McCauley off but McCauley is having none of it.

McCauley working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.

McCauley decides to stand back up. McCauley steps back and let's Johnson get back to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says McCauley as he avoids it easily.

That's four 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.
McCauley closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. McCauley pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
McCauley shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from McCauley is defended easily by Johnson.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but McCauley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Billy Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson misses with a series of wild punches.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McCauley doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan McCauley showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for McCauley, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight for Ryan McCauley!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Ryan McCauley!
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Ryan McCauley!

Ryan McCauley wins by unanimous decision!