PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Taleb (ranked 4857 p4p, 4198 weight class) and Jimmy Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Taleb
vs
Johnson

173 cm
25
152
1 - 1 - 0

162 cm
25
154
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Abdul Taleb!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Fedor Mirinova and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson takes one on the button.
Johnson moves out of range as Taleb strikes.
Johnson tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Johnson shoots in but Taleb avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Taleb cracks Johnson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Johnson misses with a kick to the body.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Taleb misses with a straight right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Taleb shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Abdul Taleb has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Johnson.
Johnson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Johnson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Taleb is fending him off so far but Johnson persists. Nope, Taleb circles away and we're back to standing.
Taleb changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Taleb misses with a hook

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taleb keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson is looking to clinch.
Abdul Taleb is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt
letting Taleb counter with a right hand.
Taleb throws a hook but Johnson avoids it easily.
Johnson shapes to counter with a head kick.
Taleb throws a jab but it's blocked by Johnson.
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Taleb counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Johnson is rocked!
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Taleb counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnson is still on wobbly legs! Can Taleb finish him?

Taleb drives through and clinches with Johnson against the cage.
Johnson seems to have recovered his senses.
Johnson stalls.
Taleb tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Johnson's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taleb blocks an elbow strike.
Taleb stalling in the clinch but Johnson improves position.
Taleb misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taleb lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Johnson or not.
Johnson blocks a body shot from Taleb.
Taleb has Johnson pressed against the cage.
Taleb manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Taleb seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Johnson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Taleb tries to avoid it but Johnson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Taleb to the ground. Taleb escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Despite the aggression on Johnson's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Taleb is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Johnson darts in looking for a takedown but Taleb gets double underhooks and turns Johnson into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taleb closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Johnson jumps guard but Taleb turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Taleb definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Taleb lands a body punch.
Johnson looks winded!
Johnson taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Taleb is stalling here.
Taleb tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Taleb has Johnson pushed against the cage.
Taleb is trying to maintain a safe position but Johnson gets an underhook and turns Taleb into the cage.
Taleb misses with a punch on the inside.
Johnson being controlled against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Johnson.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Taleb won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taleb swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson letting Taleb take a breather here.
Taleb lands with a left to the head.
Taleb misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Taleb fails to land.
Johnson looking for a takedown.
Johnson has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Taleb is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Johnson tries a body shot but Taleb blocks it.
Taleb tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Taleb stalling the fight.
Taleb can't find room to land a body shot as Johnson controls the action.
Johnson tries to land knees in the clinch but Taleb avoids the damage to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Taleb fails to land.
Taleb misses with a punch on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Taleb dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Taleb clinches.
Taleb struggles to land a body shot inside as Johnson controls his hands.
Johnson blocks an uppercut.
Taleb goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Taleb fails to land.
Taleb displaying some good clinch control by pressing Johnson up against the cage.
Abdul Taleb has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Taleb lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson is stalling here.
Taleb misses with a body punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Johnson drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Taleb controlling him for the moment.
Taleb controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Taleb stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Taleb moves into range and connects with a jab.
Taleb pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Taleb instigates a clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Taleb is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Johnson can do to turn this around?
Johnson throws a right and a left that Taleb avoids nicely.

Taleb instigates a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Taleb.
Taleb misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taleb stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Taleb goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taleb pushes Johnson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson blocks a body shot from Taleb.

Johnson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Taleb uses from the top position.
Taleb controlling from the top position.
Taleb will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Taleb slips nicely into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Taleb in particular looking to stall.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Taleb stands up from half guard.

Johnson darts in and clinches Taleb up against the cage.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Taleb won't allow it.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Taleb connects with a single shot there.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taleb paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Taleb paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Taleb sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Taleb jabs at Johnson's body.
Abdul Taleb seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taleb changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Taleb lands a jab to the nose.

Taleb cracks Johnson with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Johnson looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Taleb finish him?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Taleb cracks Johnson with a big right hand that sees him stumbling back against the cage! Johnson falls to his knees and Taleb doesn't need a second invitatation - he rushes in and fires off several unanswered shots that force the referee to stop the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Abdul Taleb!