PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cody Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Ether kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Cody Rhodes has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Rhodes
vs
Johnson

185 cm
20
181 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
178 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cody Rhodes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rhodes fails with the takedown.
Johnson throws a hook but Rhodes blocks it.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.
Horrible takedown by Rhodes or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cody Rhodes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rhodes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Rhodes showed some decent athleticism there.
Rhodes not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Rhodes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Rhodes is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Johnson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rhodes with the ground and pound from mount.
Rhodes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Rhodes landing strikes from the mount.

Rhodes working for a guillotine from mount but Johnson is in no mood to give up.

Rhodes looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Rhodes is breathing heavily.
Johnson is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rhodes wants to finish this one by submission but Johnson is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Rhodes.

Rhodes has control of Johnson's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Johnson regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Johnson's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Rhodes pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Johnson is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rhodes scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Johnson?

Rhodes jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Johnson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Rhodes has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Rhodes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Johnson is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Rhodes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Johnson, who protects the arm well.

Rhodes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Johnson is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Rhodes asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Rhodes creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Rhodes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnson on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Johnson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Rhodes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Rhodes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Johnson tries to escape but Rhodes is in control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cody Rhodes dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Nice uppercut lands for Johnson. That snapped Rhodes's head back.
No joy there for Johnson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rhodes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Johnson as he avoids it easily.

Rhodes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rhodes trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Johnson is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Rhodes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Johnson can do anything to dispel that myth.
Johnson is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rhodes looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

Rhodes is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Johnson is surviving well by controlling Rhodes's body position as best he can.
Johnson trying desperately to get to his feet.

Rhodes is working for a guillotine from mount but Johnson frees his head quite easily.
Johnson is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Rhodes pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes raining down shots from the mount!
Johnson is trying to stand up.
Rhodes takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.

Rhodes looking for the rear naked choke. And he's got it! Johnson taps!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Cody Rhodes!