PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Wakefield (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Yohan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Wakefield
vs
Yohan

195 cm
23
185 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

185 cm
23
190 lbs
3 - 2 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Wakefield !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Andre Yohan!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wakefield changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Yohan tries to avoid it but Wakefield manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Yohan to the ground. Yohan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Wakefield leaves Yohan with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Yohan takes a swing at Wakefield 's ribcage but misses.

Wakefield gets the takedown into side control.

Wakefield is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Yohan has escaped the position, nice work there.
Yohan is trying to improve his position.

Wakefield goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Yohan has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Wakefield but great work by Yohan.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yohan content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Let's hope that Yohan has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Yohan landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Yohan taking a breather here.
Wakefield really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wakefield is looking to regain half guard here but Yohan keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Wakefield 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Yohan taking a breather here.
Wakefield is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Yohan off and has taken his back!

Yohan fending off the submission attempt from Wakefield .
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Yohan rolls, trying to escape but Wakefield keeps control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wakefield doesn't have the hooks in and Yohan manages to turn into his guard.
Yohan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Wakefield had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yohan defends it easily.
Yohan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Yohan's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Yohan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Despite being in the dominant position, Andre Yohan just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Wakefield fails with the takedown
and Yohan counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Wakefield is breathing heavily.

Yohan feints and as Wakefield raises his hands in defense, Yohan changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Wakefield can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Yohan controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Wakefield had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Yohan defends it easily.

Wakefield working for a triangle but Yohan defends it easily.
Yohan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Despite being in the dominant position, Andre Yohan just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Wakefield with a poor takedown

and Yohan counters with a nice double leg into guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Wakefield . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yohan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Wakefield has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Yohan can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Yohan controlling from the top position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Yohan uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Wakefield has time to react.
Yohan swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Wakefield .
Wakefield tries to close the distance and clinch but Yohan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Yohan thuds a left hand into Wakefield 's body.

Wakefield rushes Yohan and presses him up against the cage.

Yohan jumps guard.
Wakefield stopping the sweep attempt from Yohan.
Yohan looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Wakefield puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Yohan is looking for a sweep. Wakefield is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Wakefield is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yohan gets back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Yohan kicks Wakefield off and gets to his feet.

Yohan drives through with a takedown into guard.
Andre Yohan has got the better of the ground game so far.

Wakefield is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yohan is aware though and is defending well.

Wakefield is looking for a triangle here but Yohan uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Yohan taking a breather here.

Yohan decides to stand up, so the ref orders Wakefield to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wakefield tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Yohan counters with a straight right hand.
Yohan digs a good hook to Wakefield 's body.
Yohan swings for the body but Wakefield moves out of range.
Wakefield fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
John Wakefield seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yohan tries to clinch there but Wakefield circles away.
Wakefield uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Yohan.
Wakefield tries for a takedown but Yohan circles away easily
letting Yohan counter with a right hand.
Wakefield shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Yohan defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Wakefield . That's going to take a lot out of him.
A decent looking cross lands there for Yohan.
Yohan stuns Wakefield with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Yohan wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yohan tries to clinch up.
Wakefield misses with a takedown

and Yohan counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wakefield is looking to improve his position.

Wakefield looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Wakefield won't allow Yohan to pass to mount.
Wakefield wants to improve his position but Yohan is controlling well.

Wakefield looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Yohan is taking a breather. Wakefield says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wakefield looking for submissions off his back.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Yohan clinches with his opponent.
Yohan is looking to control Wakefield 's arms but Wakefield gets an underhook and turns him. Now Yohan has his back to the cage.
Yohan effectively controlling the action here.
Yohan prevents a takedown attempt there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Yohan jumps into guard, dragging Wakefield to the mat.
Yohan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Wakefield is looking to stand up but Yohan won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Yohan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Wakefield takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Wakefield tries to clinch

and Yohan counters with a single leg into guard. Wakefield didn't expect that.
Yohan showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Wakefield keeping moving, preventing Yohan from controlling successfully.
Yohan is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Wakefield working for a triangle but Yohan defends it easily.
Yohan trying to control but Wakefield is working from the bottom.
Yohan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wakefield looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Yohan sitting in guard here, content to control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Yohan wants to stand but Wakefield has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Yohan wants to control from the top but Wakefield keeps moving.

Wakefield looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Wakefield has his foot on Yohan's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Yohan works his way back into a safe position though.
Wakefield being controlled here, momentarily.

Wakefield is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Yohan is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wakefield escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Yohan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Yohan sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Despite being in the dominant position, Andre Yohan just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Yohan smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

Yohan forces Wakefield back against the cage and clinches.

Wakefield pulls guard successfully.
Yohan landing with the ground and pound.
Yohan throwing strikes from guard but Wakefield blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wakefield can't keep his opponent in guard - Yohan advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Wakefield looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Yohan content to control rather than advance.
Yohan trying to control from half guard but Wakefield is working away.
Yohan is thwarting Wakefield 's attempts to control the position.

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.

Wakefield looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Yohan winds up and cracks Wakefield with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Andre Yohan is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Yohan content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Wakefield is trying to get back to full guard.
Yohan content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
John Wakefield has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Yohan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Yohan has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Yohan!