PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Patrick Gamble (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randall Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gamble's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Parasitic by Psyclon Nine. Johnson comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Im a playa kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Gamble
vs
Johnson

192 cm
21
255 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

195 cm
25
267 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Patrick Gamble!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Randall Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Daniel Cesar and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gamble shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Gamble showed some decent athleticism there.
Gamble has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Gamble in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Johnson is wriggling around trying to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson avoids a series of strikes thrown by Gamble.
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Gamble's attempts to control the action.
Johnson tries to reverse the position but Gamble maintains control.
Johnson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gamble takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Johnson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson tries to lock up and control but Gamble gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson is looking to improve his position but Gamble isn't that keen on the idea.
Gamble thowing shots but they're missing.
Gamble sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Gamble swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Johnson is now in Gamble's guard. A big mistake from Gamble there, giving up the dominant position!
Gamble not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two 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.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gamble works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson looking to sit in guard and control but Gamble gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Gamble from controlling successfully.
Gamble won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
Gamble is pushing down on Johnson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Johnson is fighting to maintain full guard but Gamble has managed to sneak the leg through.
Gamble is keen to just control but Johnson is a slippery customer.
Johnson is looking to control Gamble's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnson avoid being mounted?
Johnson manages to get to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gamble looking to pass the guard.

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Gamble defends it easily.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gamble trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gamble pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gamble in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

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.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Gamble from controlling successfully.
Johnson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A big right from Johnson misses.
Johnson lands with a kick to the ribs.
Gamble shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Gamble keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Gamble is breathing heavily.
Johnson misses with a hook.
Nice defenses there by Gamble.
Gamble tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gamble somewhat.
Gamble looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Patrick Gamble. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson throws a head kick but Gamble moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Patrick Gamble will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Gamble is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Gamble is having none of it.
Gamble changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johnson tries to avoid it but Gamble manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johnson to the ground. Johnson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
An inside leg kick lands from Johnson.
Johnson's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Johnson duly obliges.
Gamble falls off balance throwing a combination

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gamble's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gamble throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Gamble keeps moving.
Johnson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Gamble utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Gamble.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Gamble shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.
Johnson wants to stall.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gamble.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Johnson content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Johnson misses with some punches.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Gamble pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Johnson fails to land.
Johnson trying to stall but Gamble improves his position.
Johnson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Johnson is looking to control Gamble's arms but Gamble gets an underhook and turns him. Now Johnson has his back to the cage.
Gamble misses with a knee to the head.
Gamble looks to throw an elbow but misses.

That's two 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.

Johnson successfully pulls guard.
Gamble wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.
Gamble distracts Johnson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gamble stopping the sweep attempt from Johnson.

Gamble postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Johnson is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Gamble, into his guard.
Gamble preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Gamble working a defensive guard here.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is in close to Gamble's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Gamble is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Gamble looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Gamble is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Gamble has wrist control.
Gamble controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gamble is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gamble goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gamble sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnson somewhat.
Gamble shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Patrick Gamble. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gamble shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Johnson defends it nicely.
Gamble avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.
Gamble looks to clinch

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Gamble's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gamble keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Gamble is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randall Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A bone on bone clash there as Gamble blocks the leg kick.
Gamble misses with a wild combination.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Gamble moves out of range easily.
Gamble misses with the combination.
Johnson thows a body shot but no joy.
Gamble throws a half hearted mid kick.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gamble won't be happy with that.
Gamble parries the strikes from Johnson easily there. Johnson is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Gamble to escape.
Gamble tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Johnson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Johnson lands an elbow.
Johnson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Gamble is avoiding damage well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gamble is looking for a sweep.

Johnson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gamble sneaks back into half guard.
Johnson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Johnson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Gamble is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Gamble works his way to full guard. Good work.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Gamble keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Johnson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Johnson looking to sit in guard and control but Gamble gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Gamble is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gamble stands and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Randall Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson tries to buck Gamble off but Gamble is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gamble lands a few punches from side control.

Gamble goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Johnson has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Gamble but great work by Johnson.
Gamble holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
Gamble is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Johnson is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Gamble is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson with the ground and pound from mount.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
Gamble is looking to get to half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gamble is squirming around, avoiding Johnson's attempts to control the action.
Gamble is in all sorts of trouble here.
Johnson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to control but Gamble wriggling away.
Gamble tries to lock up and control but Johnson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Johnson controlling his opponent.
Gamble keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Johnson goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Gamble turns into him and now he's in Johnson's guard.
Gamble controlling from the top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randall Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randall Johnson!