PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Steve Berger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Berger
vs
Johnson

185 cm
20
187 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

183 cm
22
186 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Drago's Choice

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 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steve Berger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bob Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berger shoots in and drives through. Johnson sprawls well.
Berger shoots in but no luck this time.
Berger shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Berger's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Berger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson tries to move into range but Berger moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed

and Berger counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
Berger with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Berger stopping the sweep attempt from Johnson.
Berger throws a big right hand that misses.
Berger loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Berger forces his way into half guard.
Johnson is positioning himself well to prevent Berger advancing to mount.
Johnson's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berger throws a strike but Johnson avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Johnson controls Berger momentarily but Berger frees himself.
Berger postures up and lands a big shot to Johnson's brow.
Berger looking to pass the guard.
Johnson pulls Berger in close to his closed guard and prevents Berger from doing any damage or advancing position.
Johnson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Berger!
Johnson looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berger flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Johnson controlling his opponent.
Berger is working to get back to half guard.
Berger sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Johnson trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to free his trapped foot but Berger is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Berger is looking to improve his position.
Johnson trying to control the action but Berger is working from the bottom.
Berger is looking to get back to full guard here but Johnson has managed to pass to side control instead.
Berger looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Johnson just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Johnson working for the choke.

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.

Berger showing good submission defense here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson looks gassed!

Berger manages to stand up with Johnson still on his back. Eventually Johnson drops to his feet and we're back in the standing position.
Berger circles away from the clinch attempt.
Berger will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A nice inside leg kick there by Johnson. That's going to slow Berger down.
Berger darts in trying to clinch
and Johnson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Johnson just misses with a punch to the body.
Berger keeps the fight on the outside.

Berger gets a takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Berger dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Berger gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Johnson counters with a big head kick but Berger shrugs it off.
Berger looks to clinch
and Johnson counters with a low kick, right behind Berger 's knee.
Berger misses with a takedown attempt

and Johnson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Knees to the body from Johnson.

Johnson jumps guard.
Berger looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Johnson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Berger is striking off his back. Johnson thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Berger has a hand on Johnson's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Johnson takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Johnson manages to capitalize on a mistake by Berger to take his back!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Johnson patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

Berger defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Johnson's arms.
Berger looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
I really don't envy Berger right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Berger is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Berger manages to reverse the position and now he's in Johnson's guard. Nice work there by Berger.
Steve Berger overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Berger lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Berger postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Berger has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Berger loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Berger working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

It looks like Bob Johnson has been cut.
Berger working some strikes from top position.

Johnson is rocked!

Berger decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!
Johnson is still on wobbly legs! Can Berger finish him?
Berger tries to clinch up
and Johnson counters with a leg kick.
Johnson seems to have recovered his senses.
Berger cracks Johnson with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Berger misses with the body kick
and Johnson counters with a big head kick but Berger shrugs it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berger wants to clinch
and Johnson counters with a nice body kick.

Berger scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Berger postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Johnson to stand up.
Berger shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Berger. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Berger rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Berger changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johnson fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Berger clinches up against the cage.
Johnson taking a breather.
Johnson lands a nice knee to the body.
Johnson lands a knee to the body.
Berger takes a knee right on the jaw!
Berger tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
Berger is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Berger misses with the head strike.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.

Johnson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Johnson's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Berger wants a takedown but no success here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson scores a nice knee to the body.

Johnson drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson pulls Berger in close to prevent any damage.
Johnson looking to control.
Berger stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Berger is looking to work some ground and pound but Johnson has wrist control.
Johnson pulls Berger in to control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Berger stands and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Berger working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Berger wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Steve Berger will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Bob Johnson's cut.
That's time! Berger's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Berger tries to clinch up
and Johnson counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Berger is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Bob Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Berger closes the distance but Johnson moves to the side

and Johnson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Johnson.
Berger looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson controlling from the top position.
Berger is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Berger keeps moving.
Berger lands a decent punch to the body there.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Berger.
Johnson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Berger is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Berger manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Berger's guard.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Berger is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Berger wants to break free but Johnson has control.

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 tightens his grip and picks Berger up, before dumping him to the ground. Berger manages to land in guard.
Berger keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Berger is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Johnson dives into side control.
Berger can't do much from the bottom here.
Johnson controls the position from side control.
Berger sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Johnson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Berger wants to improve his position but Johnson is controlling well.
Berger tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berger makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Berger.
Johnson won't allow Berger to sweep him here.
Berger trying to control the position.
Berger wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Berger is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.
Berger throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Berger shoots and misses

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown. Berger fights it but they end up in guard.
Berger trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Berger tries to strike from the bottom.
Berger throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Berger is on top in guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Johnson holds on and takes a little breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Berger lands a couple of elbows.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Berger defends easily.
Johnson is pulling down on Berger's head to control his posture.
Bob Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Berger pushes his legs off easily.
Berger trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Berger has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Bob Johnson!