PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aidian Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Akira Yoshida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yoshida has chosen Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Johnson
vs
Yoshida

187 cm
21
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

192 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Aidian Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Akira Yoshida!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yoshida misses with a takedown attempt - Johnson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Yoshida's guard.
Yoshida looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Yoshida keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Johnson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Yoshida's guard.
Yoshida wants to stand and escape but Johnson is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is looking to advance position but Yoshida has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Yoshida tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Yoshida working the ground and pound effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Yoshida is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Johnson!
Yoshida controlling from the full mount.
Yoshida lands a big elbow.
Yoshida looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Yoshida controlling the position easily from mount.
Yoshida tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Yoshida connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Johnson wants to hold on but Yoshida pushes him away.
Yoshida landing strikes from the mount and Johnson is in trouble!
Yoshida controlling from the full mount.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson gets back to half guard.
Yoshida tries to pass to full mount but Johnson defends it.
Johnson is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Yoshida scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is refusing to be controlled, as Yoshida sits in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Johnson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Yoshida decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!
Yoshida shoots in but Johnson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Yoshida keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johnson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Johnson gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Johnson pushes Yoshida up against the cage in a clinch.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Yoshida gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Aidian Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akira Yoshida.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson cracks Yoshida with a good jab.
Johnson gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Yoshida sprawls well. Yoshida wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Yoshida tries to clinch but Johnson moves away

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch.
Yoshida tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Yoshida drops back down to his feet.
Yoshida looking for a takedown.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Yoshida looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Johnson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akira Yoshida dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Akira Yoshida has got the better of the ground game so far.
Yoshida gets full guard.
Yoshida tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Yoshida pulls Johnson in close to prevent any damage.
Johnson tries to stand but Yoshida is controlling from the bottom.
Johnson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Yoshida keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Yoshida swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Yoshida is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Yoshida gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Yoshida's guard.
Yoshida tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Yoshida has his feet on Johnson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yoshida has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Yoshida there as he acknowledges the shot.
Johnson moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Akira Yoshida seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yoshida with a poor takedown
letting Johnson counter with a right hand.
Yoshida wants to clinch
and Johnson counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Yoshida has managed to clinch.

Yoshida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Yoshida has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Aidian Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akira Yoshida.
Yoshida with a lazy takedown attempt

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yoshida breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Johnson scores a takedown into full mount!
Yoshida is looking to get to half guard.
Johnson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yoshida is looking to escape.
Yoshida squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Yoshida that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yoshida is working to get back to half guard.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
Yoshida is trying desperately to improve position.
Johnson throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aidian Johnson dominated that second 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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Johnson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Yoshida sprawls well initially but Johnson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Yoshida is trying is best to control the position here.

Johnson decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Yoshida wants to clinch but Johnson slips to the side
and Johnson counters with a right hand to the body.
Yoshida misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Yoshida tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Yoshida forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
Yoshida gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnson.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Yoshida lands a left hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson missing with knees to the body.
Yoshida fails to pull guard.
Yoshida is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Yoshida pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Johnson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yoshida has his takedown stuffed

and Johnson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Yoshida!
Aidian Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akira Yoshida.
Johnson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Yoshida is looking to escape.
Yoshida can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson with a couple of short strikes.
Yoshida working to try and regain half guard.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Yoshida wants to try and get back to his feet.
Yoshida is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Yoshida has given up his back here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Johnson is controlling the position but Yoshida somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Yoshida is concentrating on defense, preventing Johnson from advancing position.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Yoshida is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Yoshida is trying to maintain the position but Johnson is very close to passing his half guard.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Yoshida is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Johnson tries to stand and escape but Yoshida actually recovers to full guard.
Yoshida keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Yoshida has control of Johnson's left arm, preventing Johnson from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aidian Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Johnson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28

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