PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tariq Ziyad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: tribal entrance. Leo Johnson acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Ziyad
vs
Johnson

188 cm
26
191 lbs
14 - 3 - 0

183 cm
25
195 lbs
16 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Rōnin
Rōnin

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 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tariq Ziyad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Leo Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Elvis Blanc and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ziyad misses with a leg kick
and Johnson counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson is looking to clinch.
Ziyad misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A head kick by Ziyad misses
and Johnson counters with a stiff right hand.
Ziyad throws a leg kick
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Ziyad closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Ziyad pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Johnson.
Ziyad throws a leg kick
and Johnson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Johnson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Johnson throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Ziyad is not content to let Johnson control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziyad is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Johnson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Johnson unloading with bombs!
Johnson tries to control but Ziyad wriggling away.
Johnson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Johnson avoids the attempt from Ziyad to control.
Johnson wants to control the action but instead Ziyad gets a body lock and reverses into Johnson's guard! Nice work!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ziyad throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ziyad scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Ziyad preventing the sweep.
Ziyad looking to pass the guard.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Ziyad from controlling successfully.
Ziyad tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ziyad content to stall in guard here.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Ziyad looking to pass the guard.
Ziyad missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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.
Johnson is pulling down on Ziyad's head to control his posture.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ziyad looks to throw a body kick
and Ziyad takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ziyad shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Johnson defends it nicely.
A head kick misses from Ziyad.
A leg kick checked by Johnson.
Ziyad throws a leg kick but Johnson moved away.
Ziyad shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tariq Ziyad. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson checks a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Johnson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson throws a hook but Ziyad avoids it easily.
Johnson lands a jab to Ziyad's midsection.
Ziyad looks to throw a body kick
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson moves to clinch but Ziyad breaks away
and Ziyad counters with a slapping leg kick.
Johnson throws an overhand right that lands on Ziyad's shoulder, as Ziyad tries to avoid the shot.
Johnson jabs Ziyad right on the nose. Ziyad blinks but takes it well.
Danga de danga de dang - Johnson scores with a four punch combination!
Johnson throws a low kick but Ziyad avoids it.
Johnson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A low kick from Ziyad misses
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ziyad misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johnson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Ziyad. Ziyad obviously looking to wear him down.
Johnson checks a low kick from Ziyad.
Johnson lands a jab to the head.
Ziyad takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Ziyad swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Johnson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Ziyad's hands.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Johnson checks a low kick from Ziyad.
Ziyad throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Johnson.
Johnson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Ziyad shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.

Ziyad shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Johnson is trying to defend but Ziyad finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ziyad wants to work for an arm triangle but Johnson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.

Ziyad seems to be looking for submissions.

Ziyad is looking for a kimura but Johnson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Ziyad to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Johnson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Johnson is adopting a defensive guard.
Ziyad working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Johnson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Johnson prevents Ziyad from getting the reversal.
Johnson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Johnson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Johnson throwing strikes here but Ziyad is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ziyad blocking the ground and pound.
Johnson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ziyad?

Ziyad is rocked!
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 lands a big elbow - Ziyad is in trouble! More strikes from the mount and Ziyad is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:32 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Leo Johnson!