PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Johnson
vs
Smith

185 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 1

225 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Anthony Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Smith!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Eliza Hachem and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smith shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Johnson is trying to defend but Smith finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Smith looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Johnson kicks off Smith and gets to his feet.
Smith drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Smith closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Johnson did well to prevent Smith getting side control.
Smith trying to mount his opponent but Johnson defends it.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Smith stops Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Smith is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Smith wants to free his trapped foot but Johnson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Smith not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Smith trying to advance position but Johnson counters by regaining guard.
Smith wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

OK we're going to have a standup here. John Smith hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Smith misses with a takedown
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Smith counters with a nice body shot.
Johnson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Smith counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Smith loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Johnson is looking to stand up but Smith isn't so interested in that idea.

Johnson pushes Smith off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith throws a left and a right that both miss
and Johnson counters with a three punch combo that has Smith backing up. Smith nods at Johnson to acknowledge the strikes.
An inside leg kick lands from Smith.
Smith tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Smith.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Smith wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson misses with a combination
letting Smith counter with a right hand.
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Smith counters with a head kick.
A right-left combo lands from Johnson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Smith dominated that round.
That's time! Johnson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Ouch! a nice leg kick from Smith, right into the meat.
Smith closes the distance but Johnson moves to the side
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Smith throws a leg kick which misses Johnson's front leg but catches the back leg as Johnson tries to avoid it.
Smith shoots and misses
and Johnson counters with a series of strikes. Smith will be more careful next time no doubt.
Smith with a poor takedown
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.
Johnson on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Johnson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Smith counters with a big head kick but Johnson shrugs it off.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Smith.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a hook to the body
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Johnson lands a nice shot that snaps Smith's head back.
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Smith counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Smith blocks a jab.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Johnson counter with a right hand.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnson counters with a series of strikes. Smith will be more careful next time no doubt.
Johnson has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

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.
Smith shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.
Smith tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smith bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Smith closes the distance but Johnson moves to the side
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.
Anthony Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith misses with a takedown
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.
Smith misses with a combination
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Smith shoots and misses
and Johnson counters with a series of strikes. Smith will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith with a poor takedown
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Smith looks to clinch
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a nice uppercut.
Smith lands with a cross.
Johnson throws a nice looking combination but Smith bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Anthony Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smith moves to clinch but Johnson breaks away
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Johnson misses with a right hand
and Smith counters with a one-two to the body.
Smith gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.

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.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnson is working the combinations to good effect here.
Smith misses with a series of wild punches.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Smith counters with a nice uppercut.
Sloppy strikes from Johnson. Those never looked like landing.
Johnson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Smith misses with a takedown
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.

Smith drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Smith wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson kicks Smith off and gets to his feet.
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 Anthony Johnson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Smith misses with a takedown
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Smith shoots and misses
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnson lands a jab-cross combination.
Johnson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Smith tries to clinch but Johnson moves away
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Smith has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Smith misses with a takedown
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Smith.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith with a poor takedown
and Smith takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Smith lands with a straight right. Johnson didn't see that one coming.
No joy there for Smith, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Smith shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
You get the feeling that Johnson really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Smith trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Johnson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Johnson tries to get out of the position.
Smith misses with a head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson bucks Smith off and manages to get back to his feet!
Johnson misses with a double jab.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Smith counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Smith counters with an outside leg kick.
Johnson misses with a combination
and Smith counters with a good, hard body kick but Johnson shrugs it off.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Smith falls off balance throwing a combination
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Smith gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Johnson counters with a three punch combo that has Smith backing up. Smith nods at Johnson to acknowledge the strikes.
Smith tries to clinch up
and Johnson counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson misses with a left hand
and Smith counters with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Smith moves out of range.
Johnson takes a jab right on the kisser.
Smith scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Johnson misses with the combination.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Smith letting Johnson take a breather here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Smith has him pressed against the cage.
Smith goes for a takedown in the clinch but Johnson prevents it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to John Smith.
I think Smith has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Smith!