PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ulich Youzef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Johnson
vs
Youzef

185 cm
21
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 1

201 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 1 - 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, Ulich Youzef!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Summer Carpenter and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Johnson.

Youzef closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Johnson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Youzef doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Youzef is trying to break free.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Youzef lands a body shot in the clinch.
Youzef is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Youzef wants to stall.

Youzef tightens his grip and picks Johnson up, before dumping him to the ground. Johnson manages to land in guard.
Youzef trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnson wants to stand and escape but Youzef is having none of it.
Youzef showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Youzef trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Youzef prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ulich Youzef wasn't active enough on the ground.
Sloppy strikes from Johnson. Those never looked like landing.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ulich Youzef seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Youzef tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a three punch combo that has Youzef backing up. Youzef nods at Johnson to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two 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.
Johnson throws a one two combo.
Youzef shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Youzef shoots and misses
and Johnson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ulich Youzef.

Youzef closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Johnson to the mat! Johnson manages to get full guard.
Johnson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Johnson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Youzef is controlling him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Youzef stands up from Johnson's guard - Youzef perhaps looking for a knockout.
Youzef looks gassed!
Johnson scores with a one two! Youzef had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Youzef walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Johnson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Johnson fails to land with a series of punches.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.
Youzef shoots and misses
and Johnson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson misses with a combination

and Youzef counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
Johnson wants to stand but Youzef is controlling the position.
Johnson is wriggling around but Youzef manages to pass to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Youzef thows a huge punch but Johnson dodges it nicely.
Johnson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Youzef is controlling him well.
Youzef thows a huge punch but Johnson dodges it nicely.
Johnson tries to kick Youzef off but Youzef keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Youzef working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ulich Youzef dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A looping hook to the body misses from Youzef. Johnson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Youzef is looking to clinch.
Youzef misses with an uppercut
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.
Youzef fails with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Johnson connects with the punch.
Youzef is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Johnson.
Youzef shoots and misses
and Youzef takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson tries to bum rush Youzef with a series of wild strikes but Youzef uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A shot to the body from Youzef misses
and Johnson counters with a three punch combo that has Youzef backing up. Youzef nods at Johnson to acknowledge the strikes.
Youzef is breathing heavily.
Johnson misses with the combination.
Youzef misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ulich Youzef.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson with a nice cross.
Johnson misses with a double jab.
Anthony Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson scores with a jab to the jaw.
A right-left combo lands from Johnson.
Youzef has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Youzef takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Johnson misses with the combination.
Johnson moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Youzef has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a straight left.
Johnson tries to bum rush Youzef with a series of wild strikes but Youzef uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Anthony Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice jab there from Johnson.
Johnson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Johnson misses with a double jab.
Johnson misses with a few strikes there.
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Youzef.
Youzef tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a double jab

and Youzef counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Youzef jumps guard.
Johnson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Youzef lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Johnson!
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.
Johnson tries to buck Youzef off but he can't manage it.
Youzef wants to control the pace but Johnson is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Youzef is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Johnson wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Youzef.
Johnson's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Youzef with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Johnson squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Johnson dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Youzef with a poor takedown
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Youzef takes one to the side of the head.
Youzef has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Youzef fails with an attempt to clinch.
Johnson misses with a double jab

and Youzef decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Youzef manages to pass to side control.
Youzef prevents Johnson from standing back up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Youzef wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.

Youzef 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 wants to stand back up but Youzef manages to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Youzef is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Youzef throws a strike aimed at the side of Johnson's head but Johnson avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Youzef decides to stand back up. Youzef steps back and let's Johnson get back to his feet.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Youzef.
Johnson throws a right hand that Youzef ducks under and follows up with a left that Youzef also avoids with ease.
Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Youzef closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
No joy there for Johnson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Youzef walks into a jab.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Left hook, right uppercut from Johnson.
Youzef tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ulich Youzef.
Johnson shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Youzef eats them both and turns towards Johnson to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Johnson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Johnson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Youzef walks into a jab.
Youzef doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Youzef has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Youzef tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ulich Youzef.
I think Youzef 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ulich Youzef!