PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Khal Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tank Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Drago might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to We Steady Mobbin!. Tank Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Drago
vs
Johnson

193 cm
29
205 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

190 cm
26
209 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid 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 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Khal Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tank Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Alyssa Summers and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Drago holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Drago jumps guard.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Drago.

Drago is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Johnson postures up.
Johnson trying to control but Drago is working from the bottom.

Drago is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.

Drago throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Drago pulls Johnson in close to his closed guard and prevents Johnson from doing any damage or advancing position.
Johnson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Drago is proving hard to escape from.

Tank Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Drago counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Drago jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Drago with a hook.
Johnson misses the body punch
and Drago counters with a left and a right that stings Johnson.
Johnson misses with a double jab
and Drago cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Johnson misses
and Drago counters with a series of strikes. Johnson will be more careful next time no doubt.
Johnson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Drago.

Drago closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Drago lands with a light punch inside.

Drago breaks from the clinch.
Johnson misses with a low kick.
Johnson thows a leg kick but Drago checks it
and Drago counters with a three punch combo that has Johnson backing up. Johnson nods at Drago to acknowledge the strikes.
Johnson looks gassed!
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Drago counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Drago moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Drago buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Drago scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Drago gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Drago breaks the clinch.
A left and a right from Drago both land. Nice combination.
Drago is working the combinations to good effect here.

Johnson tries to keep at a distance but Drago has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drago pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Drago throws a right and a left that Johnson avoids nicely.
Drago lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Drago.
Johnson misses with a double jab

and Drago counters by moving into the clinch.

Drago manages to break the clinch.
Drago tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A left and a right from Drago both land. Nice combination.
Drago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A nice combination there by Drago.
Johnson gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Drago.
Johnson looks to land a combination. Drago sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Johnson gets tackled into the cage by Drago. Drago maintains the clinch.

Drago breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Drago. Those never looked like landing.
Drago tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.

Drago pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

Drago breaks from the clinch.
A nice combination there by Drago.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Drago counters with a one-two to the body.

Drago moves into the clinch.
Johnson has Drago pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Drago manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Drago breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A thudding body kick lands there by Drago!
Drago throws a right and a left that Johnson avoids nicely.

Drago takes the fight into the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Drago jumps guard.
Drago is controlling Johnson's posture.
Drago striking off his back but it's not causing Johnson any problems.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight stays on the outside here - Drago looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Drago scores with a jab to the body.
Johnson slips a jab and a cross from Drago.
Johnson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Drago holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Drago escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Drago moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.

Drago jumps guard and drags Johnson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Drago has Johnson pulled in close to control his posture.
Drago wants to sweep but no luck.

Drago looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Drago. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Drago controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.

Drago looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drago throws his legs up looking for a submission but Johnson uses it to pass to side control.
Johnson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson trying to control the action but Drago is working from the bottom.
Johnson controlling the position.
Johnson working away.
Drago is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Johnson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Drago can't do much from the bottom here.
Who's going to make the next move?

The ref stands the fighters back up because Khal Drago just wasn't active enough.
Johnson throws a combination that misses

and Drago counters by moving into the clinch.

Drago breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Drago throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Drago counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Drago tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Drago counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Drago counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drago breaks from the clinch.
Drago tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
A nice combination there by Drago.
Johnson misses with a combination

and Drago counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Drago breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Tank Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson slips a jab and a cross from Drago.
Johnson misses with a hook to the body

and Drago holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Drago drags the fight down to the ground.
Drago looking to control.
Drago manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Drago postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Johnson looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Drago looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Drago looking to finish Johnson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Johnson!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Johnson can do anything to dispel that myth.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Drago unloading with bombs!
Drago misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Drago fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Drago looking to finish Johnson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Johnson!
Drago punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Khal Drago dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Drago gets a clinch.
Johnson wants a takedown.

Drago breaks the clinch.
Drago lands a nice hook to Johnson's body. Johnson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Drago looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
A punch combination from Drago misses.
Khal Drago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Drago displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Drago gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Drago manages to break the clinch.
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Drago moves into the clinch.

Drago jumps into guard, dragging Johnson to the mat.
Drago is controlling Johnson's posture.
Johnson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Drago working for submissions but it's allowed Johnson to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago regains full guard. Nicely done.

Drago is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson wants to stand but Drago has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Drago manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Johnson is in a horrible position here. Drago smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago with shots to the head and body - Johnson looks very uncomfortable down there.
Drago with a couple of short strikes.
Johnson taking shots to the head.
Drago throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Drago looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Johnson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Drago cracks Johnson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Drago landing strikes from the mount.
Drago has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Drago with the ground and pound from mount.
Drago scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Johnson?
Drago looking to finish Johnson with some ground and pound. This is bad for Johnson!
Drago sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Drago in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Khal Drago is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Drago putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Drago is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Johnson has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Drago misses with a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Drago postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Johnson looks a forlorn figure.
Johnson wants to control but Drago is having none of it.
Drago throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Drago controlling the pace for now.
Drago cracks Johnson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

And that's the end of the fight!
Khal Drago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Drago 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:25
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:25
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Khal Drago!