PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Shinji Kagawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenny Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Kagawa
vs
Johnson

173 cm
21
145 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

175 cm
20
143 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shinji Kagawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kenny Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, George Francis and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson tries to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson tries to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
and Kagawa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Kagawa counter with a right hand.
Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa counters with a nice body shot.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a left to the body.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
and Johnson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
and Kagawa counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kagawa counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
and Kagawa counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Johnson thinking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
letting Kagawa counter with a right hand.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
letting Kagawa counter with a right hand.
Kagawa throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kagawa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Kagawa misses with a takedown attempt - Johnson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kagawa makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kagawa counters with a stiff right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kagawa dips to his left and cracks Johnson with an uppercut!
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away

and Kagawa counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Johnson!
Kagawa tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Johnson wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Kagawa.
Kagawa trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson avoids a series of strikes thrown by Kagawa.
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.
Johnson is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Kagawa's attempts to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kagawa moves to back control.

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.
Johnson covering up well under a series of strikes from Kagawa.

Johnson showing good submission defense here.

Kagawa looking to break Johnson's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Johnson remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Kagawa will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Johnson is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Kagawa gets his way!
Johnson is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinji Kagawa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Kagawa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Kagawa works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kagawa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Kagawa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kagawa counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a straight right hand.
Kagawa throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Johnson's waist but Johnson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kagawa off to one side.
Kagawa connects with the punch.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a straight right hand.
Kagawa lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Johnson backs up against the cage.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kagawa scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kagawa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Johnson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kagawa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kagawa.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kagawa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a right hand to the body.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnson has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Kagawa misses with the combination.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kagawa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Kagawa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks to clinch
enabling Kagawa to counter with a crisp jab.
Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kagawa counters with a left to the body.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Kagawa getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Johnson tries to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Shinji Kagawa is winning the standup battle so far.
Kagawa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kagawa counters with a big head kick but Johnson shrugs it off.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch

and Kagawa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kagawa wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Kagawa is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Kagawa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Kagawa postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Johnson is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Kagawa, into his guard.
Kagawa pulls Johnson in close to his closed guard and prevents Johnson from doing any damage or advancing position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinji Kagawa dominated that second round.
That's time! Kagawa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
letting Kagawa counter with a right hand.
Johnson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kagawa just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
and Kagawa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kagawa works Johnson's body with a nice hook.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a left to the body.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
enabling Kagawa to counter with a crisp jab.
Kagawa dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
and Kagawa counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
and Kagawa counters with a series of strikes. Johnson will be more careful next time no doubt.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
and Johnson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa counters with a one-two to the body.
Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Kagawa connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kagawa counters with a series of strikes. Johnson will be more careful next time no doubt.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Kagawa to counter with a crisp jab.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Kagawa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
and Kagawa counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson blocks a jab.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch
and Johnson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Shinji Kagawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kagawa is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnson.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnson closes the distance but Kagawa moves to the side
and Kagawa counters with a one-two to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson wants to clinch but Kagawa slips to the side
and Kagawa counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kagawa scores with the left hand. Johnson knows he should have avoided that one.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Kagawa counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Kagawa to counter with a crisp jab.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Kagawa lands a two punch combo.
Johnson moves to clinch but Kagawa breaks away
and Kagawa counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kagawa counters with a stiff right hand.
Kagawa tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Johnson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kagawa moves away
and Kagawa counters with a nice uppercut.
Kagawa circles away from the clinch attempt
and Kagawa counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Johnson thinking.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shinji Kagawa is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Kagawa counters with a right hand to the body.
Kenny Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kagawa dips to his left and cracks Johnson with an uppercut!
Kagawa lands with an uppercut that bounces Johnson off the cage and back into rage.
Johnson throws a leg kick that is checked
and Kagawa counters with a right hand to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinji Kagawa showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Kagawa 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:26
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinji Kagawa!