PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mongo Smash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Smash comes to the cage accompanied by Donkey Kong Country Music - Main Theme. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Smash
vs
Johnson

190 cm
22
216 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Lightning Fight Gear

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mongo Smash!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bruce Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Chad Campbell and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Smash.
Smash tries to clinch up.
Johnson tries to clinch but Smash moves out of range.

Smash gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Johnson dodges an elbow strike from Smash.
Smash with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Smash won't allow it.

Smash gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Smash looking to pass the guard.
Johnson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Smash is controlling him.
Smash lands a couple of digs.
Smash trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Smash throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Smash scoring with some ground and pound.
Smash wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smash tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Smash wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Smash tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Smash paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Smash pushes him off.
Johnson looks gassed!
Johnson lands a two punch combo.

Smash is rocked!

Johnson drives through and clinches with Smash against the cage.
Oh Smash is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Smash takes a shot to the head.
Johnson blocks an elbow strike.
Smash throws a knee to the head but misses.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Smash is avoiding it.
Smash keeps the fight on the outside.

Johnson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Smash seems to have got his legs back now.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Johnson.
Smash lands a nice shot to the body.
Smash lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Smash lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Smash lands a shoulder strike.
Smash has a couple of punches blocked by Johnson.
Johnson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Smash looking to throw knees to the head but Johnson is blocking nicely.

Smash jumps guard and drags Johnson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smash is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Smash is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smash is nestled in close to Johnson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Smash is looking for a kimura here.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Smash is looking to take a break and control but Johnson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
Smash trying to control from half guard but Johnson is working away.
Johnson tries to roll over but Smash keeps him under control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smash.
Johnson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Smash winds up and cracks Johnson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Smash is pressing down on Johnson's thigh, looking to free his foot. Johnson is holding on for now.
Johnson moves into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smash trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Smash drops back looking for a leg! Johnson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Johnson manages to kick Smash off! Smash jumps back into Johnson's guard.

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

Smash drops back looking for a leg! Johnson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Johnson manages to kick Smash off! Smash jumps back into Johnson's guard.

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Smash can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Smash tries to pass.
Smash postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

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.
Smash advances position into side control!
Smash is putting a hurting on Johnson here, landing some big shots from side control.

Smash is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Smash grinds an elbow into Johnson's temple.
Smash working the ground and pound.

Smash tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Johnson is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Johnson is not content to let Smash control the position.
Smash lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Smash wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Johnson, who protects the arm well.
Smash working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mongo Smash 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.

Smash gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Smash working aggressively here.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Smash keeps him there for the moment.
Smash lands a shoulder strike.
Smash scores with a knee to the head.
Smash gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Smash lands a right hand.
Smash misses with a hook from the clinch.
Smash lands a right hand.
The is referee keeping an eye on Johnson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Smash doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Smash throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Johnson blocks it with crossed arms.
Smash stalling in the clinch but Johnson improves position.
Smash comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Johnson avoiding damage as Smash throws knees to the body.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A knee to the head by Smash.
Smash lands a nice shot to the body.
Johnson pushes Smash back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Smash lands a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A head punch on the inside from Smash fails to land.
Smash lands with a short shot to the head.

Johnson pulls Smash into guard.

Smash decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!

Smash fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smash has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Johnson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Johnson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Johnson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Smash manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Smash regains full guard. Nicely done.
Smash lands a couple of shots from the bottom.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Smash.
Smash is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Smash trying to mount his opponent but Johnson defends it.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Johnson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smash stays in close to Johnson's body and controls the position.

Johnson pushes Smash off and gets back to his feet.

Smash darts in and clinches Johnson up against the cage.
Smash misses with a punch on the inside.
Johnson dodges an elbow strike from Smash.
Johnson avoids the elbow strike from Smash, against the cage.
Smash lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Smash misses with a hook from the clinch.
Smash lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Johnson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Smash throws a knee to the head but misses.
Smash looking to slow down the pace here.
Smash with a knee to the head.
Smash tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Smash lands an uppercut.
Smash lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Smash lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Smash with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Smash working aggressively here.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Smash clinches but Johnson breaks the clinch
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

It looks like Mongo Smash has been cut.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Smash throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Johnson blocks it with crossed arms.
Still in the clinch, Johnson scores with a nice short uppercut.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Smash tries to clinch

and Johnson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Smash!
Johnson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Smash sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Smash gets back to full guard.
Smash scores with a short punch from the bottom.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Smash is keeping the position.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Smash has his foot on Johnson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnson works his way back into a safe position though.
Smash controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Smash.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Johnson passes into half guard.

Johnson seems to be looking for submissions.

Smash kicks off Johnson and gets to his feet.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Smash swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A solid leg kick lands there for Johnson.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smash tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson shoots for a double leg takedown but Smash sprawls well. He's pushed Johnson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mongo Smash has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bruce Johnson.

Smash rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Smash lands a shoulder strike.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Smash lands a shoulder strike.
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 Mongo Smash will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mongo Smash's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Smash moves out of range as Johnson throws a body kick.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Smash tries to clinch but Johnson moves away

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Johnson takes a shot to the head.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Bruce Johnson has been cut.
Smash softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Smash has picked Johnson up - he's going for a ride! Smash dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Smash seems to be looking for submissions.

Johnson kicks off Smash and gets to his feet.
Smash tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Smash has managed to clinch.
Smash lands a body punch.
Smash misses with a punch to the body.
Smash leaning against his opponent.
Johnson stalling in the clinch but Smash improves position.
Smash tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Smash drops back down to his feet.
Smash throws a head punch that misses.
Johnson avoiding damage as Smash throws knees to the body.
Johnson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Johnson managing to block the knees to the body from Smash.
Smash wants to stall.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Smash fails with an attempt to clinch.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Smash has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
Smash fails to pull guard.
A right hand to the body from Johnson.
Johnson lands a body punch in the clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Smash tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson looks to land a right hand but Smash moved out of range.
Smash doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.

Smash rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smash has him pressed against the cage.
Smash lands a right hand that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Smash wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Johnson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Smash, pushing him back against the cage.
Smash has Johnson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Johnson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mongo Smash. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smash wants to break free but Johnson has control.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Smash tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Smash drives through and clinches with Johnson against the cage.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Smash holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Johnson clinches but Smash breaks the clinch

and Smash counters by moving into the clinch.
Smash working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smash tries for a takedown. No joy.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Smash keeps him there for the moment.
Smash lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Mongo Smash has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Smash tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Smash stalling against the cage.
Johnson prevents the takedown attempt.
Smash misses with an elbow over the top.
A nice left hand lands by Smash.
Johnson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Smash won't allow it.
Smash lands a nice shot to the body.
Smash misses with a knee strike.
Smash pushes off an throws an elbow but Johnson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

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

Johnson gets a clinch.
Smash is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Smash with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Smash prevents a takedown attempt there.
Smash scores with a knee to the head.
Smash lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A choreographed right hand from Smash misses the target.
Smash tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Smash tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Smash.
Smash tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Smash fails with an attempt to clinch.
Smash tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.

Smash clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
Smash gets underhooks to prevent Johnson's takedown attempt.
A short left from Smash.
Smash misses with an elbow over the top.
Smash scores with a shot to the side of Johnson's head.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Smash keeps him there for the moment.

Johnson has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Smash regains guard immediately.

Smash escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johnson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Smash looking for a sweep. Not yet Smash, not yet.
Smash keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Mongo Smash overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Smash had control of the position.
Smash manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

Smash working for a guillotine from mount but Johnson is in no mood to give up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Smash has hold of Johnson's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Johnson manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Smash lands a heavy elbow.

Smash working for a submission here. He's tucked his head under his opponent's arm, looking for an arm triangle. He's hopped off into side control, looking to tighten the submission... is it going to work? He's given up a good position looking for it. Johnson looks OK. Oh, I spoke too soon, he's out! That must have been tighter than I thought! Excellent work there by Smash! Submission of the night perhaps?

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Mongo Smash!