PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Josh Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jake Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Harper
vs
Johnson

177 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Josh Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jake Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.
Harper lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Harper.

Johnson moves into the clinch.
Harper tries a knee to the head but Johnson blocks it.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson tries to land a body kick
and Harper counters with a thumping low kick.
Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Harper darts in trying to clinch

and Johnson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Harper is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Johnson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Johnson jumps guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Harper throws and elbow that misses. Johnson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Harper's guard. Nice move by Johnson!

Johnson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Harper swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Harper tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Harper uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Johnson has time to react.
A telegraphed right hand from Harper misses the target.
Harper tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Harper is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnson.
Harper tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Johnson counters with a two punch combo.
Josh Harper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Harper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Harper is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnson.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Harper circles away.
Johnson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Harper defends it nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.
Josh Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Johnson.
Johnson looks gassed!
Harper scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Johnson doesn't seem bothered though.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Harper as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Harper throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Johnson on the side of the head.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Harper cracks a nice hook into Johnson's ribs.
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Harper.
Harper lands a two punch combo.
Harper smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Nice uppercut lands for Harper. That snapped Johnson's head back.
Harper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Harper moves to clinch but Johnson breaks away
and Johnson counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Harper is lucky that one didn't land flush.

It looks like Josh Harper has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper lands a really nice looking cross but Johnson seems unphased.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Harper counters with a one-two to the body.
Harper lands a jab-cross combination.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson shoots for a double leg takedown but Harper sprawls well. He's pushed Johnson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Harper throws a series of punches but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Harper as he jumps to the side.
Harper wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Harper doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Harper moves into range and connects with a jab.
Harper wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Harper moves in looking to clinch but Johnson pushes him off.
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 Josh Harper will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Josh Harper's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Harper has managed to clinch.
Harper tries to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling the position.
Harper is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Harper is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Harper wants to break the clinch but can't.
Johnson holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Harper looking to stall.

Johnson drags the fight down to the ground.
Harper wants to stand and escape but instead Johnson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Harper knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

Johnson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Harper clinches with his opponent.

Johnson jumps into guard, dragging Harper to the mat.
Harper is looking to stand up but Johnson won't let him.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Harper has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Harper controlling him for the moment.
Harper throws and elbow that misses. Johnson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Harper's guard. Nice move by Johnson!
Harper keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Harper is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson preventing the sweep.
Johnson won't allow Harper to get back to his feet.
Harper seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Harper connects with a single shot there.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Harper circles away.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Harper sprawls well. Harper wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Harper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper tries to clinch up.
Johnson takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Harper rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Harper wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Harper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Harper is trying to break free.
Harper wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Harper can't break the clinch.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Harper won't allow it.
Josh Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Johnson.
Harper gets underhooks to prevent Johnson's takedown attempt.
Harper is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Harper looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper taking a breather.
A frustrated look appears on Harper's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Harper holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Johnson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Harper uses from the top position.
Johnson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Harper wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Harper dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Josh Harper's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Harper wants to clinch.
Johnson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Harper tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Harper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Harper connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Harper takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Harper tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Harper circles away.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Harper 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.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Josh Harper is winning the standup battle so far.
Harper is looking to clinch.
Harper 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.
Josh Harper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Harper checks a leg kick.
Good exchange - Harper coming out on top.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Harper stuffs the takedown.
Josh Harper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jake Johnson.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Harper moves into the clinch.
Harper is looking to control Johnson's arms but Johnson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Harper has his back to the cage.
Josh Harper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Harper wants to break the clinch but can't.
Johnson is trying to stall.
Johnson wants a takedown.
Harper is trying to break free.
Harper creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Johnson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Harper prevents it.
Harper looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Johnson as Harper tries to tie him up.
Harper is trying to push Johnson away but Johnson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Harper is looking to control Johnson's arms but Johnson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Harper has his back to the cage.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

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.
Johnson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Harper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson looking to slow down the pace here.
Johnson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Harper gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Harper is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Harper blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jake Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Harper wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Harper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Harper, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Harper!