PBP Commentary

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

Gracie
vs
Johnson

187 cm
31
185 lbs
15 - 16 - 0

186 cm
29
174 lbs
20 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Powerful

Asphyxiation Ltd.
Asphyxiation Ltd.

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 15 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rickson Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, John Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Luis Engracia and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gracie misses with a wild combination.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Gracie fails to land with a series of punches.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gracie dodges an elbow strike from Johnson.
Gracie can't break the clinch.
Gracie blocks the elbow strike.
Johnson lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Rickson Gracie has been cut.
Gracie wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Johnson tries to land knees in the clinch but Gracie avoids the damage to the body.
Johnson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gracie is defending well for now.
Gracie wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Gracie misses with a punch to the body.
Gracie wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Gracie avoids a wild elbow strike from Johnson.
Gracie wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie blocks an elbow strike.
Johnson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Gracie drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Knees to the body from Johnson.
Johnson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gracie is defending well for now.
Gracie avoids a wild elbow strike from Johnson.
Johnson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gracie lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Johnson taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Gracie looking to slow down the pace here.
Gracie lands with a left to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Johnson.
Johnson lands an elbow that stopped Gracie in his tracks for a moment.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Johnson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Gracie's brow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gracie leaning his opponent against the cage.
Johnson throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Gracie on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Johnson lands a nice elbow.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Johnson lands a knee to the head.
Johnson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Gracie breaks the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.

Johnson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gracie takes an elbow to the forehead.
Gracie is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Johnson gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Johnson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gracie is defending well for now.
Gracie is trying to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling him.
Gracie drops down looking for an ankle pick but Johnson pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson wants to clinch but Gracie slips to the side
and Gracie counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Johnson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Johnson is looking to clinch.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gracie fails with the takedown.
John Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gracie tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Gracie somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Gracie throws a hook to the side of Johnson's head but Johnson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt
and Gracie counters with a left and a right that stings Johnson.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gracie misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Johnson tries to clinch but Gracie is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rickson Gracie's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Johnson rushes Gracie and presses him up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Gracie is trying to push Johnson away but Johnson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Gracie struggles to land a body shot inside as Johnson controls his hands.
Gracie blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Gracie tightens his grip and picks Johnson up, before dumping him to the ground. Johnson manages to land in guard.
Johnson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Gracie.
Johnson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Gracie 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

John Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Gracie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Gracie misses with a hook.
Johnson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

so Gracie counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Gracie from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gracie drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Johnson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Gracie has Johnson in his guard.
Gracie looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Johnson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie regains full guard. Nicely done.
Gracie wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Johnson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Johnson pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Gracie is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rickson Gracie dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Rickson Gracie's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Johnson gets a clinch.
Gracie is trying to force a seperation but Johnson has the dominant position.
Johnson lands a nice knee to the body.
Johnson throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Johnson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Johnson throws an elbow that misses.
Gracie wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.
Nice elbow from Johnson.
Johnson lands a damaging elbow.
Gracie stalling the fight.
Gracie blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gracie working hard to break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gracie is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gracie pushes Johnson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gracie blocks the elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson throws an elbow but it misses.
Johnson lands an elbow inside that Gracie shrugs off.

Gracie works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Gracie pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
Johnson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnson is pulling down on Gracie's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. John Johnson was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Johnson pushes Gracie up against the cage in a clinch.
Gracie can't break the clinch.
Gracie has Johnson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Johnson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Johnson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Gracie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson tries to clinch but Gracie moves out of range.
Johnson tries a head kick but it misses.
Gracie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Gracie counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson tries to clinch
and Gracie counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gracie throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rickson Gracie. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Gracie circles away.
Gracie shoots in and drives through. Johnson sprawls well.
Gracie throws a poor cross that misses
and Johnson counters with a slapping leg kick.
Rickson Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Gracie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gracie swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Gracie circles away.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Gracie keeps it at a distance.
Gracie misses with an uppercut.
Gracie throws a jab but it's blocked by Johnson.
Johnson dodges the punch combination from Gracie.
Johnson wants to clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson tries to clinch up.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Johnson 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Johnson!