PBP Commentary

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

Johnson
vs
Tanner

188 cm
25
192 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

176 cm
23
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, George Tanner!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanner closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Johnson to the mat! Johnson manages to get full guard.
Tanner working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Tanner tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Tanner working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tanner won't allow Johnson to get back to his feet.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Tanner wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Tanner stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Johnson scores with a one two! Tanner had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like George Tanner has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanner is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Anthony Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanner shoots in but Johnson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tanner swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Tanner rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Johnson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tanner looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnson is just out of range.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Tanner.
Tanner changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johnson tries to avoid it but Tanner manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johnson to the ground. Johnson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanner is looking to clinch.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Tanner in a clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Johnson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tanner throws out a leg kick but Johnson moves out of range and Tanner only half commits.
Tanner stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tanner sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnson somewhat.
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Tanner moves out of range easily.

Tanner closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Johnson to the mat! Johnson manages to get full guard.
Tanner working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Johnson's head.
Tanner is stalling in the full guard.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tanner decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!
Tanner tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Tanner tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanner shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Tanner keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tanner takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice takedown defense from Tanner. No joy for Johnson on that attempt.
Johnson looks for a takedown but Tanner sprawls well.

Tanner closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Tanner takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A short body shot lands from Tanner as the two fighters clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but George Tanner will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on George Tanner's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson checks the leg kick nicely there.
Tanner misses with the combination.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Tanner swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Johnson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Tanner did well to prevent Johnson getting side control.
Tanner is staying active underneath Johnson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Johnson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Johnson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tanner's head.
Johnson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Johnson is working for a kimura but Tanner is defending it quite comfortably.
Tanner makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tanner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanner looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tanner is trying to keep Johnson in close.

Tanner manages to escape and get back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tanner.

Johnson clinches up against the cage.
A short right from Johnson on the inside.
Tanner is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Tanner gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Tanner is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Tanner controlling him for the moment.

Johnson looking for a triangle here. Tanner is fighting it but it looks tight! Johnson pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Tanner is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Anthony Johnson!
Anthony Johnson was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.