PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sam Rourke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Rourke
vs
Johnson

172 cm
26
185 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

176 cm
27
195 lbs
13 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sam Rourke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rourke fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Rourke takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Johnson takes the fight into the clinch.
Johnson lands a right hand that snaps the head of Rourke backwards.
Johnson lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Johnson jumps into guard, dragging Rourke to the mat.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Johnson working for a triangle but Rourke defends it easily.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Rourke passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson taking punishment in the form of punches.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Rourke trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson wants to control but Rourke postures up.

Rourke is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Johnson manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rourke is trying to stand up here but Johnson is controlling him well.
Rourke is concentrating on defense, preventing Johnson from advancing position.

Johnson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Johnson trying to control the action but Rourke is working from the bottom.
Johnson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Rourke knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Rourke defends it well.
Rourke wants to control but Johnson passes into side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Rourke has escaped the position, nice work there.
Johnson tries to stand but Rourke is controlling his head.
Rourke gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Johnson moves into full mount! Rourke won't be happy about that!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Rourke is trying desperately to improve position.
Johnson wants to control but instead Rourke manages to regain half guard.
Johnson wants to take a breather but Rourke is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rourke trying to control from the bottom.
Rourke is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Johnson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Johnson postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Rourke to stand up.
Both fighters circling a little - Johnson finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Rourke tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Johnson chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Johnson fails with the takedown.
Johnson fails in his attempt to clinch.

Johnson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Johnson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Rourke lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Rourke is breathing heavily.
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!

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A solid leg kick lands there for Johnson.
Rourke with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Johnson to score with a decent uppercut.
Rourke walks forward, straight into a front kick from Johnson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Johnson.

Johnson drives through and clinches with Rourke against the cage.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Johnson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Rourke's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Johnson connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Rourke scrambles back to his feet.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Johnson throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Rourke's head.
Johnson lands with a nice body kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Johnson.

Johnson darts in and clinches Rourke up against the cage.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Johnson forces Rourke back against the cage and clinches.
Johnson landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.

Johnson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rourke's half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Johnson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Rourke sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Johnson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Rourke's hands.
Rourke avoids the body shot from Johnson.
Johnson swinging wildly here.

Rourke closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Rourke from controlling successfully.
Rourke makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Rourke got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Rourke has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.
Rourke distracts Johnson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rourke throwing strikes but missing.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Johnson has his foot on Rourke's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Rourke works his way back into a safe position though.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rourke postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Johnson trying to control the position.
Rourke trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Rourke trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rourke connects with a couple of short punches.
Rourke cracks Johnson with a solid left hand.
Johnson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rourke slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Rourke in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rourke grinds an elbow into Johnson's temple.

Johnson throws Rourke to one side and escapes!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rourke waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Johnson.
Johnson swings for the body but Rourke moves out of range.

Rourke looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Rourke working Johnson over with strikes.
Johnson gets back to full guard.
Rourke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

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

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Rourke defends it easily.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rourke 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 three minutes gone in the round.
Rourke works over Johnson with some ground and pound from guard.

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

Rourke avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rourke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Rourke trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Rourke looking to pass the guard.
Rourke is working hard here to advance position.

Johnson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Rourke is aware though and is defending well.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Rourke is proving a slippery customer.
Rourke landing with the ground and pound.
Rourke is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rourke trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Rourke working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Johnson's head.
Rourke makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rourke wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.
Rourke makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Rourke wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Rourke lands a couple of elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Rourke dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Johnson thumps Rourke with a low kick.
Rourke throws a left and a right that both miss
and Johnson counters with a stiff right hand.
Rourke looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Johnson is fending him off so far but Rourke persists. Nope, Johnson circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson throws a series of strikes that have Rourke backpedaling.
Rourke throws out a loose jab but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rourke slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rourke tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnson is looking to slow Rourke down with leg kicks.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Rourke avoids it really well and circles away.

Rourke fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Johnson to the ground. Rourke is now in Johnson's guard.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Rourke from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Rourke frees his head nicely. Oh but Johnson has switched to an armbar! Rourke is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Josh Johnson!
A very excited looking Josh Johnson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.