PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nemanja Tancev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Josh Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tancev
vs
Johnson

190 cm
28
190 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

176 cm
30
195 lbs
16 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Brown 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 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nemanja Tancev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Josh Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnson clinches with his opponent.

Tancev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A slapping body kick lands there for Johnson.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Tancev in a clinch.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Tancev keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Nemanja Tancev has been cut.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Johnson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson throws a lazy right hand but Tancev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
Johnson chopping away at his opponent's legs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Tancev counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Tancev drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Johnson looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Tancev has picked Johnson up and slammed him! Johnson can't keep hold of the triangle and Tancev manages to pass to side control!
Johnson trying to remain calm as Tancev controls from the top position.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tancev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The referee asks Tancev politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tancev prefers to stall for the moment though.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Tancev wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Tancev trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to remain calm as Tancev controls from the top position.

Tancev is trying to get an arm triangle but Johnson is defending well.

Tancev wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Johnson, who protects the arm well.
Johnson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tancev cracks Johnson with a big elbow.
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!
Tancev working away.

Tancev tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tancev has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Johnson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Tancev is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.
Tancev wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson struggling a bit here.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.
Johnson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Johnson is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tancev off and has taken his back!
Tancev breaks Johnson's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Tancev looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Tancev escapes and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tancev tries to move into full mount but can't pass Johnson's legs.

Tancev thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Johnson stops Tancev from passing to mount.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Tancev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Johnson gets back to half guard.
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 Nemanja Tancev will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nemanja Tancev's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A thudding body kick lands there by Johnson!
A cross from Johnson lands.
Johnson scores with a nice head shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Johnson misses the target.
A nice leg kick lands there from Johnson.
Tancev thows a body shot but no joy.
Tancev walks forward, straight into a front kick from Johnson.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tancev tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tancev shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Tancev 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.

Tancev closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson tries to escape but Tancev is in control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.
Johnson is looking for a sweep. Tancev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nemanja Tancev overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tancev looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Johnson is looking for a sweep. Tancev is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tancev uses his free foot to push down on Johnson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Johnson.
Tancev connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Johnson tries to hold on but Tancev postures up.
Johnson taking shots to the head.
Tancev lands a heavy elbow.
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 tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tancev avoids the attempt from Johnson to control.
Tancev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.

Tancev working for a guillotine from mount but Johnson is in no mood to give up.
Tancev trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson tries to hold on but Tancev postures up.
Johnson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to buck Tancev off but he can't manage it.
Johnson wants to control but Tancev is having none of it.
Tancev wants to take Johnson's back here but Johnson is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Tancev tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Tancev content just to control the position here.
Tancev wants to control the pace but Johnson is squirming around nicely.
Tancev working the ground and pound effectively.
Johnson tries to hold on but Tancev postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tancev can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.
Johnson is looking to get to half guard.
Tancev trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Tancev connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Johnson tries to buck Tancev off but Tancev takes his back!
Johnson trying to control the hands but Tancev won't let him.

Tancev tightening his grip on Johnson, looking for the choke.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Tancev is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Johnson defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nemanja Tancev dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nemanja Tancev's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnson misses with a body kick.
Johnson scores with a spinning back kick!
Johnson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Johnson is looking to chop away at Tancev's legs.
A jab from Johnson misses.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Tancev is avoiding it.
Josh Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson misses with a jab to the body

and Tancev counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tancev.
Tancev blocks an elbow strike from Johnson.
Johnson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tancev blocks it with crossed arms.
Tancev is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Johnson gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Tancev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Johnson was well out of range. Poor timing from Tancev.
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 fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tancev manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Johnson throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
The fighters circle momentarily. Tancev darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Johnson has managed to clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson throws a solid leg kick but Tancev takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Johnson.
Johnson tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Tancev is able to avoid easily.

Johnson pushes Tancev up against the cage in a clinch.

Tancev manages to break the clinch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Johnson.
Tancev comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Johnson throws a jab when Tancev was well out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Tancev checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Tancev scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tancev misses with a looping right.
Nice defenses there by Tancev.
Johnson throws a body kick that misses.
Tancev throws a big shot that misses.
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tancev fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tancev on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Josh Johnson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Johnson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Tancev, as that shot connected.
Tancev throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Tancev swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tancev misses the jab.
Tancev scores with a jab to the body.
Johnson works over Tancev's head and body with a nice combination.

Tancev drives through with a takedown into Johnson's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Tancev wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Tancev defends easily.
Tancev pushes down on Johnson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Tancev scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Tancev wants to work for an arm triangle but Johnson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Johnson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Tancev manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson tries to land a front kick but Tancev steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Danga de danga de dang - Johnson scores with a four punch combination!
Johnson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tancev.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Tancev checks a leg kick.
Tancev avoids a punch combination nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Josh Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson misses with a right hand
and Tancev counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tancev has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight for Josh Johnson!
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for Nemanja Tancev!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for Josh Johnson!

Josh Johnson wins by split decision!
A victorious Josh Johnson thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.