PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nick McCoy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike 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.

McCoy
vs
Johnson

184 cm
20
180 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

175 cm
23
180 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nick McCoy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Seu Braga and Thiago Cunha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Johnson looks for a takedown but McCoy sprawls well.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nick McCoy has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Johnson.
McCoy stuffs the takedown attempt from Johnson. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
McCoy shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
McCoy shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Johnson as he avoids it easily.
Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt

and McCoy counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
McCoy slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Johnson.
Johnson wants to get back to full guard but McCoy has passed into side control.
Johnson wants to hold on but McCoy pushes him away.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.
McCoy pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.
Johnson looks gassed!

McCoy looking for a guillotine from mount but Johnson is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCoy avoids the attempt from Johnson to control.
Johnson is trying to escape the mount but McCoy keeps good control and instead manages to take Johnson's back.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
McCoy has the hooks in. Johnson is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
McCoy thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Johnson is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if McCoy gets his way!
Will McCoy go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Johnson is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by McCoy.
McCoy misses with a punch to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McCoy controlling the position well here. Johnson rolled but McCoy kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

McCoy has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Johnson wants to escape the position.

McCoy working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Johnson manages to reverse the position and now he's in McCoy's guard. Nice work there by Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McCoy throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
McCoy trying to control the position.
Johnson is in close to McCoy's body, working some short punches and elbows.
McCoy keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
McCoy can't keep his opponent in guard - Johnson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
McCoy on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Johnson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks McCoy with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Johnson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. McCoy defending well though.

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 winds up and cracks McCoy with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Johnson seems to be looking for submissions.
McCoy slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Johnson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! McCoy is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Johnson, into his guard.
McCoy trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
McCoy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
McCoy thows a big elbow that misses.
McCoy passes Johnson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Johnson works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick McCoy dominated that 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.

Johnson dodges the punch combination from McCoy.
Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt

and McCoy counters with a takedown into side control.
Johnson manages to work his way to half guard, despite McCoy's best efforts.
Johnson won't allow McCoy to pass to mount.

McCoy is trying to work for a kimura but Johnson is defending well.
McCoy not landing any meaningful shots this time.

McCoy looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
McCoy is thwarting Johnson's attempts to control the position.
McCoy trying to control from half guard but Johnson is working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Johnson thows a body shot but no joy.
McCoy tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
McCoy tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Johnson was well out of range. Poor timing from McCoy.
Johnson tries to clinch there but McCoy circles away.
Johnson clinches but McCoy breaks the clinch
and McCoy counters with a three punch combo that has Johnson backing up. Johnson nods at McCoy to acknowledge the strikes.

McCoy closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - McCoy lands in his opponent's guard.
Johnson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for McCoy!
BOOM! Johnson connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
McCoy working to try and regain half guard.
Johnson trying to control but McCoy is having none of it.
Johnson prevents McCoy from getting the reversal.
Johnson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. McCoy looks a forlorn figure.
McCoy is looking to improve his position but Johnson isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to control but McCoy wriggling away.
Johnson prevents McCoy from getting the reversal.
Johnson working the ground and pound effectively.
Johnson is landing with some decent strikes but McCoy is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Johnson lands a big elbow.
Johnson lands a nice shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McCoy is looking to improve his position but Johnson isn't that keen on the idea.
Johnson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
McCoy tries to lock up and control but Johnson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can McCoy hang on?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Johnson lands a big shot there that rocks McCoy but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Johnson landing strikes, looking to finish!
McCoy is working to get back to half guard.
Johnson avoids the attempt from McCoy to control.
Johnson lands with some strikes.
Johnson scoring with strikes but McCoy is staying in there.

McCoy defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Johnson.
McCoy really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

Johnson looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Nick McCoy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
McCoy slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nick McCoy will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

McCoy on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Johnson closes this distance looking for a takedown but McCoy circles away.

McCoy shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
McCoy controlling the action here.

McCoy is working for a submission of some sort.
Johnson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McCoy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson is working an open guard so McCoy takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Johnson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and McCoy counters with a single leg into guard. Johnson didn't expect that.
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 trying to control the position but McCoy postures up.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

McCoy thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
McCoy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson pulls McCoy in close to prevent any damage.
McCoy slips nicely into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is not content to let McCoy control the position.
Johnson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johnson.
McCoy trying to stand up but can't free himself from Johnson's guard.
McCoy wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
McCoy trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCoy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing McCoy from controlling successfully.
Johnson is trying to control the position but McCoy postures up.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but McCoy pushes his legs off easily.
McCoy sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Johnson's guard.
Johnson missing with punches from the bottom.
Johnson is in trouble now - McCoy has advanced to mount!
Johnson is trying desperately to improve position.
Johnson tries to hold on but McCoy pushes him away.
Mike Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McCoy looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Johnson manages to regain half guard. Good work.

McCoy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.

McCoy is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Johnson defends it well.
Nick McCoy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Well, if McCoy is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick McCoy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well McCoy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick McCoy!