PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Don Johns (ranked 4827 p4p, 22176 weight class) and Watchman Nee (ranked 549 p4p, 737 weight class). Don Johns has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Johns
vs
Nee

191 cm
39
220
17 - 17 - 0

177 cm
30
204
1 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 17 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Don Johns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Watchman Nee!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Tiny Johnson and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johns shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Johns has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Nee shoots for a double leg takedown but Johns sprawls well. He's pushed Nee's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Johns has closed the distance and engaged Nee in a clinch.
Nee managing to block the knees to the body from Johns.
Johns missing with knees to the body.
Johns unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Johns goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nee wants to take the fight to the mat but Johns manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Johns trying to land knees to the body.
Johns is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Johns stalling the fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nee prevents the takedown attempt.
Nee blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Nee displaying some good clinch control by pressing Johns up against the cage.
Johns trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nee pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johns looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johns darts in trying to clinch

and Nee counters with a single leg into guard. Johns didn't expect that.

Johns throws his legs up looking for a submission but Nee uses it to pass to side control.

Nee decides to stand back up. Nee steps back and let's Johns get back to his feet.
A punch combination from Johns misses.
Johns throws a head kick that misses

and Nee counters with a single leg into guard. Johns didn't expect that.
Johns is looking to stand back up but Nee counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Johns.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Nee is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Johns has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johns pushes Nee off looking to stand but Nee dives back in and keeps control.
Nee prevents Johns from improving his position.

Johns looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Nee keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johns regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nee trying to control but Johns is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Johns is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Nee is aware though and is defending well.
Nee throwing strikes but missing.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Johns looking for a guillotine here but Nee defends easily.
Nee is pushing down on Johns's leg trying to pass to half guard. Johns is fighting to maintain full guard but Nee has managed to sneak the leg through.
Johns wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Johns is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nee pulls his head out easily.

Johns looking for a kimura from the bottom but Nee passes into side control!
Nee trying to control the action but Johns is working from the bottom.
Johns is trying to improve his position.
Johns is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Nee asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johns gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Don Johns will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Nee shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Johns but Johns pushes him off and we're back to square one.
It looked like Johns wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Nee looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Johns!
Johns tries to escape but Nee is in control.
The strikes coming from Nee are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johns tries to improve position but can't.

Nee goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Johns has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Nee but great work by Johns.

Johns decides to stand back up.
Johns jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nee ducks right into an uppercut from Johns.
Watchman Nee is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johns throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johns takes a swing at Nee's ribcage but misses.
Johns misses with a body shot.
Nee swats away the attempt to clinch by Johns.
Nee unleashes a big counter combination but Johns bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Johns misses with a head kick.
Nee changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

Nee throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Johns tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Nee is in Johns's guard.
Nee throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Nee avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Nee pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johns is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johns is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Nee got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johns has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nee has managed to get both his arms back between Johns's legs - danger averted.
Nee is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Johns looking for subs off his back but Nee has passed one foot through into half guard.
Nee wants to pass the guard but Johns is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johns is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nee pulls his head out easily.
Johns tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Nee manages to move to mount!
Johns wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Nee tightening his grip on Johns, looking for the choke.
Johns is trying to get back to his feet but Nee has full control of the position and if anything, Johns has just worked his way into a worse spot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nee tightening his grip on Johns, looking for the choke.
Johns wants to get back to his feet.
Johns has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Nee.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johns breaks Nee's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Nee looking for a sweep. Not yet Nee, not yet.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Don Johns will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Johns throws a series of punches but Nee moves out of range.
Johns fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Nee looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Johns moves in looking to clinch but Nee pushes him off.

Johns rushes Nee and presses him up against the cage.
Johns is trying to drag Nee to the mat but Nee just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Johns is trying to pull guard but Nee has him pressed against the cage.

Nee breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Nee misses.
Johns sizes up Nee with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johns lands with a hook. Nee tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Some wild striking there from Johns.
Johns connects with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nee avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Johns lands a jab to Nee's midsection.
Decent striking displayed by Johns there.
Johns swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Nee counters with a good, hard body kick but Johns shrugs it off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nee pushes Johns up against the cage in a clinch.
Johns misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Nee.
Nee avoiding damage as Johns throws knees to the body.
Nee taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Nee gets control of Johns's arms and successfully pulls guard. Nee will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Johns won't allow Nee to sweep him here.
Nee looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Johns throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nee is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johns with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Nee doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Johns will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Nee is controlling Johns's posture.
Nee trying to keep a closed guard but Johns is proving a slippery customer.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johns keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nee swats away the attempt to clinch by Johns.
Johns swinging wildly here.
Johns connects with the punch.
Johns is looking to clinch.
Nee shoots for a double leg takedown but Johns sprawls well. He's pushed Nee's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Johns throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johns throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nee throws a leg kick which misses Johns's front leg but catches the back leg as Johns tries to avoid it.

Nee forces Johns back against the cage and clinches.
Nee on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Nee manages to break the clinch.

Nee pushes Johns up against the cage in a clinch.
Johns is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nee is defending well for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nee tries to pull guard but Johns holds him up against the cage and eventually Nee drops back down to his feet.
Nee tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Don Johns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Watchman Nee.
Johns is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Nee is defending well for now.
Nee blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Nee's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nee misses with a takedown attempt
letting Johns counter with a right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Good work by Nee as he checks the leg kick.
Johns throws a body punch but Nee moves out of range.
Nee listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Don Johns is winning the standup battle so far.
Johns tries to clinch but Nee moves away
and Nee counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Don Johns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The fight stays on the outside here - Nee looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nee darts in looking for a takedown but Johns gets double underhooks and turns Nee into the cage.
Watchman Nee has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Don Johns is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johns swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Nee counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Nee.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Johns showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johns, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Johns!