PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bob Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edward Watson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bob Johnson has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Johnson
vs
Watson

170 cm
18
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Bob Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Edward Watson!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Thiago Cunha and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.

Johnson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Watson wants to control but Johnson postures up.

Johnson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Watson is trying to control Johnson's posture but Johnson avoids it.

Johnson stands up and beckons Watson to his feet.
Watson swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.

Johnson rushes Watson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Watson has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Johnson regains guard immediately.
Watson wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Watson working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.
Watson keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Watson controlling Johnson's posture.
Watson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Watson pushes Johnson off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Watson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Johnson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Johnson works his foot free and advances to mount.
Johnson controlling the position easily from mount.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Johnson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Watson can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
Watson is trying to stand back up.

Watson defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Johnson's arms.
Watson controlling Johnson 's hands.
Watson rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Watson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Johnson prevents Watson from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura but Watson is defending well.
Watson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Johnson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Johnson's back!
Johnson rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Watson wants to work for an arm triangle but Johnson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Watson is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Johnson dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Watson fails with a takedown attempt.
Bob Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Watson tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed

and Watson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Watson won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Watson from controlling successfully.

Johnson working for a triangle but Watson defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Watson stands up and waves to Johnson to follow him.
Watson is looking to slow Johnson down with leg kicks.
Watson scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Watson gets a clinch.

Johnson manages to pull guard.
Johnson working a defensive guard here.

Watson stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Watson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Johnson is controlling Watson's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Watson wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Watson pushes his legs off easily.
Johnson seems keen to control Watson's posture.
Watson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Watson manages to get himself to full guard.
Watson is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Watson wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Johnson trying to move into half guard but instead Watson has managed to sweep!
Watson trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bob Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnson wants to control but Watson passes easily into half guard.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson has an active guard here but Watson has managed to pass into half guard.

Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Johnson is staying active underneath Watson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Johnson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Watson.
Johnson is staying active underneath Watson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.

Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Watson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Watson wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Johnson tries to clinch up

and Watson counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edward Watson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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 shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Johnson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Watson.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Watson is keeping the position.
Watson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Watson can't keep his opponent in guard - Johnson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Watson has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watson is doing well to control the position and prevent Johnson from advancing to side control.
Watson tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
Johnson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Watson keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Watson tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
Johnson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Watson!
Watson is working to get back to half guard.

Johnson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Johnson is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Johnson shoots in but Watson avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Watson clinches with his opponent.

Watson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Watson, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Watson against the cage but Watson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed

and Watson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Watson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Watson is thwarting Johnson's attempts to control the position.
Johnson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Watson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Watson trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Watson is one step ahead there.

Johnson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Watson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Watson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Watson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Johnson's head.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Johnson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Johnson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Watsonis looking to pass into half guard but Johnson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Johnson is in guard.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Watson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.
Watson keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt
and Watson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Johnson thinking.

Watson clinches.
Johnson can't get the takedown.
Watson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Johnson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Watson throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Johnson.

Johnson drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson is trying to control the position but Watson postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Bob Johnson.
I think Johnson 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Johnson!