PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Davenport (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carl Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Davenport comes to the cage accompanied by Ready for the Fight. Johnson has chosen Ambitionz az a ridah- 2Pac as his entrance music. Carl Johnson will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Davenport
vs
Johnson

182 cm
19
191 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Thomas Davenport!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Carl Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Johnson.
Davenport circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Davenport keeps it at a distance.
Some wild striking there from Johnson.
Davenport misses with a wild body shot.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.

Davenport has managed to clinch.
Davenport keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson lands a jab to the head.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Davenport counters with a takedown into side control.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davenport in side control, just content to control the action for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnson is trying to improve his position.
Davenport working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson pushes Davenport away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Davenport gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Johnson is letting Davenport control him for a moment.
Johnson tries to bench press Davenport off him but Davenport keeps the position.

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.
Johnson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Davenport tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Davenport bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Davenport controls the position from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Davenport dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson throws a hook but Davenport avoids it easily.
Johnson fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Davenport on the side of the head.

Davenport clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
Davenport fails to pull guard.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Davenport has double underhooks.
Davenport misses with a body punch.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Davenport is controlling him.
Davenport goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson can't break the clinch.
Davenport has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Davenport keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
A right hook to the body lands for Davenport.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Davenport tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Davenport drops back down to his feet.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Davenport has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Davenport keeps him there for the moment.
Davenport swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Davenport tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Johnson's elbow.
Davenport prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Davenport keeps him there for the moment.
Davenport misses with a body punch.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Davenport keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson working hard to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Davenport tries a body shot but Johnson blocks it.
Davenport lands a body shot.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Davenport is controlling the position.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Davenport has double underhooks.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Davenport has double underhooks.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Davenport lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Davenport fails to land.
A frustrated look appears on Johnson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Davenport prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Davenport has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davenport goes for a takedown attempt but Johnson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Davenport. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Davenport moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.

Davenport shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Johnson manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Johnson being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Davenport dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Johnson checks the leg kick nicely there.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Davenport.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Davenport keeps it at a distance.
Johnson misses with the combination.
Davenport scores with a nice right hand.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Davenport counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Johnson doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Davenport throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Davenport is looking to slow Johnson down with leg kicks.
Johnson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Davenport can pounce on him.
Davenport scores with a body shot.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Davenport gets a clinch.
Davenport works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Davenport tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Davenport lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Davenport.
Davenport lands a shot to the body.
Davenport softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

It looks like Carl Johnson has been cut.
Davenport lands a left hand.
Davenport lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Johnson or not.
Davenport has a couple of punches blocked by Johnson.
Davenport presses Johnson against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Davenport lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Davenport lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Davenport tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Davenport misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Davenport.
Davenport scores with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Davenport tightens his grip and picks Johnson up, before dumping him to the ground. Johnson manages to land in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Davenport controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Davenport controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davenport stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Davenport throwing strikes but missing.
Davenport sitting in guard here, content to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Davenport clearly takes that round.
The cut man is working on Carl Johnson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Davenport drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Davenport working away.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face as Davenport controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Davenport is staying tight to Johnson's torso, preventing him from escaping.

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.
Davenport seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Johnson for as long as he can get away with.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davenport trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Johnson is being controlled here.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Thomas Davenport just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Davenport drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Johnson tries to clinch but Davenport is having none of it.

Davenport feints and as Johnson raises his hands in defense, Davenport changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Davenport postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Davenport trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Johnson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Davenport had his way with Carl Johnson in that round.
The cut man is working on Carl Johnson's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Davenport tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Johnson.
Johnson throws a right and a left that Davenport avoids nicely.

Davenport clinches up against the cage.
Johnson prevents a body shot from Davenport.
Johnson tries to break free but Davenport pushes him back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Davenport.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson can't break the clinch.
Johnson tries to break free but Davenport pushes him back against the cage.
Johnson is trying to force a seperation but Davenport has the dominant position.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Davenport won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Davenport fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Davenport lands a shoulder strike.
Johnson tries to break free but Davenport pushes him back against the cage.
Davenport lands a left hand that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Davenport prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Davenport lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Johnson is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Davenport lands a body punch.
Davenport lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Good body shot from Davenport.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Davenport tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Johnson's elbow.
Johnson blocks a body shot from Davenport.

Davenport has Johnson pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Davenport pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Johnson tumbling to the mat - Davenport dives into Johnson's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Davenport seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Davenport stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Davenport is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

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.
Carl Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Davenport showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Davenport 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 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 50:44
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 50:44
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 50:44

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Davenport!
Thomas Davenport is the new middleweight champion!