PBP Commentary

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

Escobar
vs
Johnson

173 cm
25
141 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

177 cm
20
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Pablo Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Andy Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, William Peck and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Escobar.
Escobar throws a nice looking combination but Johnson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Escobar pinned against the cage. Escobar gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Johnson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Escobar, pushing him back against the cage.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Escobar manages to get underhooks.
Escobar has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Johnson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Johnson successfully pulls guard.

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Escobar can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Johnson is working an open guard so Escobar takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Escobar fails to land the takedown.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pablo Escobar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andy Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar looks for the body kick but Johnson saw that one coming.
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Escobar.

Johnson shoots in and bounces Escobar off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Johnson throwing strikes from guard but Escobar blocks nicely.
Escobar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson postures up in Escobar's guard and throws a big left but Escobar blocks it.
Escobar wants to get back to his feet but Johnson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Johnson must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Escobar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Escobar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Escobar is breathing heavily.
Johnson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnson.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Escobar is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Johnson lands a couple of elbows.
Escobar has momentary wrist control but Johnson slips an elbow through the middle.
Johnson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Escobar. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Escobar will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Johnson cracks Escobar with a solid left hand.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Escobar has momentary wrist control but Johnson slips an elbow through the middle.
Johnson working some strikes from top position.
Escobar is controlling Johnson's posture.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson chips away with some ground and pound.
Johnson with a nice head shot there.
Johnson lands a couple of digs.
Johnson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Johnson tries to stand but Escobar is controlling from the bottom.
Johnson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Johnson working some strikes from top position.
Johnson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Escobar is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Johnson stands up over Escobar, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson chips away with some ground and pound.
Johnson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Escobar's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Escobar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Escobar's head.

Johnson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Johnson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Johnson lands a couple of digs.
Johnson stands up over Escobar, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Johnson preventing the sweep.
Escobar preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Johnson postures up and lands a big shot to Escobar's brow.
Johnson stands up over Escobar, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Johnson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Escobar enables Johnson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Escobar manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Escobar has momentary wrist control but Johnson slips an elbow through the middle.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Johnson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Johnson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Escobar works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson stands up over Escobar, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson throws and elbow that misses. Escobar uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Johnson's guard. Nice move by Escobar!

Johnson has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Escobar off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Escobar is trying to defend but Johnson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Johnson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Escobar avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Johnson.
Escobar is looking to escape.
Johnson winds up and cracks Escobar with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Johnson slips a nice elbow through Escobar's hands, connecting with Escobar's forehead.
Escobar regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Johnson.
Johnson is in close to Escobar's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Johnson chips away with some ground and pound.
Johnson lands a couple of elbows.
Johnson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Escobar's guard.
Andy Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Johnson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.
Johnson throwing strikes from guard but Escobar blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson landing with the ground and pound.
Johnson cracks Escobar with a solid left hand.
Johnson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Escobar is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.
Johnson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Escobar looking to control.
Johnson is working Escobar over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Escobar working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnson.
Escobar utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson landing with the ground and pound.
Escobar avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Johnson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Johnson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Johnson with a nice head shot there.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Escobar has wrist control.
Johnson with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Johnson has Escobar up against the cage in a clinch.

Johnson pulls Escobar into guard.

Escobar stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Andy Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Left hook, right uppercut from Johnson.

Johnson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Johnson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Johnson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Escobar's head.

Escobar makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Pablo Escobar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Johnson throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Escobar tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Johnson is in Escobar's guard.
Escobar manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Johnson manages to get himself to full guard.
Johnson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Escobar!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson raining down shots from the mount!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Johnson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Johnson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Johnson raining down shots from the mount!
Johnson prevents Escobar from getting the reversal.
Johnson working the ground and pound effectively.
Escobar is bucking up trying to escape but Johnson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Escobar tries to hold on but Johnson postures up.
Johnson looking to finish Escobar with some ground and pound. This is bad for Escobar!
Johnson landing shots from mount.
Escobar is bucking up trying to escape but Johnson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Johnson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Johnson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Escobar can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Johnson working the ground and pound effectively.
Johnson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Escobar is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson landing strikes from the mount and Escobar is in trouble!
Johnson lands a heavy elbow.
Johnson with the ground and pound from mount.
Andy Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Escobar hang on?
Escobar tries to lock up and control but Johnson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson lands a big shot there that rocks Escobar but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Johnson landing strikes, looking to finish!
Johnson is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Johnson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Johnson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Johnson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Johnson landing strikes from the mount and Escobar is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Escobar wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Johnson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The referee warns Escobar that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Escobar is wriggling around trying to escape.
Pablo Escobar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Johnson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson dominating with strikes here.
Johnson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andy Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30

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