PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Derrick Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Richardson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Johnson
vs
Richardson

187 cm
20
175 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Derrick Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nate Richardson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Tiny Johnson and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Richardson loads up on a big right hand but Johnson slips the punch.

Richardson tries to keep at a distance but Johnson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Johnson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Richardson can't break the clinch.
Johnson misses with an elbow strike.
Johnson prevents Richardson from breaking the clinch.
Richardson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
With the fighters up against the cage, Johnson throws an elbow but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Richardson is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson keeps control of Richardson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Johnson.
Johnson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Richardson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Johnson controlling the action here for a moment.
Richardson wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.
Richardson managing to block the knees to the body from Johnson.
Johnson missing with knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Johnson.
Johnson has Richardson pressed against the cage.
Johnson misses with a knee strike.

That's two 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.
Richardson is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Richardson letting Johnson take a breather here.
Richardson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Richardson wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.
Richardson wants to break the clinch but can't.

Richardson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Richardson in a clinch.
Richardson has had enough of the clinch but Johnson keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson keeps control of Richardson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Richardson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Richardson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Richardson can't break the clinch.
Richardson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson has had enough of the clinch but Johnson keeps him there for the moment.
Richardson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

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 trying to land knees to the body.
Richardson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson trying to land knees to the body.
Johnson missing with knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Johnson.
Johnson crunches a lovely knee into Richardson's ribcage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Richardson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson is trying to break free.
Richardson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derrick Johnson 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 connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Johnson has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Richardson takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Richardson throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson moves out of range of the body kick from Richardson.
Richardson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson looks to throw a body kick
and Richardson counters with a head kick.

Johnson is rocked!

Johnson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Richardson wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.
Richardson is trying to break free.
Johnson prevents Richardson from breaking the clinch.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Richardson.
Richardson avoiding damage as Johnson throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Richardson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Johnson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Johnson lands an elbow inside.
Richardson tries to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling the position.
Richardson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Richardson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson dodges an elbow strike from Johnson.
Johnson manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's two 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.
Knees to the body from Johnson.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.
Richardson sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Richardson walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Johnson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Richardson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Johnson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Richardson.
Johnson thows a body kick. Richardson tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Nate Richardson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Richardson throws a series of punches but Johnson avoids them all with ease.
A low kick from Richardson is predictable there

and Johnson moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stalling.
Richardson is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Richardson tries to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling the position.
Richardson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Come on Johnson - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Knees to the body from Johnson.
Knees to the body from Johnson.

That's four 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.
Richardson has had enough of the clinch but Johnson keeps him there for the moment.
Richardson has had enough of the clinch but Johnson keeps him there for the moment.
Richardson wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson cracks the inside of Richardson's front leg.
Johnson throws a nice head kick!
Johnson throws a head kick but Richardson moves out of range.
Richardson misses with a few strikes there.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Richardson crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Johnson - the referee stops the clock and Richardson gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Johnson. Richardson manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Richardson throws a right and a left that Johnson avoids nicely.
Richardson misses with the combination.
Richardson is breathing heavily.
Johnson blocks a leg kick.
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 Derrick Johnson will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Richardson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Richardson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Johnson will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Richardson up against the cage.
Richardson can't break the clinch.
Richardson takes a knee right on the jaw!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson prevents Richardson from breaking the clinch.
Richardson is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson holding his opponent close, against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richardson can't break the clinch.
Richardson is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Richardson is trying to break free.
Knees to the body from Johnson.
Richardson is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Richardson is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Knees in the clinch landing for Johnson.
Richardson wants to break the clinch but can't.

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.
Richardson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Richardson can't break the clinch.
Richardson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Richardson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Richardson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Johnson has Richardson pressed against the cage.
Richardson tries to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Johnson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Richardson is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.
Johnson unloads a knee to the mid-section. Richardson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Richardson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Johnson lands a nice elbow.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

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.
Richardson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Richardson wants to get back to striking at distance but Johnson won't allow it.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Nate Richardson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Richardson moves out of range easily.

Johnson clinches up with Richardson and pushes him back against the cage.
Johnson slows down the pace here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnson prevents Richardson from breaking the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Derrick Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johnson, 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27

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