PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Mattsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Leo Mattsson is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Johnson
vs
Mattsson

187 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
163 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leo Mattsson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Dean Styles and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mattsson has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
A short left from Johnson.
Mattsson tries to land a knee to the head but Johnson blocks with his arms.
Johnson tries to land a knee to the head but Mattsson blocks with his arms.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Mattsson walks away with a smile on his face. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Mattsson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Mattsson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mattsson shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Johnson missing with a left hand there. Mattsson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Mattsson closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Mattsson pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Mattsson.
Mattsson throws a right and a left that Johnson avoids nicely.
Mattsson looks winded!

Johnson has taken the fight to the clinch.

Johnson pulls guard.
Johnson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Mattsson is looking to stand up but Johnson won't let him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson has his feet on Mattsson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Leo Mattsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mattsson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.
Johnson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mattsson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnson somewhat.
A head kick by Mattsson misses

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch.
Mattsson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Johnson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Mattsson pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mattsson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Johnson lands a high kick!

Mattsson clinches up against the cage.
Mattsson tries to break free but Johnson pushes him back against the cage.
A right handed body shot lands from Johnson.
Mattsson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Johnson is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Johnson pulls guard.

Johnson working for a triangle but Mattsson defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Mattsson defends easily.
Mattsson trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson wants to stand up but Mattsson is controlling him.
Mattsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mattsson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Mattsson is working Johnson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Mattsson stands up and waves to Johnson to follow him.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Mattsson moves out of range easily.
Mattsson shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Mattsson is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mattsson tries a head kick but it misses.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Mattsson avoids it really well and circles away.
Mattsson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that James Johnson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Johnson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Mattsson throws a sloppy head kick
and Johnson counters with a head kick.
Mattsson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mattsson throws a sloppy head kick and Johnson moves out of range easily.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Mattsson tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mattsson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mattsson misses with a head kick.
Mattsson stuffs the takedown attempt from Johnson. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mattsson throws a head kick that misses.
Mattsson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Johnson looks to land a combination. Mattsson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mattsson, pushing him back against the cage.
Johnson has Mattsson pressed against the cage, preventing Mattsson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Johnson drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson has control of Mattsson's left arm, preventing Mattsson from doing any damage.
Johnson wants to stand but Mattsson is controlling the position.
Mattsson tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Mattsson wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Mattsson is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mattsson misses with a head kick.

Mattsson gets a takedown into half guard.
Johnson preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Mattsson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Johnson is pressing down on Mattsson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Johnson is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is working Mattsson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Johnson sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Johnson passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Johnson is trying to ground and pound but Mattsson uses the momentary lack of control by Johnson to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson thows a huge punch but Mattsson dodges it nicely.
Johnson is looking to advance position but Mattsson won't allow it.
Johnson is taking a breather. Mattsson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mattsson wants to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Johnson dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Johnson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mattsson throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson leaves Mattsson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A head kick by Mattsson misses

and Johnson counters by clinching up.
Mattsson can't break the clinch.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Mattsson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Mattsson in a clinch.
Mattsson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
James Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson blocks a head kick by Mattsson.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Mattsson shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Mattsson. That did some damage!
No luck for Mattsson with that takedown attempt.
Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Mattsson pushes him off.
Johnson looks for a takedown but Mattsson sprawls well.
A jab from Johnson does it's job there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Johnson.
Mattsson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson slips a jab and a cross from Mattsson.

Johnson clinches up against the cage.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Mattsson is avoiding it.
Mattsson throws a sloppy head kick and Johnson moves out of range easily.
Johnson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mattsson swivels and escapes.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mattsson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Mattsson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Mattsson tries a head kick but it misses.

Johnson pushes Mattsson up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson scores a nice knee to the body.
Johnson keeps control of Mattsson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
James Johnson is winning the standup battle so far.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Mattsson.

Johnson has Mattsson up against the cage in a clinch.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Mattsson is defended easily by Johnson.
Mattsson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson slaps away a takedown attempt from Mattsson, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Johnson instigates a clinch.
Johnson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Mattsson.
Mattsson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mattsson fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt - Mattsson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mattsson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Leo Mattsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mattsson throws a sloppy head kick and Johnson moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Johnson 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27

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