PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aaron Yates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roque Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Yates comes to the cage accompanied by Here comes Tecca Nina - Tech N9ne. Johnson has chosen Never Go Where the Pagans Go (Warrior King) as his entrance music. Aaron Yates had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Yates
vs
Johnson

195 cm
24
201 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

190 cm
27
205 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aaron Yates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roque Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Russell Pearce and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson connects with a body shot that sends Yates's belly button to the back.
Danga de danga de dang - Johnson scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Aaron Yates has been cut.
Johnson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Johnson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Yates.
Johnson throws a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Yates walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Yates wants to clinch.
Yates closes the distance looking to clinch
and Johnson counters with a nice body shot.
Yates is breathing heavily.
Good standup being displayed there by Johnson as he connects with a hook.
A jab lands there for Johnson.

Yates is rocked!

Yates tries to keep at a distance but Johnson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Yates blocks a body shot from Johnson.
Yates tries to score a body lock takedown but Johnson shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Yates.
Johnson is stalling here.
A right hook to the body lands for Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short uppercut from Yates.
Yates working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Yates fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Johnson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Johnson stops a takedown attempt from Yates.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A bit of stalling here from Johnson.
A left hand lands to the body for Yates.
Johnson is looking to control Yates's arms but Yates gets an underhook and turns him. Now Johnson has his back to the cage.
A short right from Yates.
Johnson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Yatess head.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Yates wants a takedown but no success here.
Johnson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Johnson lands a left hand.
Yates being controlled against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yates is working Johnson over against the cage.
Johnson gets underhooks to prevent Yates's takedown attempt.
Johnson misses with a hook from the clinch.

Yates turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Yates manages to end up in side control.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Yates's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Johnson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Johnson wants to stand but Yates is controlling the position.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Yates from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Yates throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Yates trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Yates looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yates is looking to work some ground and pound but Johnson has wrist control.
Yates looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

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

Yates working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.

Yates looking for a guillotine here but Johnson defends easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Yates is looking for a triangle but Johnson pushes his legs off easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roque Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aaron Yates's cut.
That's time! Yates's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Johnson leaves Yates with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Roque Johnson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Yates closes the distance but Johnson moves to the side
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Yates thinking.
Yates slips a jab and a cross from Johnson.
Aaron Yates seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yates takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Yates's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Johnson connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Yates scrambles back to his feet.

Johnson forces Yates back against the cage and clinches.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Yates prevents a body shot from Johnson.
Johnson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Yates is keeping busy.
Yates has Johnson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Johnson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Johnson is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Aaron Yates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Yates tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Yates fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Johnson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Roque Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Johnson moves into range and clinches up with Yates.
A short right from Johnson.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yates has him pressed against the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short left from Johnson.
Yates drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Johnson gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Johnson sends Yates crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Johnson is motioning to the referee to let Yates up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!

Aaron Yates's cut is getting worse.
Johnson digs a good body shot into Yates's ribs.
The fight stays on the outside here - Yates looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Yates misses with a combination

and Johnson counters with a crisp one two that drops Yates! Johnson thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Yates to his feet! Yates is in big trouble!
Oh Yates is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Johnson closes the distance and lands a brutal uppercut that knocks Yates out! We're looking at the replay now - he was out before he hit the floor!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Roque Johnson!
A very excited looking Roque Johnson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.
Aaron Yates spoke after the fight, saying 'Ill be back'.