PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Stark (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes into the arena with White Reflection by Two Mix blaring out of the sound system. Mike Johnson could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Daniel Stark's chin.

Johnson
vs
Stark

190 cm
23
210 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

190 cm
23
205 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel Stark!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, James Glass and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stark swinging wilding here.

Johnson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Johnson stands up and waves to Stark to follow him.

Johnson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Johnson lands in his opponent's guard.
Stark looking for a sweep. Not yet Stark, not yet.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Stark wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Stark keeps moving.

Stark has his foot on Johnson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnson works his way back into a safe position though.
Johnson preventing the sweep.
Stark is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Stark had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Johnson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Stark Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Johnson's back instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stark doesn't have the hooks in and Johnson manages to turn into his guard.
Stark is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Stark looks gassed!
Johnson sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Johnson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Stark manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Johnson has Stark in his guard.
Stark wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Johnson has his hands on Stark's head, controlling the position.
Johnson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Johnson wants to free his trapped foot but Stark is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Stark tries to roll over but Johnson keeps him under control.

Johnson seems to be looking for submissions.
Stark is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Stark avoid being mounted?
Stark taking some punishment here, with Johnson in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Johnson lands strikes from half guard.
Stark is staying active underneath Johnson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Johnson is nestled in close to Stark, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Johnson seems to be working for a kimura but Stark defends the submission attempt.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Stark defends it well.
Johnson wants to take a breather but Stark is having none of it.
Stark regains full guard. Nicely done.

Stark looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stands up over Stark, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Stark working a defensive guard here.
Johnson slips nicely into half guard.
Johnson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Stark won't allow Johnson to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Johnson dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Stark misses with a takedown

and Johnson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Johnson.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnson passes Stark's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Stark throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Johnson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Stark is pressing down on Johnson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Stark is keeping the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson scoring with some ground and pound.
Johnson stands and throws Stark's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to move into full mount but can't pass Stark's legs.
Stark is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Johnson working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Johnson lands a decent elbow from side control.
Stark tries to buck Johnson off but Johnson is having none of it.

Johnson decides to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Stark tries to clinch up

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Stark's guard.
Johnson stands and throws Stark's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Johnson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Stark being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark gets back to half guard.
Johnson working Stark over with strikes.
Stark wants to improve his position but Johnson is controlling well.
Stark has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Johnson is working away from the top position though.
Johnson stalling.
Stark tries to roll over but Johnson keeps him under control.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.

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.

Johnson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Johnson trying to mount his opponent but Stark defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.

Stark shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Johnson's guard.
Stark won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Johnson dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Stark shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Stark won't be happy with that.
Mike Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Stark tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Johnson easily slips into full mount!
Johnson trying to control but Stark is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson working Stark over with strikes here.
Johnson wants to control the pace but Stark is squirming around nicely.
Stark is desperately trying to improve his position but Johnson has a good base and remains in mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Johnson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Johnson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Johnson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Stark can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Stark is trying desperately to improve position.
Johnson trying to control but Stark is having none of it.
Johnson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Stark taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to control but Stark is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Stark is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Johnson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Stark is looking to get to half guard.
Johnson lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Stark is working to get back to half guard.
Johnson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
The referee warns Stark that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Johnson tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark is squirming around, avoiding Johnson's attempts to control the action.
Stark really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Johnson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Johnson controlling the pace for now.
Stark is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Johnson tries to control but Stark wriggling away.

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.
Stark tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Mike Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson controlling the pace for now.
Stark is desperately trying to improve his position but Johnson has a good base and remains in mount.
Johnson content just to control the position here.
Stark is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Daniel Stark has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson controlling from the full mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 30:27
Judge James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

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