PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leeroy Johnson (ranked 25320 p4p, 2731 weight class) and Malam Sambu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, I Need Drugs. Leeroy Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Johnson
vs
Sambu

178 cm
18
155
5 - 3 - 0

169 cm
25
153
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Leeroy Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Malam Sambu!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Dirk Anderson and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sambu throws a front kick aimed at Johnson's knee but Johnson avoids it well.
Sambu cracks Johnson with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Nice shot lands for Sambu.

Sambu 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.
Sambu is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Sambu distracts Johnson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sambu won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.

Sambu avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sambu throwing strikes from guard but Johnson blocks nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson has a closed guard, preventing Sambu from standing up.
Sambu lands a couple of digs.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Sambu lands a couple of elbows.
Sambu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sambu distracts Johnson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Sambu throws a big right hand that misses.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson controls Sambu momentarily but Sambu frees himself.

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.
Sambu is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sambu stands up over Johnson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sambu controlling from the top position.
Sambu trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sambu misses with a body shot.
Johnson wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Malam Sambu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sambu takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Sambu avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sambu lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Johnson backs up against the cage.
Sambu swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Sambu misses with a leg kick

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Sambu is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Sambu flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Johnson is looking for a kimura here.
Johnson prevents Sambu from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sambu is concentrating on defense, preventing Johnson from advancing position.

Johnson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Johnson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sambu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sambu tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Johnson is able to avoid easily.
Johnson half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.

Sambu is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Johnson's half guard.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.
Malam Sambu has got the better of the ground game so far.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.
Sambu controlling the pace.
Sambu working Johnson over with strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sambu gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Sambu gets a takedown into half guard.
Sambu has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Johnson gets full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambu controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Sambu from controlling successfully.
Johnson is trying to control the position but Sambu postures up.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Sambu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sambu lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Sambu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sambu defends it easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sambu's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sambu lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Sambu's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
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.

Sambu tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Johnson trying to mount his opponent but Sambu defends it.
Sambu tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
Sambu controlling the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sambu wants to get back to his feet.

Johnson is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Sambu preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Johnson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Sambu controlling the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnson uses his free foot to push down on Sambu's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Sambu.
Johnson looking to control but Sambu is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnson takes Sambu's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Sambu is in trouble.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
You can see the frustration on Sambu's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malam Sambu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sambu looking to score a takedown here. Johnson is defending well but Sambu drives through and ends up in Johnson's guard.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sambu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sambu is in close to Johnson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Johnson trying to control the position.
Sambu must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Sambu distracts Johnson with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sambu got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sambu has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.
Sambu content to stall in guard here.
Sambu stopping the sweep attempt from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sambu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Sambu landing with the ground and pound.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sambu working some strikes from top position.
Sambu content to stall in guard here.
Sambu preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sambu content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Sambu defends easily.
Sambu lands a couple of digs.
Sambu looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Sambu is proving a slippery customer.
Sambu with a nice head shot there.
Sambu postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Sambu keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Johnson's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sambu is working Johnson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Sambu avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Sambu stays in close to Johnson's body and controls the position.
Sambu working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Johnson's head.
Sambu is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Sambu cracks Johnson with a solid left hand.
Sambu sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnson blocks a leg kick.

Sambu dives in and scores a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Johnson looking to control.
Sambu content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Sambu slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Sambu postures up.
Sambu makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Sambu with a nice head shot there.
Sambu working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Malam Sambu is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sambu preventing the sweep.
Johnson has control of Sambu's left arm, preventing Sambu from doing any damage.
Leeroy Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sambu is stalling in the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Malam Sambu comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sambu 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 Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malam Sambu!
During a confident post fight interview, Malam Sambu thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
The defeated Leeroy Johnson had this to say: 'Shieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.'.