PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Teofilo Stevenson (ranked 3074 p4p, 4179 weight class) and Knowshon Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Stevenson
vs
Johnson

185 cm
25
210
3 - 0 - 0

193 cm
19
215
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Teofilo Stevenson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Knowshon Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Reed Andrews and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson works over Stevenson's head and body with a nice combination.

It looks like Teofilo Stevenson has been cut.
Stevenson attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Stevenson scores with a head kick. Johnson tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.

It looks like Knowshon Johnson has been cut.
Johnson wants to clinch.

Johnson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stevenson, pushing him back against the cage.
Stevenson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stevenson.
Johnson looking for a takedown.
Stevenson misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Still in the clinch, Johnson scores with a nice short uppercut.

Stevenson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson slips a jab from Stevenson.
Stevenson scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson dives in for a single leg takedown but Stevenson sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Stevenson throws a hook but Johnson blocks it.
Despite the aggression on Johnson's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Teofilo Stevenson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson connects with a high kick.
Stevenson throws a nice inside leg kick.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stevenson tried to score with a low kick but Johnson checks it.
Stevenson looks to land a left hand but Johnson moved out of range nicely.

Johnson moves into the clinch successfully.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Stevenson.
Stevenson swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Stevenson breaks from the clinch.
Stevenson lands a leg kick that knocks Johnson off balance momentarily.
Stevenson throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Stevenson looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Teofilo Stevenson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Knowshon Johnson.
Stevenson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Johnson's hands.
Stevenson throws a leg kick which misses Johnson's front leg but catches the back leg as Johnson tries to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Stevenson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Johnson closes the distance and pushes Stevenson back into the cage.
Stevenson wants to break free but Johnson has control.
Stevenson tries to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling the position.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Stevenson moves away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Johnson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Stevenson.
Stevenson throws a series of punches but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson with the counter takedown but Stevenson avoids it easily.
Stevenson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Stevenson works over Johnson's head and body with a nice combination.
Johnson avoids a kick to the body.
Johnson drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Stevenson defends it well.
Stevenson looks to land a body kick but Johnson moved away.
Stevenson thows a body kick. Johnson tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Johnson takes a head kick and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Johnson showed some decent athleticism there.
Stevenson keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Johnson is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Stevenson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Stevenson keeping hold of Johnson's head, controlling as best he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Stevenson pushes Johnson off but Johnson dives into side control.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Stevenson keeps working.
Johnson prevents Stevenson from escaping the position.
Stevenson tries to improve position but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Teofilo Stevenson dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Stevenson lands a head kick. Johnson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Johnson tries to clinch there but Stevenson circles away.
Johnson stalks Stevenson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Stevenson's face. Stevenson staggers backwards, shaken.
Stevenson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Johnson throws out a counter right but Stevenson avoids it with no problem.
Stevenson throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Stevenson misses with a head kick.
Stevenson throws a lazy head kick

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Stevenson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson is looking for a takedown.
Stevenson tries to circle away but Johnson has him pinned against the cage.

Johnson pulls Stevenson into guard.
Johnson is pulling down on Stevenson's head to control his posture.
Stevenson sitting in guard here, content to control.
Stevenson wants to stand and escape but instead Johnson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson wants to hit a sweep here but Johnson passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Stevenson there!
Stevenson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Stevenson wants to hold on but Johnson pushes him away.
Johnson tries to control but Stevenson wriggling away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Johnson avoids the attempt from Stevenson to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson looking to control but Stevenson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Stevenson tries to buck Johnson off but he can't manage it.
Stevenson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Stevenson tries to get out of the position.
Stevenson wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Stevenson is trying to escape the mount.
Stevenson is working hard here to advance position.
Johnson wants to control the pace but Stevenson is squirming around nicely.
Stevenson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Stevenson wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

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 lands a nice shot to the head.
Knowshon Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stevenson squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Stevenson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Stevenson bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Stevenson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Stevenson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Stevenson wanted to stand there but Johnson had control of the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Stevenson stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Knowshon Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Stevenson thumps Johnson with a low kick.
Stevenson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Stevenson looks to land a left hand but Johnson moved out of range nicely.
Stevenson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Stevenson swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A slow jab from Stevenson misses its intended target.
Johnson is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Stevenson misses with a head kick.
Johnson steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Stevenson. That one must have hurt.
Knowshon Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A good leg kick by Stevenson.
Stevenson throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Stevenson in a clinch.
Stevenson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevenson is trying to force a seperation but Johnson has the dominant position.

Johnson jumps guard.
Stevenson prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Johnson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Stevenson is looking to stand up but Johnson won't let him.
Stevenson trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevenson stays in close to Johnson's body and controls the position.
Johnson striking off his back.
Stevenson wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.

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.

Johnson uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Johnson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Stevenson throws the kick towards the body but Johnson avoids it.
Johnson slips under a jab.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Stevenson circles away and keeps his distance.
Stevenson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Johnson gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Johnson moves into the clinch.
Johnson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Stevenson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stevenson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stevenson is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnson has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevenson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Stevenson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Johnson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Knowshon Johnson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Stevenson manages to break the clinch.
Stevenson lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Stevenson throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Stevenson.
Stevenson throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson unleashes a big counter combination but Stevenson bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Stevenson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Stevenson with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Johnson chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Stevenson can pounce on him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Teofilo Stevenson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Knowshon Johnson.
Stevenson connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Stevenson connects with a solid leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stevenson lands with an uppercut that bounces Johnson off the cage and back into range.
Stevenson lands a high kick!
Johnson slips a jab from Stevenson.
Johnson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Stevenson as he avoids it easily.
A good leg kick by Stevenson.
Stevenson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Johnson's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Stevenson.
Stevenson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Johnson.
Stevenson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

And that's the end of the fight!
Teofilo Stevenson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Stevenson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Teofilo Stevenson!
After winning the bout, Teofilo Stevenson thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.