PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Davis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Davis comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Crash by 12 Stones kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Johnny Davis has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Xavier Rush's chin.

Rush
vs
Davis

183 cm
25
140 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

175 cm
25
145 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Xavier Rush!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Johnny Davis!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Dillan Fox and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Davis.
Rush doesn't manage to clinch there - Davis circles away.
Davis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rush lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Davis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rush tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Davis is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rush's half guard.
Davis is thwarting Rush's attempts to control the position.
Rush works his way to full guard. Good work.
Davis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Rush wants to sweep here but Davis controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Davis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush looking to hit a scissor sweep but Davis is one step ahead there.
Rush can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Davis controls the pace.
Rush keeping moving, preventing Davis from controlling successfully.
Rush really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Davis shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Davis showed some decent athleticism there.
Davis sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rush defending well though.
Davis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rush's head.
Rush tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush manages to get to full guard.
Davis stops Rush from standing up.
Rush trying to keep a closed guard but Davis is proving a slippery customer.
Davis preventing the sweep.
Davis wants to control from the top but Rush keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rush fails with an attempt to clinch.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Davis is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rush's half guard.
Davis is just content to waste time from the top position. Rush takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Davis throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rush is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Rush misses with a punch on the inside.

Rush breaks the clinch.
Davis punishes Rush's body with a nice straight punch.
Rush ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Davis moves away.
Rush slips a jab and a cross from Davis.

Davis shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Davis was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Davis has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Davis controlling his opponent.
Davis wants to control the action but instead Rush gets a body lock and reverses into Davis's guard! Nice work!
Rush thows a big elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rush tries to free his leg and advance position but Davis is retaining full guard.

Rush stands up from Davis's guard - Rush perhaps looking for a knockout.
Xavier Rush is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Davis shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rush as he jumps to the side.
Rush tries to clinch but Davis is having none of it.
Rush moves in looking to clinch but Davis pushes him off.
Davis throws a series of punches but Rush avoids them all with ease.
Johnny Davis seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rush moves in looking to clinch but Davis pushes him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Davis dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Davis fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rush manages to avoid it.
Davis throws a body punch but Rush moves out of range.
Rush swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rush tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Davis is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Rush throws a hook but Davis blocks it.
Rush is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rush throws the left hand but Davis avoids the punch easily.
Rush tries to close the distance and clinch up but Davis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rush tries to clinch up.

Davis closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Rush gets back to full guard.
Rush is trying to control the position but Davis postures up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Davis accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Rush is looking to stand up but Davis isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush is striking from the bottom but Davis uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Davis missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Davis slows the pace down in half guard.
Davis throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Davis wants to control but Rush is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Rush is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Rush moves in looking to clinch but Davis pushes him off.
Davis lands an overhand right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Davis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rush as he avoids it easily.
Davis dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Rush lands a glancing blow to the side of Davis's head.
Davis throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Davis throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rush sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rush is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Davis.
Davis misses with a hook to the body
and Rush counters with a straight right hand.
Davis is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rush rather than just go for the knockout.
Rush waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Davis.

Davis scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Rush on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Rush looks to move to half guard but instead Davis has passed into mount! Damn!
Rush is looking to improve his position but Davis isn't that keen on the idea.
Rush is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Davis raining down shots from the mount!
Davis cracks Rush with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Davis with a couple of short strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Davis prevents Rush from getting the reversal.
Davis avoids the attempt from Rush to control.
Davis pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Rush keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Davis punishing his opponent with strikes.
Davis with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Davis looking to control and managing it successfully.
Davis dominating with strikes here.
Davis lands a big shot there that rocks Rush but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Rush is squirming around, avoiding Davis's attempts to control the action.
A nice elbow there by Davis.

Rush is rocked!

It looks like Xavier Rush has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Davis tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rush is in a horrible position here. Davis smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Oh Rush is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rush keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Davis showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Xavier Rush's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A shot to the body from Davis misses

and Rush counters by moving into the clinch.
Rush seems to have got his legs back now.
Rush prevents the takedown attempt.
Rush misses with a hook from the clinch.

Davis breaks from the clinch.
Davis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rush tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Davis paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Rush clinches up with Davis and pushes him back against the cage.
Davis is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Rush pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Rush misses with a short punch on the inside.

Rush's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rush tries to bum rush Davis with a series of wild strikes but Davis uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A jab from Davis finds it's way through Rush's defenses.
Rush jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Rush dodges the punch combination from Davis.
Davis misses with a double jab

and Rush moves into the clinch.
Rush throws a punch but it's blocked by Davis.
A head punch on the inside from Rush fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rush lands a shoulder strike.
Davis is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rush gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Xavier Rush has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Davis.

Rush breaks the clinch.
Davis cracks a nice hook into Rush's ribs.
Davis will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Davis connects with a crisp jab.
Davis fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Rush on the side of the head.
Davis fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rush manages to avoid it.
Rush looks to throw the jab but Davis is out of range.

Davis changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Rush looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Davis cracks Rush with a big right hand but Rush just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Davis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Davis sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Rush is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Davis wants to control but Rush is keeping him busy.
Rush wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush manages to work his way to half guard, despite Davis's best efforts.
Davis thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rush's head.
Davis prevents Rush from standing back up.
Rush keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Rush is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Davis jumps into side control!
Davis working the ground and pound.
Rush is not content to let Davis control the position.
Rush manages to get back to half guard.
Davis throwing shots but Rush is blocking nicely.
Xavier Rush has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush manages to get to full guard.
Rush is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Davis with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Rush throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Davis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Davis landing with the ground and pound.
Davis postures up.
Davis throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Davis tries to free his leg and advance position but Rush is retaining full guard.
Davis with a nice head shot there.
Rush keeping moving, preventing Davis from controlling successfully.
Davis working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Rush had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Davis defends it easily.
Davis scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Davis postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Johnny Davis is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Davis slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Davis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Davis winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 27:30
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Davis!