PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Randall Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jimmy Sanchez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Johnson
vs
Sanchez

181 cm
23
192 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
21
185 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Randall Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Sanchez!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez drops his hands momentarily and Johnson takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Johnson connects with a body shot.
Johnson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
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!
Johnson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Sanchez throws a looping overhand right but Johnson ducks down to avoid it.
Johnson thuds a left hand into Sanchez's body.
Johnson connects with a right hand. Sanchez shakes it off.
Sanchez looks gassed!

Johnson bobbing and weaving well here. And he's unloaded with a massive right hand that drops Sanchez! He dives into his guard looking to finish!

Sanchez is rocked!
Johnson wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Johnson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sanchez is keeping the position for now.
Johnson is working hard here to advance position.
Johnson is pushing down on Sanchez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sanchez is fighting to maintain full guard but Johnson has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez trying to control from the bottom.
Sanchez wants to improve his position but Johnson is controlling well.
Johnson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Johnson tries to pass to full mount but Sanchez defends it.
Sanchez wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Johnson wants to pass to mount but Sanchez is defending the position.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura but Sanchez is defending well.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Sanchez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sanchez is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Sanchez avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Sanchez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura but Sanchez is defending well.
Johnson wants to take a breather but Sanchez is having none of it.
Sanchez trying to control here.
Johnson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Johnson is working for a kimura but Sanchez is defending it quite comfortably.
Sanchez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Johnson is working away from the top position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to take a breather but Sanchez is having none of it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A big right from Johnson misses.
Johnson 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.

Johnson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Johnson lands in his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sanchez wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
Sanchez 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.
Johnson trying to control but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
Johnson postures up and lands a big shot to Sanchez's brow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sanchez controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randall 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.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Johnson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Johnson throws a shot from downtown. Sanchez moves away and avoids it.
Sanchez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Sanchez wants it to stay on the feet.
Jab from Johnson.

Sanchez gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Sanchez pulls guard effortlessly.
Sanchez is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.

Johnson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sanchez trying to keep a closed guard but Johnson is proving a slippery customer.

Johnson gets to his feet. Sanchez looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson lands with a good body shot.
Sanchez looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Johnson connects with a crisp jab.
Johnson lands a slapping body shot.
Sanchez is breathing heavily.
Sanchez walks into a straight right hand from Johnson.
Sanchez is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Sanchez tries to clinch up.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Randall Johnson is winning the standup battle so far.
Johnson lands a really nice looking cross but Sanchez seems unphased.
Johnson connects with a body shot.
A decent looking cross lands there for Johnson.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson scores with a hook to the body. Sanchez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Johnson lands a right hook to the body.
Randall Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Johnson lands a body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Sanchez 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Johnson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Sanchez at a distance.
Sanchez walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Johnson cracks a nice hook into Sanchez's ribs.
Johnson lands a nice shot to the body.

Johnson feints and as Sanchez raises his hands in defense, Johnson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Johnson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Sanchez is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson stands and steps away. Sanchez gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Johnson scores with a takedown into Sanchez's guard.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Sanchez keeps moving.
Sanchez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Sanchez tries to pass the half guard into mount. Johnson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson kicks Sanchez off and gets back to his feet.
Johnson scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Sanchez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Johnson scores with a decent looking hook.
Sanchez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johnson.
Sanchez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sanchez somewhat.
Randall Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jimmy Sanchez.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sanchez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randall 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!

Sanchez takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Sanchez rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Sanchez wants a takedown but no success here.
Johnson is working for takedown but Sanchez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Sanchez fails to pull guard.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Sanchez holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
Johnson jumps guard but Sanchez stands there with Johnson around his waist. Johnson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Randall Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sanchez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Johnson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sanchez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Sanchez holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
Johnson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Sanchez pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looking for a takedown.
Sanchez is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Johnson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Sanchez prevents the takedown attempt.

Sanchez has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Johnson is trying to keep an underhook but Sanchez manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Johnson is refusing to be controlled, as Sanchez sits in half guard.
Johnson is positioning himself well to prevent Sanchez advancing to mount.
Johnson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sanchez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Sanchez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Sanchez has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.
Randall Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sanchez trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Sanchez wants to stand but Johnson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sanchez trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson working a defensive guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Sanchez wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sanchez looks to throw the jab but Johnson is out of range.
Johnson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sanchez moves away.
Sanchez takes one to the side of the head.
Jimmy Sanchez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Sanchez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnson.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnson connects with a single shot there.
Johnson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sanchez's guard.
Johnson trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Sanchez manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Johnson pulls Sanchez in to control the position.
Jimmy Sanchez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sanchez is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randall 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:26
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:26

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