PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenny Sanford (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes into the arena with Neurosis - Given To the Rising blaring out of the sound system. The crowd seem to be enjoying Sanford's choice of entrance music: Bodies by Drowning Pool. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johnson
vs
Sanford

200 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matt Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kenny Sanford!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Alec Ball and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Sanford.
Sanford working the head with strikes.
Johnson is trying to control Sanford's posture but Sanford avoids it.

Johnson explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
Sanford tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sanford dives in and grabs Johnson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes down on Sanford's head and hops out.
Sanford throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sanford shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnson sprawls well. Johnson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sanford gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Sanford counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sanford prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Sanford wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Johnson striking off his back but it's not causing Sanford any problems.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanford trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sanford is looking to work some ground and pound but Johnson has wrist control.
Sanford being controlled here momentarily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch

and Sanford counters by moving into the clinch.
Johnson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Johnson is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Sanford gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Johnson pulls Sanford into guard.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sanford trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sanford postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Johnson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Johnson uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Sanford looks gassed!

Sanford gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Johnson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Johnson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Sanford looking for a sweep. Not yet Sanford, not yet.
Johnson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Johnson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Johnson looking to sit in guard and control but Sanford gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom.
Johnson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
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.
Johnson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

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

and Sanford counters by moving into the clinch.

That's four 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.

Sanford drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sanford's head.
Sanford should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Johnson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sanford dives on top into guard.
Johnson is controlling Sanford's posture.
Sanford trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Sanford with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson working a defensive guard here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Johnson is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Sanford 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 tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Sanford holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Johnson looking for a takedown.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Sanford circles away and keeps his distance.

Sanford drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Sanford working away.
Johnson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Sanford is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Sanford tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanford wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
Sanford misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A head kick misses from Johnson.
Johnson lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Johnson shoots and misses

and Sanford counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.
Sanford wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Sanford throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson sneaks back into half guard.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Sanford is controlling him well.
Johnson wants to control but Sanford is keeping busy.
Sanford moves into full mount! Johnson won't be happy about that!
Sanford looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Johnson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

Sanford swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Johnson is now in Sanford's guard. A big mistake from Sanford there, giving up the dominant position!
Sanford trying to keep a closed guard but Johnson is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sanford is proving hard to escape from.
Johnson stops Sanford from standing up.
Sanford controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
Sanford throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Sanford working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnson.

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 works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Sanford wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sanford circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sanford counters with a big head kick but Johnson shrugs it off.
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sanford swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Sanford counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Sanford stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Sanford fails with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kenny Sanford showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Sanford changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Johnson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Sanford working away.
Johnson is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Sanford asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Kenny Sanford has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sanford taking a break here but Johnson is having none of it and regains half guard.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Sanford wants to pass to mount but Johnson is defending the position.
Johnson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johnson.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson striking off his back but it's not causing Sanford any problems.
Sanford looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sanford is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Johnson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Johnson stands up over Sanford, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sanford is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.
Sanford wants to sweep but no luck.
Sanford utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanford is looking to stand back up but Johnson counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Sanford.
Sanford trying to control but Johnson postures up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Johnson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Sanford counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Johnson is trying to break free.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Johnson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Johnson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Sanford's face.
Sanford wants to hold on but Johnson pushes him away.
Johnson landing strikes from the mount.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sanford can do anything to dispel that myth.
Johnson landing strikes from the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanford is bucking up trying to escape but Johnson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Sanford keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Johnson wants to control the pace but Sanford is squirming around nicely.
Sanford is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Johnson cracks Sanford with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Sanford wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Sanford is wriggling around trying to escape.

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 controlling the position easily from mount.
Johnson avoids the attempt from Sanford to control.
Sanford might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Johnson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Sanford is looking to get to half guard.

Johnson looking for a guillotine from mount but Sanford is having none of it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sanford is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sanford has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kenny Sanford!