PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mariano Ozawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mervin john (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ozawa
vs
john

167 cm
18
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mariano Ozawa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, mervin john!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ozawa tries to clinch up but john circles away and keeps his distance.
A head kick misses from Ozawa.

Ozawa has taken the fight to the clinch.
Ozawa drops down looking for an ankle pick but john pulls his leg out and moves away.
john looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ozawa is fending him off so far but john persists. Nope, Ozawa circles away and we're back to standing.
Ozawa tries for a takedown but john circles away easily
and john counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
john misses with a takedown attempt

and Ozawa counters with a shoot takedown. john fights it but they end up in guard.
john trying to strike off his back.

john throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
john throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
john seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
john is looking to stand up but Ozawa isn't so interested in that idea.

john is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Ozawa defends well.
Ozawa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ozawa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
john fails with the takedown

and Ozawa counters by moving into the clinch.
Mariano Ozawa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of mervin john.
john looks gassed!
john throws a punch but it's blocked by Ozawa.
john prevents a takedown attempt there.
john is trying to break the clinch but Ozawa is controlling him.

Ozawa breaks from the clinch.
Ozawa is looking to clinch.
john misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Ozawa closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
john is refusing to be controlled, as Ozawa sits in half guard.
It looks like Ozawa is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ozawa is pressing down on john's thigh, looking to free his foot. john is holding on for now.
john regains full guard. Nicely done.

john had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Ozawa defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Ozawa gets to his feet. john looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Ozawa lands a jab to john's midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

john clinches.

john works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Ozawa controls john momentarily but john frees himself.
Ozawa is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
john tries to free his leg and advance position but Ozawa is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mariano Ozawa dominated that round.
That's time! Ozawa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

john misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mariano Ozawa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
john tries a head kick but it misses.
john tries for a takedown but Ozawa circles away easily
and Ozawa counters with an outside leg kick.
Ozawa dives in and grabs john's left leg, looking for a takedown. john pushes down on Ozawa's head and hops out.
Ozawa shoots in but john avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Ozawa is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in john's half guard.
john wants to improve his position but Ozawa is controlling well.

Ozawa 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

john is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ozawa pulls his head out easily.
Ozawa wants to free his trapped foot but john is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Ozawa postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for john to stand up.
john darts in trying to clinch
and Ozawa counters with a head kick.

john changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Ozawa looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Ozawa tries to bench press john off him but john keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Ozawa's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

john stands up and beckons Ozawa to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ozawa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and john counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mariano Ozawa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ozawa keeping moving, preventing john from controlling successfully.

Ozawa scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Ozawa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
john misses with a low kick as Ozawa jumps back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
john closes the distance looking to clinch

and Ozawa counters by clinching up.

Ozawa manages to break the clinch.
john misses with a takedown attempt

and Ozawa counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Ozawa.

Ozawa turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Ozawa manages to end up in side control.
You can see the frustration on john's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ozawa is staying tight to john's torso, preventing him from escaping.
john gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Mariano Ozawa will probably get the nod.
That's time! Ozawa's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

john pushes Ozawa up against the cage in a clinch.

Ozawa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
john throws a sloppy head kick and Ozawa moves out of range easily.
john with a poor takedown

and Ozawa counters by moving into the clinch.

Ozawa gets control of john's arms and successfully pulls guard. Ozawa will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
john slips nicely into half guard, despite the strikes coming from Ozawa.
Ozawa looks like he's trying to stand up.
Ozawa landing small, sideways elbows.
Ozawa has a hand on john's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. john takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ozawa tries to reverse the position but john maintains control.
john sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
john trying to control but Ozawa is having none of it.
Ozawa tries to hold on but john pushes him away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ozawa is trying to escape the mount.
john sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
john looking to control but Ozawa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Ozawa wants to control but john is having none of it.
Mariano Ozawa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
john looking to control but Ozawa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ozawa is desperately trying to improve his position but john has a good base and remains in mount.
Ozawa tries to hold on but john pushes him away.
Ozawa is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ozawa is in a horrible position here. john smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
john with good strikes from the mount here!

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.
john lands a heavy elbow.
john trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ozawa is trying desperately to improve position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Ozawa reaches up to try and control the position but john seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Ozawa rolls and tries to escape and now john has his back!

And that's the end of the fight!
mervin john comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ozawa 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mariano Ozawa!