PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between manny pacquiao (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think pacquiao might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Eye Of The Tiger. Anthony Johnson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with manny pacquiao's chin.

pacquiao
vs
Johnson

184 cm
20
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
23
190 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid 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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, manny pacquiao!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.

Johnson scores a takedown into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
pacquiao tries to lock up and control but Johnson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
pacquiao is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson controlling the position easily from mount.
Johnson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
pacquiao tries to hold on but Johnson postures up.
pacquiao tries to reverse the position but Johnson maintains control.
pacquiao is working hard here to advance position.
Johnson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can pacquiao hang on?
Johnson throwing strikes here but pacquiao is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Johnson looking to control and managing it successfully.
pacquiao knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. pacquiao looks a forlorn figure.
Johnson content just to control the position here.
pacquiao is in all sorts of trouble here.
Johnson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Johnson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson controlling his opponent.
Let's hope that Johnson has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
pacquiao is wriggling around trying to escape.
Johnson lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
pacquiao is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Johnson controlling his opponent.
Johnson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
pacquiao is trying desperately to improve position.
Johnson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Johnson lands with some strikes.
Johnson lands with some strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony 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 will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Johnson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A telegraphed right hand from pacquiao misses the target.
pacquiao displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johnson.
manny pacquiao has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Johnson.
pacquiao throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Johnson stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
pacquiao stuffs the takedown attempt from Johnson. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
pacquiao throws a sloppy head kick and Johnson moves out of range easily.
manny pacquiao is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
pacquiao throws a series of punches but Johnson avoids them all with ease.
pacquiao lands a jab to the head.
Johnson moves away from the strike by pacquiao.
pacquiao throws a right and a left that Johnson avoids nicely.
pacquiao lands a lovely overhand right.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from pacquiao.
Johnson swings for the body but pacquiao moves out of range.
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has pacquiao pinned against the cage. pacquiao gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A telegraphed right hand from pacquiao misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
pacquiao keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnson throws a shot to the body.
pacquiao throws a right and a left that Johnson avoids nicely.
pacquiao looks to land a combination. Johnson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Johnson shoots in but pacquiao avoids the takedown attempt easily.
pacquiao misses with a few strikes there.
pacquiao swings away with a body shot that misses

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is putting a hurting on pacquiao here, landing some big shots from side control.
Johnson is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Johnson scores with punches from side control.
Johnson sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but pacquiao is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
pacquiao is looking to regain half guard here but Johnson keeps moving and retains side control.
Anthony Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

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.
pacquiao is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
pacquiao takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but pacquiao keeps working.
pacquiao is trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
pacquiao gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Johnson unloading with bombs!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnson shoots for a double leg takedown but pacquiao sprawls well. He's pushed Johnson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
pacquiao rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Johnson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.
pacquiao throws a right hand that Johnson ducks under and follows up with a left that Johnson also avoids with ease.
pacquiao wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
pacquiao misses with a combination

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in pacquiao's guard.
pacquiao being controlled here, momentarily.
Johnson trying to control but pacquiao is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
pacquiao working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnson.
pacquiao bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Johnson's guard.

Johnson pushes pacquiao off and gets back to his feet.
pacquiao throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into side control. pacquiao won't be happy with that.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but pacquiao is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnson advances to full mount.
manny pacquiao has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Johnson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Johnson tries to control but pacquiao wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson content just to control the position here.
The referee warns pacquiao that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
pacquiao wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson punishing his opponent with strikes.
pacquiao is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Anthony Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The referee warns pacquiao that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Johnson controlling the pace for now.
pacquiao takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
pacquiao working to try and regain half guard.
Johnson controlling the pace for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Johnson 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 26:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 26:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30

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