PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Herald Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ian Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor comes to the cage accompanied by Smoke the Fire!!. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taylor
vs
Johnson

198 cm
22
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

174 cm
22
145 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Very confident

Rivers Edge Nutrition

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 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Herald Taylor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ian Johnson!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Taylor drops down looking for an ankle pick but Johnson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Johnson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.
Taylor shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense.
Taylor wants to clinch

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Taylor swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Taylor looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Taylor is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Johnson is aware though and is defending well.
Taylor keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Johnson trying to control but Taylor is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a series of strikes. Taylor will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Herald Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Johnson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Taylor to the mat! Taylor manages to get full guard.
Johnson being controlled here momentarily.
Johnson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Taylor's guard.
Johnson is stalling in the full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson slips nicely into half guard.
Taylor trying to hold on to Johnson's head to control him but Johnson postures up.

Johnson wants to work for an arm triangle but Taylor is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Taylor is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Taylor avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Taylor wants to clinch
letting Johnson counter with a right hand.
Johnson scores with a head kick.
Taylor gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Taylor is breathing heavily.

Taylor pulls guard successfully.

Johnson stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Taylor showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnson.
Taylor wants to clinch

and Johnson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Nice body punch from Taylor - that landed with a thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor is trying to drag Johnson to the mat but Johnson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Taylor is controlling the position.
Taylor really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Taylor tries to land knees in the clinch but Johnson avoids the damage to the body.
Johnson throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taylor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Taylor is working for takedown but Johnson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Taylor managing to block the knees to the body from Johnson.
A short body shot lands from Johnson as the two fighters clinch.
Johnson stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Johnson wants to break free but Taylor has control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Taylor tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Johnson smiles and moves away.
Johnson throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Johnson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Johnson bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Taylor does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taylor with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Johnson to score with a decent uppercut.
Johnson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Taylor with a poor takedown
and Johnson counters with a nice body shot.
Taylor tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson misses with a head kick.
Taylor tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A right-left combo lands from Johnson.
Johnson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Johnson clinches up with Taylor and pushes him back against the cage.
Johnson gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Taylor.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Johnson gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Taylor fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Herald Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor looking for a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Johnson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Taylor is defending well for now.
Taylor goes for a takedown attempt but Johnson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Johnson.
Johnson misses with a leg kick.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Taylor looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Johnson goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Taylor blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Johnson misses with a series of wild punches.

Taylor bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Johnson is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Taylor shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnson sprawls well. Johnson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.
Danga de danga de dang - Johnson scores with a four punch combination!
Johnson works over Taylor's head and body with a nice combination.
Taylor shoots and misses

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Johnson working hard to break the clinch.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taylor fails with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a head kick.
Johnson displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor avoids the head kick by Johnson.
Johnson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Taylor tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Taylor shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Taylor keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Taylor takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Johnson tries to keep at a distance but Taylor has taken the fight into the clinch.
Taylor goes for a takedown in the clinch but Johnson prevents it.
Johnson is leaning against Taylor and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Taylor drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Johnson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Johnson looking to slow down the pace here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Johnson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Johnson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Johnson is trying to maintain a safe position but Taylor gets an underhook and turns Johnson into the cage.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson throws the kick towards the body but Taylor avoids it.
Johnson throws a body punch but Taylor moves out of range.
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Taylor. Taylor gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson lands a jab-cross combination.

Johnson shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Johnson showed some decent athleticism there.
Taylor is trying to maintain the position but Johnson is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Taylor looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Taylor slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Ian Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Taylor throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taylor prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Johnson is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Taylor tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Taylor wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor has gone for a leg lock! Johnson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Taylor's guard.
Johnson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Johnson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Johnson scores with a nice strike.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taylor gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Johnson counters by clinching up.
Taylor is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Johnson pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Johnson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.

Taylor looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Johnson has picked Taylor up and slammed him! Taylor can't keep hold of the triangle and Johnson manages to pass to side control!
You can see the frustration on Taylor's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Taylor manages to get back to half guard.

Johnson escapes and gets back to his feet.
Johnson lands a slapping body shot.
Johnson throws a right hand that Taylor ducks under and follows up with a left that Taylor also avoids with ease.
Taylor fails in his attempt to clinch.
Johnson looks to land a combination but Taylor avoids it well.
Taylor tries to clinch up
and Johnson counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Herald Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taylor fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Herald Taylor. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Johnson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Taylor looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Johnson stands up.
Johnson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Taylor drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Taylor tries to advance to mount but Johnson denies him.
Taylor trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor cracks Johnson with a big elbow.
Johnson wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Taylor moves into full mount!
Johnson wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ian Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

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