PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Maximo Drago (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Drago
vs
Johnson

185 cm
19
196 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
23
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Maximo Drago!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Dean Styles and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Drago pinned against the cage. Drago gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt - Drago sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Maximo Drago has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Anthony Johnson.
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Drago pinned against the cage. Drago gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Drago tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Johnson looks gassed!
Johnson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Drago defends it nicely.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Drago is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Johnson's half guard.
Drago throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Johnson tries to kick Drago off but Drago keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Drago with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Drago is thwarting Johnson's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Maximo Drago wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Drago fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Johnson sprawls well initially but Drago persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Drago is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Johnson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Drago moves into full mount! Johnson won't be happy about that!
Drago sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Drago lands with some strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Drago content just to control the position here.

Drago is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Johnson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Drago in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maximo Drago dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Drago throws a leg kick but Johnson checks it.
Drago shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Johnson defends it nicely.

Drago has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
Drago keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Johnson dives in and grabs Drago's left leg, looking for a takedown. Drago pushes down on Johnson's head and hops out.
Drago tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drago shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Johnson looking to stall.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Drago throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Drago wants to clinch.

Drago moves into the clinch.
Drago is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Drago jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Drago gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Maximo Drago. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Drago misses with a head kick.
Maximo Drago is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Drago scores with a jab to the body.
Drago tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Drago shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Drago avoids it really well and circles away.
Drago shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Drago 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.
Drago is trying hard to land a takedown here. Johnson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Drago looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Drago tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Drago looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Johnson is fending him off so far but Drago persists. Nope, Johnson circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Drago bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A control attempt from Johnson but he's now mounted!
Drago landing punches.
Drago controlling his opponent.
Drago throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Drago takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Johnson can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Drago.
Maximo Drago overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Drago sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Johnson is bucking up trying to escape but Drago cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Drago controlling from mount.
Drago punishing his opponent with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maximo Drago dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Drago drives through with a takedown into guard.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Drago tries to pass.
Drago stays in close to Johnson's body and controls the position.
Drago slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson trying to remain calm as Drago controls from the top position.

Drago decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Drago paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Drago or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.
Drago throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnson.
Johnson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Johnson wants it to stay on the feet.
Drago tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Drago tries to clinch

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown. Drago fights it but they end up in guard.
Drago wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Drago's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Drago looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Drago pulls Johnson in to control the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Maximo Drago wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Johnson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Drago to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Drago is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to stand up but Drago isn't so interested in that idea.
Drago stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Drago content to stall in guard here.
Drago slips nicely into half guard.

That's four 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.
Drago scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Drago is nestled in close to Johnson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Johnson is defending against the submission attempts here by Drago.
Drago works his foot free and advances to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maximo Drago showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Drago has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:26
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:26
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maximo Drago!