PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sub Zero (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and DeShaun Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Zero
vs
Johnson

195 cm
25
210 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

187 cm
25
208 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sub Zero!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, DeShaun Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Franklyn Lucas and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Zero is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Johnson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Zero shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Johnson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Zero wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.
Zero knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zero wants to get back to his feet but Johnson passes into half guard.

Johnson is working for a kimura but Zero is defending it quite comfortably.
Johnson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two 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.
Zero tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Zero on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Zero tries to get out of the position.
Johnson is nestled in close to Zero, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Johnson stops Zero from getting back to his feet.
Johnson is keen to just control but Zero is a slippery customer.
Johnson tries to pass to full mount but Zero defends it.
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.
Zero is trying to escape back to his feet but Johnson uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Zero is breathing heavily.
Johnson in side control, throwing shots but Zero defends.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Johnson moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

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

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Johnson looking to control but Zero is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zero squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Johnson throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Zero is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Johnson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Zero?
Johnson throws some wild stikes that Zero manages to avoid easily.
Johnson thowing shots but they're missing.
Johnson content just to control the position here.
Johnson misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DeShaun Johnson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Johnson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Zero to the mat! Zero manages to get full guard.
Zero is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.
Johnson wants to get up but he can't break Zero's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Johnson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Johnson trying to control but Zero is working from the bottom.

Johnson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Johnson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson trying to control but Zero is working from the bottom.
Johnson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Zero kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Zero moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson blocks the elbow strike.
Zero pushes off an throws an elbow but Johnson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Johnson blocks the elbow strike.
Johnson blocks an elbow strike.
Johnson managing to block the knees to the body from Zero.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Zero is controlling the position.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Zero keeps him there for the moment.
Zero lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.

That's two 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.
Johnson avoids the elbow strike from Zero, against the cage.
Zero pushes off an throws an elbow but Johnson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Johnson missing with knees to the body.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Johnson pulls guard successfully.

Johnson kicks Zero off and gets to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Zero sprawls well. Zero wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson throws a head kick but Zero moves out of range.
Zero fails in his attempt to clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Zero is having none of it.
Johnson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sub Zero seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Zero tries to clinch up.
Zero fails in his attempt to clinch.
Johnson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Sub Zero has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of DeShaun Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Zero. That's going to slow Johnson down.
Sub Zero is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zero tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Well, if Johnson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Johnson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Johnson wants to pass to mount but Zero is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to control but Zero is keeping him busy.
Zero wants to stand back up but Johnson manages to pass into side control.
Johnson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Zero has escaped the position, nice work there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johnson tries to score with some ground and pound. Zero controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DeShaun Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Zero swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Zero wants to clinch but Johnson slips to the side

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johnson won't allow Zero to get back to his feet.
Zero being controlled here, momentarily.
Johnson advances to half guard.
Johnson is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Zero swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Zero wants to get back to his feet but Johnson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zero is working an open guard so Johnson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Zero swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Zero but Zero pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Zero tries to clinch but Johnson moves away

so Johnson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Johnson is pushing down on Zero's leg trying to pass to half guard. Zero is fighting to maintain full guard but Johnson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Johnson is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Zero is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
DeShaun Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Zero keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Zero darts in trying to clinch

and Johnson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Zero's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Zero is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Zero keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Zero pushes Johnson off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Zero keeps it at a distance.
Zero tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson clinches but Zero breaks the clinch

and Zero counters by clinching up.
Johnson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Zero fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sub Zero has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
DeShaun Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.

And that's the end of the fight!
DeShaun 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30

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