PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between George Huang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sakuragi Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Huang's entrance music is Special Agent Huang. A fine choice. Sakuragi Johnson struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 136.1lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. The key to victory for George Huang has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Huang
vs
Johnson

163 cm
26
144 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

185 cm
24
147 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, George Huang!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sakuragi Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Huang connects with a high kick.
Huang lands with a slapping head kick.
Huang lands with a shot to the body.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Huang shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Huang darts in and clinches Johnson up against the cage.

Johnson pulls guard successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Huang accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Huang wants to stand but Johnson is controlling his posture from full guard.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Huang defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Huang trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Huang has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Huang from controlling successfully.

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

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Huang defends well.
Huang with a nice head shot there.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Huang from controlling successfully.
Huang is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Huang gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Huang trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Huang stands up from Johnson's guard - Huang perhaps looking for a knockout.
Huang throws a nice looking combination but Johnson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Huang misses with the combination.

Huang closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Huang lands in his opponent's guard.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Huang is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Huang wants to stand but Johnson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Johnson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Huang.
Huang trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Huang in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Huang controls from within his opponent's guard.

Huang thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Huang works over Johnson with some ground and pound from guard.
Johnson has a closed guard, preventing Huang from standing up.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Huang gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Huang trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Huang lands a couple of decent looking shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Huang 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.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Huang won't allow it.
Huang goes for a takedown in the clinch but Johnson prevents it.

Huang escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Huang 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.

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

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Huang got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Huang has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Huang from controlling successfully.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

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

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Huang pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Huang got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Huang has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.
Huang makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Huang trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Huang pushes his legs off easily.
Johnson has a closed guard, preventing Huang from standing up.
Huang is stalling in the full guard.

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.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Huang avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Huang tries to stand but Johnson is controlling from the bottom.

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Huang defends it easily.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Huang chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huang throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Huang trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Huang decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!
Huang throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnson.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Huang counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johnson's guard now.
Huang is looking to stand up but Johnson won't let him.

Johnson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Huang is aware though and is defending well.
Huang scoring with some ground and pound.

Huang stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Huang throws a combination. Johnson tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt

so Huang counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
George Huang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sakuragi Johnson.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Huang lands a couple of elbows.

Huang is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Huang defends easily.
Huang trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Huang is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Huang defends well.
Huang would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Huang gets to his feet - Johnson follows without any prompting.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Huang dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Huang counters with a takedown into side control.

Huang is trying to get an arm triangle but Johnson is defending well.
Huang scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Johnson to see if he's OK.

Huang has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Huang shoots in and bounces Johnson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Huang drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Johnson dives on top into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Huang looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Huang is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Huang has his foot on Johnson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnson works his way back into a safe position though.

Johnson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Johnson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Huang dives on top into guard.
Huang wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Huang defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Huang thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Huang trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Huang from controlling successfully.

Johnson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Huang is aware though and is defending well.
Johnson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Johnson is working an open guard so Huang takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Johnson with a poor takedown

and Huang counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Huang wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Huang avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Huang postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Huang is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Johnson has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Huang is looking to defend but Johnson has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Huang! Johnson pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Huang taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Sakuragi Johnson! Sakuragi Johnson retains his bantamweight title!