PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Casey Cullen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Through the Fire Flames- Dragonforce. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Cullen
vs
Johnson

177 cm
22
184 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

175 cm
26
172 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Great elbows
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

•‡• LION Clothing •‡• [CBK]

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Casey Cullen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, George Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Alexandre Firmino and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cullen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Johnson.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cullen tries to buck Johnson off but Johnson is having none of it.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cullen keeps working.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Johnson off and has taken his back!
Johnson can't escape the position.

That's two 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.
Johnson turns into Cullen and is now in his guard.
Johnson is looking to advance position but Cullen has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
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.
Johnson wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen controlling from mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Johnson tries to reverse the position but Cullen maintains control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Casey Cullen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cullen counters with a nice uppercut.
Cullen takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Johnson is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
George Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Johnson walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cullen keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
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.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cullen tries to bench press Johnson off him but Johnson keeps the position.
Johnson controls the position.
Johnson trying to control the action but Cullen is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. George Johnson was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Cullen misses the body punch
and Johnson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Johnson scores with a kick to the midsection.
Good shot there by Cullen.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnson ducks under a wild hook from Cullen.
Johnson moves to clinch but Cullen breaks away
and Cullen counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Johnson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cullen's waist but Cullen gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Johnson off to one side.
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Cullen to counter with a crisp jab.
Cullen wants to clinch.
Johnson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Cullen counters with a left to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Cullen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Cullen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cullen wants it to stay on the feet.
Casey Cullen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Johnson.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Cullen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Johnson takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Cullen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johnson lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Cullen just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson throws a chopping leg kick but Cullen manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cullen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Cullen misses with a wild body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Casey Cullen dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cullen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Cullen misses with a body shot.
Cullen fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cullen wants to clinch.
Cullen checks a leg kick.
Cullen lands with a good body shot.
Cullen lands a slapping body shot.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters circle momentarily. Cullen darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Cullen. Those never looked like landing.
Cullen swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Cullen stalks Johnson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Johnson's face. Johnson staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like George Johnson has been cut.
Johnson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cullen is fending him off so far but Johnson persists. Nope, Cullen circles away and we're back to standing.
Cullen thows a body shot but no joy.
Cullen misses with a body shot.
Cullen fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Johnson looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Cullen tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Johnson was well out of range. Poor timing from Cullen.
Cullen is looking to wear down Johnson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Cullen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Cullen lands with a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cullen thuds a left hand into Johnson's body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Cullen as he connects with a hook.
Johnson takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Johnson looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Cullen thuds a left hand into Johnson's body.
Cullen misses with a wild body shot.
A shot to the liver by Cullen. Beautiful body shot.
Casey Cullen is winning the standup battle so far.
Cullen cracks Johnson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Cullen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Johnson takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Johnson takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Cullen comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cullen stalks Johnson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Johnson's face. Johnson staggers backwards, shaken.
Johnson takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Cullen counters with a nice uppercut.
Cullen throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cullen lands with a nice body punch.
Johnson wants to clinch
and Cullen counters with a nice uppercut.
Cullen swings for the body but Johnson moves out of range.
Cullen fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Johnson manages to avoid it.
Johnson takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Johnson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Johnson has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Casey Cullen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Johnson.
Cullen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cullen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Johnson can do to turn this around?
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cullen pinned against the cage. Cullen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Cullen gets a clinch.
Cullen scores with a nice hook to the head.
Cullen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson dodges an elbow strike from Cullen.
Cullen lands a nice shot to the body.
George Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cullen putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Johnson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Cullen lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Casey Cullen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cullen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Casey Cullen!