PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Maximus Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dwayne Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maximus Jackson could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Dwayne Johnson's chin.

Jackson
vs
Johnson

168 cm
23
154 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

193 cm
25
147 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Maximus Jackson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dwayne Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jackson shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Jackson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Johnson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Still in half guard, Johnson seems content to control.
Jackson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
I looks like Johnson might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jackson is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in half guard.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dwayne Johnson wasn't active enough on the ground.
Johnson misses with a jab to the body

and Jackson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Jackson is breathing heavily.
Johnson trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
Jackson being controlled here momentarily.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jackson prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Johnson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Johnson is trying to control the position but Jackson postures up.

Dwayne Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Jackson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Jackson controlling him for the moment.
Jackson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
Johnson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jackson manages to get himself to full guard.
Jackson wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Jackson scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Johnson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Jackson to the mat! Jackson manages to get full guard.
Jackson wants to sweep but no luck.
Johnson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Jackson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Jackson is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson landing with the ground and pound.
Jackson can't keep his opponent in guard - Johnson advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Johnson is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Jackson!
Johnson raining down shots from the mount!
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Johnson swinging wildly here.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Jackson throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.
Johnson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Jackson holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
Jackson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johnson fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Johnson scores a takedown into full mount!
Johnson controlling from the full mount.
Dwayne Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson lands a big shot there that rocks Jackson but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson wants to control the pace but Jackson is squirming around nicely.
Johnson scoring with strikes but Jackson is staying in there.
Johnson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Jackson hang on?
Johnson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Jackson is desperately trying to improve his position but Johnson has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two 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.

Johnson has control of Jackson's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Jackson regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Jackson tries to hold on but Johnson pushes him away.
Johnson working Jackson over with strikes here.
Johnson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Johnson controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Johnson content just to control the position here.
Johnson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Johnson wants to control the pace but Jackson is squirming around nicely.
Johnson cracks Jackson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Jackson has given up his back here.
Jackson is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Johnson.

Jackson is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Johnson gets his way!
I would not like to be Jackson right now.
Jackson trying to control the hands but Johnson won't let him.
Johnson punishes Jackson with strikes from the back mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwayne Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Johnson thows a body shot but no joy.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Jackson with a poor takedown

and Johnson moves into the clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson with a poor takedown
and Jackson counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Jackson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Maximus Jackson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dwayne Johnson.

Johnson manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Johnson forces Jackson back against the cage and clinches.
Johnson is trying to drag Jackson to the mat but Jackson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Jackson breaks from the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackson fails with the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Jackson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Jackson is trying to improve his position.

Johnson goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Jackson has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Johnson but great work by Jackson.
Johnson tries to buck Jackson off but Jackson is having none of it.

Jackson stands up.
Jackson closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Jackson pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson rushes Jackson and presses him up against the cage.

Johnson gets control of Jackson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Johnson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Jackson controls the pace.
Jackson trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Jackson stands up and waves to Johnson to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson with a poor takedown

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.

Johnson pulls guard.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Jackson controls the pace.
Johnson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Jackson is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson shoots in but Jackson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jackson lands a two punch combo.
An inside leg kick from Jackson misses.
Jackson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch.
Johnson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jackson just stands there and leans against the cage.

Johnson manages to pull guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jackson prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Maximus Jackson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dwayne Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jackson chips away with some ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Maximus Jackson.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dwayne Johnson!
Dwayne Johnson is the new lightweight champion!