PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marius Zaromskis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony Johnson had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Johnson
vs
Zaromskis

185 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

175 cm
22
169 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Anthony Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marius Zaromskis!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, John Mangel and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson tries for a takedown but Zaromskis circles away easily
and Zaromskis counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed
and Zaromskis counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

It looks like Anthony Johnson has been cut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Johnson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Johnson throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Zaromskis on the side of the head.

Johnson gets a takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Zaromskis slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zaromskis looking to control.
Zaromskis looks gassed!
Zaromskis seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Johnson lands a couple of digs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaromskis keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.

Zaromskis pushes Johnson off and gets back to his feet.

Johnson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Johnson tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Johnson gets to mount! Zaromskis was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Zaromskis is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to control but Zaromskis wriggling away.
Zaromskis is working to get back to half guard.
Johnson looking to control but Zaromskis is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Johnson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Johnson working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

Johnson is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Zaromskis can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Zaromskis wants to hold on but Johnson pushes him away.
Zaromskis tries to control the position but Johnson now has his back.

Johnson looking for the choke from the back.
Zaromskis looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Zaromskis has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Johnson has the hooks in. Zaromskis is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Johnson lands with a hammerfist to the side of Zaromskis's head.
Zaromskis tries to break free.
Zaromskis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Zaromskis wants to control his opponent's hands but Johnson gets his hands free.
Zaromskis might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Johnson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Johnson trying to control momentarily.
I would not like to be Zaromskis right now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Johnson's cut.
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.

Nice jab there from Johnson.
Johnson cracks Zaromskis with a good jab.
Johnson looks for a takedown but Zaromskis sprawls well.
Johnson moves into range and connects with a jab.

Johnson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Zaromskis tries to improve position but can't.
Johnson controls the position.
Johnson working away.
A lull in the action here as Johnson stalls from top position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Zaromskis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Anthony Johnson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Johnson stops Zaromskis from standing up.
Zaromskis wants to sweep but no luck.
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.
Zaromskis looking to control.
Johnson stops Zaromskis from standing up.
Zaromskis is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Marius Zaromskis.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.
Anthony Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson misses with a takedown
and Zaromskis counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Zaromskis closes the distance and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Zaromskis lands with a left to the head.
Zaromskis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnson swings wildly with an uppercut but Zaromskis uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson is trying to push Zaromskis away but Zaromskis has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Zaromskis gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Johnson regains guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zaromskis wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaromskis has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnson is proving hard to escape from.
Zaromskis trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Zaromskis trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Zaromskis won't allow Johnson to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Zaromskis wants to stand and escape but instead Johnson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Zaromskis is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Zaromskis is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Zaromskis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Zaromskis looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marius Zaromskis was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Johnson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Zaromskis looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johnson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Johnson.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Zaromskis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Johnson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Johnson's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnson connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Nice sprawl there from Zaromskis as Johnson shoots in.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Zaromskis circles away easily

and Zaromskis counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Zaromskis.
Johnson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Zaromskis is controlling him.
Zaromskis missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Zaromskis wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Johnson wants to stand and escape but Zaromskis is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zaromskis trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Marius Zaromskis has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Zaromskis avoids a punch combination nicely.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Zaromskis counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.

Zaromskis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Johnson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Zaromskis to the mat! Zaromskis manages to get full guard.
Zaromskis controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
Zaromskis is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.
Zaromskis preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zaromskis being controlled here, momentarily.
Zaromskis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zaromskis keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Zaromskis tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Zaromskis manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson lands a jab to the head.
Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.

Zaromskis shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Zaromskis showed some decent athleticism there.
Zaromskis trying to pass the guard but Johnson defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Johnson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Zaromskis on the ground.

Zaromskis wants to work for an arm triangle but Johnson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Zaromskis trying to control from half guard but Johnson is working away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marius Zaromskis comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28

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