PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nick Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcelo Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez has chosen Ain't No Sunshine as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Marcelo Lopez looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Johnson
vs
Lopez

172 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Hashed Fight Attire

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Nick Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcelo Lopez !
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.

Lopez has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.

Lopez manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Lopez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
Lopez keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.

Lopez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Johnson defends it easily.
Johnson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Lopez manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Lopez looks gassed!
Johnson lands with a good body shot.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Johnson looks to land a combination but Lopez avoids it well.
Marcelo Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson throws a body punch but Lopez moves out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Sloppy strikes from Johnson. Those never looked like landing.
Johnson swinging wildly here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.

Lopez changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Johnson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Lopez stands up and beckons Johnson to his feet.
Johnson fails to land with a series of punches.
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.

Lopez drives through and clinches with Johnson against the cage.

Lopez has Johnson pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Lopez pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Johnson tumbling to the mat - Lopez dives into Johnson's guard.
Johnson pulls Lopez in close to his closed guard and prevents Lopez from doing any damage or advancing position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson controls Lopez momentarily but Lopez frees himself.
Lopez won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
Lopez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Johnson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Lopez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Nick Johnson has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Johnson throws a right hand that Lopez ducks under and follows up with a left that Lopez also avoids with ease.
Johnson misses with a body shot.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
Nick Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson swinging wildly here.
Johnson swinging wildly here.
Johnson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Lopez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Lopez avoids the attempt from Johnson to control.
Johnson prevents any damage by holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to escape the mount.
Lopez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.
Lopez unloading with bombs!
Johnson is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Lopez controlling from mount.
Johnson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Lopez trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is desperately trying to improve his position but Lopez has a good base and remains in mount.
Lopez working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Lopez unloading with bombs!
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.

Lopez working for a guillotine from mount but Johnson is in no mood to give up.
Lopez unloads with some shots from mount but Johnson bucks and avoids them well.
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Lopez 's attempts to control the action.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson is trying desperately to improve position.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Lopez looking to ground and pound but Johnson is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcelo Lopez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Johnson misses with a two punch combination.
Sloppy strikes from Johnson. Those never looked like landing.
Johnson takes a swing at Lopez 's ribcage but misses.
Johnson misses with a double jab.

Lopez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Johnson is trying to defend but Lopez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Johnson wants to improve his position but Lopez is controlling well.
Johnson is looking to control Lopez 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnson avoid being mounted?

Lopez is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Johnson is just riding it out for now. Lopez eventually gives up the hold.
Marcelo Lopez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson trying to control here.
Johnson is looking for a sweep. Lopez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez is stalling here. Johnson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Lopez seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Johnson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Lopez manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Lopez moves into full guard.
Johnson landing with the ground and pound.
Lopez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson can't escape the position.
Johnson is working hard here to advance position.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Johnson holds on to Lopez around his waist, trying desperately to prevent any attacks.
Lopez blocks Johnson's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Lopez controlling from the full mount.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Johnson can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Johnson wants to control but Lopez is having none of it.
Johnson tries to reverse the position but Lopez maintains control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Lopez fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Lopez is working for a guillotine from mount but Johnson frees his head quite easily.

Lopez wants to finish this one by submission but Johnson is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Lopez .
Lopez lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lopez .

Lopez jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Johnson manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Johnson is trying to control Lopez 's posture but Lopez avoids it.

Lopez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Lopez trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcelo Lopez 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!

Johnson misses with a body shot.
Nick Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Johnson gets caught napping as Lopez dives in and scores a takedown. Johnson manages to retain guard.

Lopez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Johnson working for a triangle but Lopez defends it easily.
Johnson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Lopez decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Lopez does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopez gets the takedown into side control.
Lopez working away.
Lopez moves into full mount!
Johnson throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Lopez tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Johnson tries to reverse the position but Lopez maintains control.
Lopez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Lopez unloading with bombs!

Lopez looking to secure an arm triangle but Johnson defends it well.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Lopez is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Johnson is surviving well by controlling Lopez 's body position as best he can.

Lopez working for a submission but Johnson is keeping him at bay.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Lopez stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
A big right from Johnson misses.
Johnson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Lopez 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.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throws a big elbow that misses.
Johnson scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Lopez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lopez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Lopez is proving a slippery customer.
Lopez with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson has Lopez pulled in close to control his posture.
Lopez wants to stand but Johnson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Johnson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lopez .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnson controls Lopez momentarily but Lopez frees himself.

Lopez drops back looking for a leg! Johnson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Johnson manages to kick Lopez off! Lopez jumps back into Johnson's guard.
Lopez stands up over Johnson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lopez stopping the sweep attempt from Johnson.
Nick Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lopez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lopez throws a big elbow that misses.
Lopez trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcelo Lopez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lopez 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 James Ackerman scores the fight for Marcelo Lopez !
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Marcelo Lopez !
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Marcelo Lopez !

Marcelo Lopez wins by unanimous decision!
Marcelo Lopez took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Hashed Fight Attire for their support in the buildup to the fight.