PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jack Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Conroy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Conroy comes into a darkened arena with his song building. AC/DC - Big Balls kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Johnson
vs
Conroy

165 cm
32
147 lbs
14 - 14 - 0

163 cm
23
148 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 14 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jack Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bruce Conroy!
The judges for this bout are Josh West, Micheangelo Fripello and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Conroy.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson scores with a jab.
Conroy catches Johnson with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Johnson blocks a head kick by Conroy.
Johnson ducks under a wild hook from Conroy.
Johnson lands with a straight right. Conroy didn't see that one coming.
Conroy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Conroy stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Conroy wants it to stay on the feet.
Johnson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Conroy is looking to clinch.
Conroy tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Conroy throws a lazy head kick

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown. Conroy fights it but they end up in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Conroy wants to sweep but no luck.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Conroy's guard.
Johnson thows a huge punch but Conroy dodges it nicely.
Conroy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Johnson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Johnson wants to free his trapped foot but Conroy is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Johnson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Conroy sees it coming and defends easily.
Johnson is controlling the pace.

Johnson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Conroy is just riding it out for now. Johnson eventually gives up the hold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Conroy is staying active underneath Johnson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Johnson wants to free his trapped foot but Conroy is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Conroy avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Johnson.
Johnson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Conroy has managed to free his arm - good work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson is just content to waste time from the top position. Conroy takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Conroy is retaining full guard.
Conroy keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Conroy keeps moving.

Jack Johnson has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Conroy manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Nice takedown defense from Conroy. No joy for Johnson on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conroy showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnson.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Conroy misses with a head kick.
A head kick by Conroy misses
and Johnson counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Johnson checks the leg kick nicely there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Johnson scores with a nice strike.
Nice sprawl there from Conroy as Johnson shoots in.
Conroy tries a low kick but Johnson avoids it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Conroy does a little dance to reset his feet.
A leg kick checked by Johnson.
Johnson tries to bum rush Conroy with a series of wild strikes but Conroy uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Conroy clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
Conroy wants to stall.
Conroy misses with a knee strike.
Johnson is working for takedown but Conroy is calmly controlling the position for now.
Johnson is looking to take this one to the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Conroy missing with knees to the body.
Johnson wants a takedown but no success here.
Conroy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Johnson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Conroy throws an elbow that misses.
Johnson managing to block the knees to the body from Conroy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Conroy trying to land knees to the body.
Conroy is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Johnson is defending well for now.
Johnson takes a knee to the side of the body.
Conroy trying to land knees to the body.

Johnson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Conroy clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Johnson scores with punches to the body.

Johnson working for the choke.
What can Conroy do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson punches the canvas rather than the man.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Johnson is persistently looking for the submission but Conroy is defending it well.
Conroy covering up well under a series of strikes from Johnson.

Conroy showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Conroy is in bad spot here.

Johnson working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
The referee is taking a good look at Conroy as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Johnson!
Johnson tries to get the hooks in deep but Conroy pushed the leg off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Conroy up.

Johnson has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
I really don't envy Conroy right now.
Johnson throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant 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!

Conroy defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Johnson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Conroy tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Johnson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Johnson postures up in Conroy's guard and throws a big left but Conroy blocks it.

Johnson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Conroy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Conroy has escaped and now he's on top!

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Conroy can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
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.
Conroy tries to stand but Johnson is controlling from the bottom.

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 working for a triangle but Conroy defends it easily.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Jack Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Conroy gets to his feet - Johnson follows without any prompting.
Conroy feints and then cracks Johnson's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Johnson down.
Conroy throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Jack Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Conroy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Conroy is fending him off so far but Johnson persists. Nope, Conroy circles away and we're back to standing.

Johnson feints and as Conroy raises his hands in defense, Johnson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Conroy keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Johnson stands and throws Conroy's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Conroy looking for a sweep but Johnson has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Bruce Conroy has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Johnson is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Conroy has managed to escape the submission attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johnson, 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 Josh West scores the fight for Jack Johnson!
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight for Jack Johnson!
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight for Jack Johnson!

Jack Johnson wins by unanimous decision!
Jack Johnson spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.