PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Walters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnny Walters has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Walters
vs
Sonnen

190 cm
20
179 lbs
5 - 2 - 1

180 cm
25
185 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Johnny Walters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sonnen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sonnen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Chael Sonnen.
Walters takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Sonnen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horrible takedown by Walters or perhaps it was just good defense by Sonnen which made him look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen swings away with a body shot that misses

and Walters counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Walters pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Sonnen is keeping the position for now.
Sonnen wants to stand but Walters is controlling the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sonnen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Walters stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sonnen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Walters loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Walters pushes down on Sonnen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Walters trying to mount his opponent but Sonnen defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walters is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Sonnen sees it coming and defends easily.

Walters is looking for a kimura here.
Sonnen is trying to stand.
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!
Sonnen wants to improve his position but Walters is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Walters is working for a kimura but Sonnen is defending it quite comfortably.
Sonnen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Walters takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sonnen wants to get back to full guard.

Sonnen manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen misses with a looping right.
Sonnen tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sonnen leaves Walters with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Sonnen displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Walters.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Johnny Walters. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice uppercut there from Walters.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen is looking to score with low kicks.
Walters misses with a takedown

so Sonnen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chael Sonnen will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A jab from Sonnen misses.
Walters takes a swing at Sonnen's ribcage but misses.
Sonnen tries for a takedown but Walters sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Johnny Walters seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Walters closes the distance and clinches up with Sonnen, looking for a takedown. Walters pushes Sonnen against the ropes but Sonnen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Sonnen swinging wildly here.
Sonnen misses with a low kick.
Sonnen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sonnen misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walters doesn't manage to clinch there - Sonnen circles away.
Sonnen throws a hook to the side of Walters's head but Walters sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Walters misses with a takedown

and Sonnen counters with a takedown into side control.
Walters tries to improve position but can't.
Sonnen trying to control the position but Walters is working away.

Sonnen decides to stand up, so the ref orders Walters to his feet.
Walters throws a leg kick but Sonnen moved away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walters drives through with a takedown into Sonnen's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Walters looking to pass the guard.
Walters postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Walters is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Sonnen is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Sonnen has escaped and now he's on top!
Sonnen wants to control from the top but Walters keeps moving.

Walters had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Sonnen defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Sonnen trying to control but Walters is working from the bottom.
Chael Sonnen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Walters not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Sonnen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Walters. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Sonnen wants to control from the top but Walters keeps moving.

Walters is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Sonnen defends well.
Walters is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Walters has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Sonnen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Sonnen trying to control but Walters is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Chael Sonnen.
Sonnen will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Walters throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sonnen was covering up waiting for the punch and Walters finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Walters prevents Sonnen from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chael Sonnen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Walters fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
A shot to the body from Sonnen misses
and Walters counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sonnen is defended easily by Walters.
Walters closes the distance and clinches up with Sonnen, looking for a takedown. Walters pushes Sonnen against the ropes but Sonnen circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Sonnen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sonnen prevents Walters from getting the reversal.
Walters tries to lock up and control but Sonnen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Walters regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen is stalling here. Walters is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sonnen seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Walters has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Walters trying to control the action but Sonnen is working from the bottom.

Walters is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sonnen knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Walters misses with the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walters working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Walters is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Sonnen is trying to escape and Walters transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Sonnen is forced to tap! Nice work there by Walters! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Johnny Walters!
An intense looking Johnny Walters took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'I really appreciate the support from all of the fans, and I'd like to thank both of my sponsors, TITAN and Hilo Clothing Company. They've been a huge help allowing me train full time.'.