PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Musfa Caparzo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rashad Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rashad Johnson will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Caparzo
vs
Johnson

166 cm
21
138 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 Amsterdam, Musfa Caparzo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rashad Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Arvi Lind and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Caparzo misses with a few strikes there.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Caparzo sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Caparzo avoids it really well and circles away.
Caparzo throws a series of punches but Johnson avoids them all with ease.
Johnson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Johnson misses with a series of wild punches.
Caparzo tries a head kick but it misses.

Caparzo clinches.
Caparzo swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Caparzo goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Caparzo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johnson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Musfa Caparzo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rashad Johnson.
Caparzo is looking to score with low kicks.

Caparzo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Johnson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Caparzo looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Johnson is avoiding damage well.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Caparzo wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Johnson is pushing Caparzo's head away, looking to escape. Caparzo manages to hold on to the position though.
Johnson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Caparzo wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Caparzo defends easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson is trying to hold Caparzo in close to prevent damage but Caparzo has managed to pass into half guard.
Johnson wants to improve his position but Caparzo is controlling well.

Caparzo is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Johnson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Caparzo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Caparzo is working away from the top position though.
Caparzo wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.

Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Johnson misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Caparzo wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Caparzo.
Johnson wants to improve his position but Caparzo is controlling well.
Johnson regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Caparzo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Caparzo trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Johnson working for a triangle but Caparzo defends it easily.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rashad Johnson will probably get the nod.
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.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Caparzo.
Johnson is trying to control Caparzo's posture but Caparzo avoids it.
Caparzo tries to move to mount but Johnson blocks the move with his legs.
Caparzo working the head with strikes.
Caparzo in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Caparzo is putting a hurting on Johnson here, landing some big shots from side control.
Caparzo scoring with punches and elbows.
Caparzo working the head and body with strikes.
Caparzo working away.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caparzo scores with punches from side control.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson is not content to let Caparzo control the position.
Johnson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Johnson taking punishment in the form of punches.
Johnson keeping his opponent close.

Caparzo decides to stand up, so the ref orders Johnson to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caparzo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Johnson circles away.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Caparzo but Caparzo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Caparzo avoids it really well and circles away.
Caparzo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Johnson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Caparzo accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Johnson controls Caparzo momentarily but Caparzo frees himself.
Caparzo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Caparzo wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Caparzo wants to stand but Johnson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Johnson has his foot on Caparzo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Caparzo works his way back into a safe position though.
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 keeping moving, preventing Caparzo from controlling successfully.
Caparzo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Caparzo controlling him for the moment.
Musfa Caparzo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caparzo tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Caparzo scoring with punches to the head and body.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Caparzo wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Johnson is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Johnson is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Musfa Caparzo dominated that second round.
That's time! Caparzo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Caparzo pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Johnson back to the cage. Caparzo follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Horrible takedown by Caparzo or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.

Caparzo shoots in and gets a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Caparzo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnson is proving hard to escape from.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Caparzo from controlling successfully.

Caparzo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Caparzo defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caparzo wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Caparzo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson is looking to stand up but Caparzo isn't so interested in that idea.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Caparzo controlling him for the moment.
Caparzo passes into half guard.
Johnson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caparzo trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson controlling the position.
Caparzo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Caparzo defends it easily.
Caparzo with a nice head shot there.

Johnson is looking for a triangle here but Caparzo uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to reverse the position.
Caparzo is looking to take a break and control but Johnson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Johnson tries to bench press Caparzo off him but Caparzo keeps the position.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Johnson is trying to get back to his feet.
Johnson is not content to let Caparzo control the position.
Caparzo lands a few punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson gets back to half guard.
Johnson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Caparzo is working away from the top position though.
Caparzo wants to free his trapped foot but Johnson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Johnson trying to control here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Caparzo trying to pass the guard but Johnson defending well.
Johnson gets back to full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rashad Johnson.
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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rashad Johnson!