PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mike van Zee (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has chosen Welcome To The Jungle as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

van Zee
vs
Johnson

175 cm
18
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
22
163 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike van Zee!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Tim Johnson!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson misses with a double jab.

van Zee shoots in and bounces Johnson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Johnson working a defensive guard here.
Johnson wants to sweep here but van Zee controlling him for the moment.
van Zee has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
van Zee stops Johnson from standing up.
van Zee wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

van Zee is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Johnson is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Johnson has escaped and now he's on top!
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but van Zee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
van Zee is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

van Zee is looking for a triangle but Johnson pushes his legs off easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson passes van Zee's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
van Zee wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy.
Johnson prevents van Zee from improving his position.
van Zee has hold of Johnson's hands but Johnson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Johnson is controlling the pace.

Johnson stands up out of the half guard.
van Zee looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Horrible takedown by van Zee or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
van Zee shoots in but Johnson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike van Zee. That's going to take a lot out of him.
van Zee is breathing heavily.

Johnson shoots in and bounces van Zee off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Johnson trying to control but van Zee is working from the bottom.
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.
Johnson postures up in van Zee's guard and throws a big left but van Zee blocks it.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnson forces his way into half guard.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and van Zee defends it well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

van Zee actively working from the bottom here.
van Zee is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in half guard.
Johnson works his way into full mount!
van Zee is looking to improve his position but Johnson isn't that keen on the idea.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
van Zee fails with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a big head kick but van Zee shrugs it off.

Johnson clinches up with van Zee and pushes him back against the cage.

Johnson has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed van Zee clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Johnson is working the ground and pound. Can van Zee escape?
Johnson is trying to stick to van Zee's back but van Zee is turning into Johnson. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Johnson's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by van Zee.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnson controlling the position.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

van Zee has his takedown stuffed

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but van Zee is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson advances position into side control!
Johnson controlling from side mount.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but van Zee keeps working.
van Zee tries to improve position but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
van Zee is letting Johnson control him for a moment.
van Zee takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
van Zee tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Johnson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
van Zee wants to control but Johnson postures up.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but van Zee keeps working.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Johnson throws a right hand that van Zee ducks under and follows up with a left that van Zee also avoids with ease.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
van Zee with a poor takedown

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but van Zee is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tim Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.

Johnson tries for a kimura but van Zee is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, van Zee has escaped the position, nice work there.
van Zee is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Johnson off and has taken his back!
van Zee doesn't have the hooks in and Johnson manages to turn into his guard.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from van Zee.
Johnson is stalling in the full guard.

van Zee working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Johnson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

van Zee escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johnson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

van Zee working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Johnson stands and throws van Zee's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Johnson stands up and beckons van Zee to his feet.
van Zee shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mike van Zee. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for van Zee!
van Zee is in all sorts of trouble here.
van Zee tries to lock up and control but Johnson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can van Zee hang on?
Johnson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Johnson forces the positional change into back control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
I really don't envy van Zee right now.

Johnson is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

van Zee has his takedown stuffed

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
van Zee drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Johnson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Johnson pushes van Zee back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Johnson goes for a takedown in the clinch but van Zee prevents it.

Johnson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics van Zee uses from the top position.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. van Zee gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
van Zee stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson looking to control.
van Zee wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.
Johnson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
van Zee trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for van Zee!
Johnson takes his opponent's back. Perhaps a chance to lock up a rear naked choke here.
van Zee turns into Johnson and is now in his guard.
Johnson trying to control the position.
van Zee looking to pass the guard.

van Zee thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Johnson looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but van Zee is defending well. Johnson quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! van Zee has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Johnson celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:03 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tim Johnson!