PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between John Iii (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Johnston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Iii could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Joe Johnston's chin.

Iii
vs
Johnston

177 cm
19
159 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
153 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, John Iii!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Johnston!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, James Ackerman and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Iii misses with a hook to the body

and Johnston counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnston.

Johnston gets control of Iii's arms and successfully pulls guard. Johnston will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Johnston is looking to stand back up but Iii counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Johnston.
Well, if Iii is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Johnston wants to get back to full guard.
Iii prevents Johnston from standing back up.
Iii keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Johnston really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Iii. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Iii is thwarting Johnston's attempts to control the position.
Iii is keen to just control but Johnston is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because John Iii wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Johnston clinches up with Iii and pushes him back against the cage.

Johnston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Iii misses with a takedown attempt - Johnston sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Iii shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnston sprawls well. Johnston wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Iii gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnston blocks a head kick by Iii.
Nice sprawl there from Johnston as Iii shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Iii. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Johnston shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Iii napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Johnston trying to control the action but Iii is working from the bottom.
Iii sneaks back into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston wants to advance to full mount but Iii doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

Johnston gets to his feet. Iii looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Johnston moves into range and clinches up with Iii.
Johnston lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Iii backwards.
Johnston comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Johnston.

Johnston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Iii moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Iii shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnston sprawls well. Johnston wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Iii gets slowly back to his feet.

Johnston closes the distance and pushes Iii back into the cage.
Iii tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Johnston smiles and moves away.
A head kick misses from Johnston.
Iii is trying hard to land a takedown here. Johnston sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Johnston avoids the head kick by Iii.
Iii with a poor takedown
and Johnston counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Iii is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Iii.
Johnston shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Iii but Iii pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Johnston moves into the clinch.

Johnston breaks the clinch.

Iii has taken the fight to the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnston lands an elbow inside.
Johnston creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Iii's defenses.
Johnston lands an uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Iii tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Johnston jumps guard and drags Iii to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Johnston is trying to keep Iii in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Johnston dominated that round.
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.

A head kick misses from Iii.
Johnston tries to score a power double leg takedown but Iii sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnston somewhat.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Johnston.

Johnston stands up.
John Iii seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnston leaves Iii with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Iii takes a jab right on the kisser.

Johnston gets tackled into the cage by Iii. Iii maintains the clinch.
Johnston connects with a nasty looking knee right to Iii's face.

It looks like John Iii has been cut.
Iii is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnston has double underhooks.
The referee calls for Johnston to work.
Johnston digs a right hand underneath Iii's ribcage. Iii let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Iii has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Johnston is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Johnston jumps into guard, dragging Iii to the mat.
Johnston is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Iii is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Iii sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Iii stopping the sweep attempt from Johnston.
Iii's corner is telling him to maintain position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

John Iii has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Iii shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnston sprawls well. He's pushed Iii's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Iii. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Iii is trying hard to land a takedown here. Johnston sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Johnston closes this distance looking for a takedown but Iii circles away.
Iii shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Johnston but Johnston pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnston closes the distance and clinches.
Iii is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Iii wants a takedown but no success here.
Iii tries to circle away but Johnston has him pinned against the cage.
Johnston lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Iii takes an elbow to the forehead.

Johnston drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnston keeping moving, preventing Iii from controlling successfully.
Iii passes Johnston's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Iii is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Johnston sees it coming and defends easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnston makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Iii closes the distance and clinches up with Johnston, looking for a takedown. Iii pushes Johnston against the cage but Johnston circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Iii rushes Johnston and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Johnston manages to pull guard.
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!
Iii prevents Johnston from getting back to his feet.
Johnston is breathing heavily.
Iii has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnston is proving hard to escape from.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnston keeping moving, preventing Iii from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Johnston showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Iii's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Iii tries to work over Johnston's front leg with a kick but Johnston checks it.

Iii fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnston, pushing him back against the cage.
The referee calls for Johnston to work.

Johnston decides to pull guard.
Iii throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnston keeping moving, preventing Iii from controlling successfully.
Iii passes Johnston's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Johnston trying to control here.
Johnston is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Iii postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Johnston to stand up.
Iii shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnston counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Johnston closes the distance and clinches.
Iii is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Johnston jumps guard and drags Iii to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Johnston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnston takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Iii passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Joe Johnston has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnston tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Iii presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Iii throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Johnston prevents Iii from getting a body triangle.
Iii scores with punches and elbows.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Iii misses with a punch to the head.
Iii misses with punches from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnston defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Even with his hooks in, Iii manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Iii is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Johnston has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Iii tries to keep control of the position but Johnston is staying busy.
Johnston avoids the strikes from Iii.
Will Iii go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Iii has the hooks in. Johnston is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Johnston trying to get back to his feet but Iii is in full control for now.

Iii is looking for the choke from the back position but Johnston is controlling his hands well.

Iii looking for the choke but no joy.
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.
Johnston tries to escape the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Iii showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Johnston 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Johnston!