PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johnson
vs
Jackson

176 cm
21
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kevin Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, James Jackson!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, John Kavanagh and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jackson shoots in and drives through. Johnson sprawls well.
Johnson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Jackson is fending him off so far but Johnson persists. Nope, Jackson circles away and we're back to standing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jackson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Jackson tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Jackson tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.
Jackson misses with a takedown

and Johnson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Jackson!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson controlling his opponent.
Johnson thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Jackson is surviving well by controlling Johnson's body position as best he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Johnson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Johnson punching from mount but Jackson doing a good job of avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Johnson goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Jackson turns into him and now he's in Johnson's guard.
Jackson wants to stand but Johnson is controlling his posture from full guard.

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

Jackson stands up and waves to Johnson to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Johnson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Jackson's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Johnson looking to ground and pound but Jackson is blocking nicely.
Jackson trying desperately to get to his feet.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson controlling the position easily from mount.
Jackson wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Jackson looks gassed!

Johnson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Jackson has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Jackson!
Jackson trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Johnson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Johnson tries to clinch but Jackson is having none of it.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Jackson moves out of range easily.

Johnson shoots in and bounces Jackson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Johnson prevents Jackson from getting back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jackson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.
Jackson is breathing heavily.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson won't allow Jackson to get back to his feet.
Johnson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Johnson has Jackson up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson can't get the takedown.
Jackson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Johnson lands an uppercut.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Jackson won't allow it.
Jackson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Johnson.
Jackson avoiding damage as Johnson throws knees to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Johnson.
Jackson blocks the elbow strike.
Jackson missing with knees to the body.
Johnson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Jackson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kevin Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Jackson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Jackson gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Jackson smiles and moves away.
Jackson lands a head kick. Johnson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Jackson tries to clinch

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Jackson is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.
Johnson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Johnson stops Jackson from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Johnson won't allow Jackson to get back to his feet.
Jackson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Johnson controls the pace.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Johnson dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Horrible takedown by Jackson or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.
Jackson tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Jackson scores with a head kick.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jackson as he avoids it easily.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jackson as he jumps to the side.
Jackson throws a nice head kick!
Jackson tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Jackson pushes Johnson off but Johnson dives into side control.
Johnson moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Jackson is trying to buck Johnson off.
Jackson trying to remain calm as Johnson controls from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Jackson for as long as he can get away with.
Jackson bucks up and tries to throw Johnson off but instead Johnson has got his back!
Jackson covering up well under a series of strikes from Johnson.
Jackson looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Johnson lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Johnson.

Jackson showing good submission defense here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Jackson has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Johnson is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Johnson lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson controlling from the back.
Jackson is trying to get back to his feet but Johnson has full control of the position and if anything, Jackson has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Jackson showing good submission defense here.
Johnson biding his time, looking for the opening.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kevin 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kevin Johnson!