PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Alvarez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has chosen Had Enough-Breaking Benjamin as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Alvarez
vs
Johnson

194 cm
25
209 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

189 cm
20
205 lbs
0 - 6 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Anthony Alvarez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Justin Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alvarez shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Alvarez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Jeez, both these guys look absolutely knackered already, that's not a good sign!
Johnson throws a head kick but Alvarez moves out of range.
Alvarez looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Alvarez with a poor takedown
and Johnson counters with a leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson lands a nice looking body kick.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Alvarez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Alvarez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Johnson chopping away at his opponent's legs.

Johnson gets a takedown into half guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Alvarez looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alvarez has his hands clasped together around Johnson's back. He's all about the action.
Alvarez moves into full guard.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alvarez is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Alvarez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Alvarez haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Alvarez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Justin Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Alvarez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Alvarez somewhat.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Alvarez on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez gets tackled into the cage by Johnson. Johnson maintains the clinch.
Alvarez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Johnson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Alvarez has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Alvarez is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Alvarez, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Alvarez against the cage but Alvarez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Alvarez has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Alvarez lands a left hand that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Johnson has Alvarez pressed against the cage, preventing Alvarez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Alvarez misses with a knee strike.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Alvarez wants a takedown but no success here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Justin Johnson will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice sprawl there from Johnson as Alvarez shoots in.
Alvarez blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Alvarez tries to clinch but Johnson moves out of range.
Alvarez throws a lazy right hand but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Johnson has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Alvarez fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Alvarez's guard.
Alvarez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson prevents Alvarez from getting back to his feet.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Alvarez keeps moving.

Alvarez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Johnson is aware though and is defending well.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Alvarez.
Alvarez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.
Johnson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Justin Johnson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Alvarez throws a right and a left that both miss.
Alvarez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alvarez throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson dives in and grabs Alvarez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Alvarez pushes down on Johnson's head and hops out.
Anthony Alvarez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alvarez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johnson.

Alvarez clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
Johnson blocks the elbow strike.
Alvarez works on Johnson's body with a couple of short punches.
Alvarez effectively controlling the action here.
Johnson wants a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to land knees in the clinch but Alvarez avoids the damage to the body.
Alvarez stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Alvarez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnson.
Alvarez digs a right hand into Johnson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Johnson's gas tank.
Our sources have told us that Alvarez has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Johnson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Anthony Alvarez will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Alvarez pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Alvarez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnson.

Alvarez has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Johnson regains guard immediately.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Alvarez stands up from Johnson's guard - Alvarez perhaps looking for a knockout.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson blocks a head kick by Alvarez.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnson sprawls well. Johnson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Alvarez gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Alvarez.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Alvarez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch but Alvarez is having none of it.
Johnson looks to land a body kick but Alvarez moved away.
Johnson takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Alvarez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Johnson as he avoids it easily.
Alvarez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Johnson tries to clinch but Alvarez moves out of range.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alvarez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alvarez shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Alvarez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson tries to keep at a distance but Alvarez has taken the fight into the clinch.

Alvarez pulls Johnson into guard.
Alvarez on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Alvarez tries to get out of the position.
Alvarez striking off his back but it's not causing Johnson any problems.
Johnson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Alvarez is proving hard to escape from.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Alvarez is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson preventing the sweep.
Johnson trying to control but Alvarez is working from the bottom.

Justin Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Alvarez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Alvarez stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Alvarez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Alvarez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anthony Alvarez!