PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Francis Valentine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shia Johnson (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.

Valentine
vs
Johnson

193 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Francis Valentine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Shia Johnson!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson misses with a kick to the body.

Valentine closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Johnson is trying to control but can't.
Valentine will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Johnson is pressing down on Valentine's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Johnson working for a triangle but Valentine defends it easily.
Valentine has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Johnson is trying to control the position but Valentine postures up.
Johnson is looking to stand up but Valentine isn't so interested in that idea.
Johnson trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valentine is in close to Johnson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Johnson working a defensive guard here.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Shia Johnson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Johnson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Johnson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valentine keeps working.
Johnson tries to stand but can't do so whilst Valentine controls his leg.
Johnson is thwarting Valentine's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Johnson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Johnson's back!
Johnson manages to reverse the position and now he's in Valentine's guard. Nice work there by Johnson.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Valentine works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Johnson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson trying to control but Valentine is working from the bottom.
Valentine knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.
Valentine not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Johnson preventing the sweep.
Johnson throwing strikes from guard but Valentine blocks nicely.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Valentine has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Johnson is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson managing to block the knees to the body from Valentine.

Johnson gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Valentine holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valentine keeps working.
Johnson is looking to stall here but Valentine recovers full guard.
Johnson trying to control but Valentine is working from the bottom.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Valentine manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Johnson slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Valentine is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Johnson defends it well.
Johnson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Valentine keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Johnson's head.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Valentine controlling him for the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentine cracks Johnson with a solid left hand.
Valentine throws an elbow that misses. Johnson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Valentine's guard. Nice move by Johnson!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shia Johnson dominated that round.
That's time! Valentine's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Johnson drives through with a takedown into Valentine's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Johnson advances position into side control!
Valentine is looking to regain half guard here but Johnson keeps moving and retains side control.
Valentine regains half guard.
Johnson wants to take a breather but Valentine is having none of it.
Valentine is looking to improve his position.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valentine keeps working.
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Valentine really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Valentine is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Valentine is trying to get back to full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Shia Johnson.

Johnson forces Valentine back against the cage and clinches.

Johnson has picked Valentine up - he's going for a ride! Johnson dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Valentine is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Valentine wants to get back to full guard but Johnson has passed into side control.
Valentine pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Valentine is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson wants to control but Valentine is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Valentine to his feet.
Johnson throws a leg kick

and Valentine moves into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Valentine manages to break the clinch.

Johnson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Valentine to the ground. Johnson is now in Valentine's guard.
Valentine looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Johnson trying to control but Valentine is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Shia Johnson was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Johnson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Johnson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Valentine is proving hard to escape from.
Johnson trying to control but Valentine is working from the bottom.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Valentine is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Valentine manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Valentine's guard.
Valentine avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Valentine has wrist control.

Johnson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Valentine keeps moving.
Valentine lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Shia Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson forces his way into half guard.
Johnson prevents Valentine from standing back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentine is trying to get back to full guard.
Valentine is staying active underneath Johnson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shia Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Johnson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Valentine to the mat! Valentine manages to get full guard.
Valentine looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Valentine wants to stand and escape but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnson is pushing down on Valentine's leg trying to pass to half guard. Valentine is fighting to maintain full guard but Johnson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Valentine won't allow Johnson to pass to mount.
Valentine makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Valentine.
Valentine manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Johnson manages to get himself to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valentine preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is still trying to improve position.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Valentine wants to stand and escape but instead Johnson has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Johnson trying to control but Valentine is working from the bottom.
Johnson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Valentine's guard.
Valentine wants to improve his position but Johnson is controlling well.

Johnson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Valentine, pushing him back against the cage.
Johnson avoiding damage as Valentine throws knees to the body.
Johnson is looking to control Valentine's arms but Valentine gets an underhook and turns him. Now Johnson has his back to the cage.
Valentine fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Valentine is trying to break the clinch but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
A frustrated look appears on Johnson's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Valentine jumps guard but Johnson stands there with Valentine around his waist. Valentine gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Johnson misses with a knee strike.
Valentine working hard to break the clinch.
Valentine misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Johnson wants to control but Valentine is keeping him busy.

Johnson decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
No luck for Valentine with that takedown attempt.
Valentine tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Johnson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Valentine's half guard.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Valentine is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Valentine trying to hold on to Johnson's head to control him but Johnson postures up.
Valentine trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Johnson manages to pass to mount!
Johnson takes Valentine's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Valentine is in trouble.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson struggling to keep hold of the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shia Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

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