PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Elmo Lewis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jabari Johnston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnston comes into a darkened arena with his song building. fabulous- breathe kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lewis
vs
Johnston

198 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

196 cm
18
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Elmo Lewis!
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, Jabari Johnston!
The judges for this bout are Joseph Jones, Steve Montenegro and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnston shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Johnston sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Johnston pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lewis is keeping the position for now.
Lewis keeping moving, preventing Johnston from controlling successfully.

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

Johnston clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lewis avoiding damage.
Johnston wants to get back to striking at distance but Lewis won't allow it.
Johnston lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lewis backwards.

It looks like Elmo Lewis has been cut.
Lewis stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A head punch on the inside from Johnston fails to land.
Lewis is pushing Johnston up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Lewis creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Lewis wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lewis is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston letting Lewis take a breather here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Elmo Lewis.
Johnston darts in trying to clinch
and Lewis counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Johnston swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Lewis counters with a body kick.
Lewis moves out of range of the body kick.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Lewis tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Johnston is able to avoid easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is looking to clinch but Lewis is avoiding it.
Johnston throws a right hand that Lewis ducks under and follows up with a left that Lewis also avoids with ease.
Johnston feints a jab promting Lewis to slip. Johnston then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Lewis slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Lewis could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Johnston misses with a double jab
and Lewis counters with a good low kick that Johnston was not able to check.

Lewis gets a clinch.

Johnston breaks the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnston. Lewis does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lewis misses with a takedown
and Johnston counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnston displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lewis.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnston misses with a body punch
and Lewis counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnston misses with a combination

and Lewis counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jabari Johnston dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Elmo Lewis's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lewis doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnston circles away.
Johnston throws a left and a right that both miss
and Lewis counters with a nice leg kick.

Lewis drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnston is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Lewis dives into side control.

Lewis stands up and beckons Johnston to his feet.
Johnston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lewis circles away quickly and effectively.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston throws a sloppy head kick and Lewis moves out of range easily.
Lewis tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnston swivels and escapes.
Lewis avoids a punch combination nicely.
Johnston throws a right hand that Lewis ducks under and follows up with a left that Lewis also avoids with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Johnston rushes Lewis and presses him up against the cage.
Johnston lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Johnston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Johnston throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lewis.
Lewis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnston.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Lewis enables Johnston to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Lewis manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Lewis trying to control the position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston trying to control the position from guard on top but Lewis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnston is fighting to break Lewis's control of his arms but Lewis is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Johnston looks to land a combination but Lewis avoids it well.

Johnston bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is looking to take a break and control but Lewis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lewis is trying to buck Johnston off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jabari Johnston showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Elmo Lewis's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Lewis tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnston swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Johnston drives through with a takedown into Lewis's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Lewis working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnston.
Lewis is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Johnston wants to get up but he can't break Lewis's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Johnston pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lewis is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Jabari Johnston.
Lewis throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lewis using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Johnston has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lewis is trying to maintain a safe position but Johnston gets an underhook and turns Lewis into the cage.
Lewis is pushing Johnston up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Lewis tries to stall but Johnston uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Lewis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnston working hard to break the clinch.
Lewis will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Johnston up against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Elmo Lewis.
Lewis moves away from the strike by Johnston.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lewis circles away quickly and effectively.
Elmo Lewis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No luck for Lewis with that takedown attempt.
Johnston looks to land a combination but Lewis avoids it well.
A head kick from Johnston lands but Lewis takes it in his stride.
Johnston throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston throws a left and a right that both miss

and Lewis counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Lewis.
Lewis is trying to force a seperation but Johnston has the dominant position.
Lewis just leaning against Johnston, taking a breather.

Johnston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnston throws a left and a right that both miss

and Lewis moves into the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Lewis throws an elbow but misses.
Lewis looking to slow down the pace here.

Johnston breaks the clinch.
Elmo Lewis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jabari Johnston is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Johnston misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jabari Johnston comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Johnston winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jabari Johnston!
Jabari Johnston very nearly forgot to thank KAISER Nutrition (160!/220$) amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.