PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sammy Rhodes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hairy 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.

Rhodes
vs
Johnson

168 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Demonic Drugs
Malicious Intent Fight Gear

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sammy Rhodes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hairy Johnson!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rhodes has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
Johnson can't get the takedown.
Rhodes stops a takedown attempt from Johnson.

Rhodes breaks from the clinch.

Rhodes moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
Rhodes is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Rhodes gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

Rhodes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Johnson closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rhodes to the mat! Rhodes manages to get full guard.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Rhodes is keeping the position.
Johnson won't allow Rhodes to sweep him here.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Rhodes is retaining full guard.

Johnson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rhodes looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rhodes looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rhodes!

Rhodes stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch

and Rhodes moves into the clinch.
Johnson fails to pull guard.
Sammy Rhodes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hairy Johnson.
Rhodes stops a takedown attempt from Johnson.
Johnson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Rhodes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rhodes misses with a few strikes there.

Rhodes pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

Rhodes pulls Johnson into guard.
Rhodes managing to control the position.
Rhodes doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

Rhodes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johnson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Rhodes has wrist control.
Johnson pushes down on Rhodes's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson looks gassed!
Johnson trying to advance position but Rhodes counters by regaining guard.
Rhodes is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Rhodes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rhodes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rhodes's guard.
Johnson wants to free his trapped foot but Rhodes is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Johnson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Johnson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rhodes's head.
Rhodes is controlling Johnson's trapped leg to prevent Johnson from advancing to side control.
Rhodes regains full guard. Nicely done.
Rhodes has a closed guard, preventing Johnson from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Johnson is fighting to break Rhodes's control of his arms but Rhodes is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Rhodes pushes Johnson off and scrambles back to his feet.
Rhodes lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Johnson fails with the takedown

and Rhodes moves into the clinch.

Rhodes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rhodes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rhodes misses with a head kick.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Rhodes.
Hairy Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Rhodes forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sammy Rhodes dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Rhodes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
An inside leg kick lands from Rhodes.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Horrible takedown by Johnson or perhaps it was just good defense by Rhodes which made him look bad.

Rhodes has taken the fight to the clinch.
Rhodes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnson.
Sammy Rhodes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hairy Johnson.

Rhodes manages to break the clinch.
Rhodes is looking to slow Johnson down with leg kicks.

Rhodes gets a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rhodes slows down the pace here.
Rhodes lands a nice knee to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnson.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Rhodes takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Rhodes jumps into guard, dragging Johnson to the mat.

Johnson is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Rhodes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Rhodes has escaped and now he's on top!

Rhodes stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Johnson misses with a body shot

and Rhodes counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Rhodes stacks Johnson on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Rhodes!
Johnson is looking to regain half guard here but Rhodes keeps moving and retains side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is looking to take a break and control but Johnson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Johnson's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Johnson sneaks back into half guard.
Johnson wants to control but Rhodes is keeping busy.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Rhodes circles away from the clinch attempt
and Rhodes counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Rhodes feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Rhodes stopping the sweep attempt from Johnson.

Johnson has an active guard here but Rhodes has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes is tying to control. Johnson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Johnson gets full guard.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.

Johnson pushes a forearm under Rhodes's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Rhodes is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Hairy Johnson!