PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stevey Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rulon Sanderson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rulon Sanderson will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Johnson
vs
Sanderson

175 cm
22
250 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
22
255 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Great elbows
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Fighters Edge Nutrition and Supplements

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Stevey Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rulon Sanderson!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Dean Styles and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A punch combination from Johnson misses.
Sanderson moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
Johnson tries to bum rush Sanderson with a series of wild strikes but Sanderson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sanderson.

Sanderson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Johnson sprawls well initially but Sanderson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sanderson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sanderson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sanderson.
Sanderson is stalling here. Johnson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Sanderson seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Johnson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Sanderson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sanderson can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Johnson is defending against the submission attempts here by Sanderson.
Sanderson wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.

That's two 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.
Sanderson wants to pass the guard but Johnson is defending well.
Sanderson controlling the action here.
Sanderson trying to pass the guard but Johnson defending well.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sanderson in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanderson seems to be looking for submissions.
Sanderson seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Johnson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sanderson with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sanderson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Sanderson trying to pass the guard but Johnson defending well.
Johnson pushes Sanderson off looking to stand but Sanderson dives back in and keeps control.

Sanderson is looking for a kimura but Johnson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Sanderson to get the leverage.
Sanderson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Sanderson is looking for a kimura here.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Sanderson is taking a breather. Johnson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rulon Sanderson dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sanderson has a takedown stuffed.

Sanderson takes the fight into the clinch.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Sanderson has double underhooks.

Sanderson manages to pull guard.

Sanderson had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Johnson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Sanderson Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Johnson's back instead.

Johnson preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Sanderson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Sanderson is persistently looking for the submission but Johnson is defending it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Even with his hooks in, Sanderson manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Sanderson looking to break Johnson's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Johnson remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Sanderson will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Even with his hooks in, Sanderson manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Sanderson punishes Johnson with strikes from the back mount.

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.
Sanderson controlling from the back.
Johnson looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sanderson lands shots from the back.
Sanderson struggling to land strikes to the head as Johnson covers up.

Johnson defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

Sanderson is looking for a choke. Johnson gets to his feet with his opponent on his back and slams him to the mat. Johnson manages to squirm out of the attempted choke and turns into his opponent's guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Sanderson is looking to improve his position.
Sanderson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Sanderson has his foot on Johnson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnson works his way back into a safe position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sanderson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rulon Sanderson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Sanderson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Sanderson tries to pass.
Sanderson forces his way into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sanderson is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanderson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Sanderson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Sanderson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Sanderson looking to pass the guard.
Sanderson forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sanderson passes to side control.
Sanderson controlling from side mount.
Sanderson grinds an elbow into Johnson's temple.
Johnson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sanderson misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Sanderson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sanderson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sanderson moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Sanderson tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
A lull in the action here.

Sanderson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Stevey Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rulon Sanderson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sanderson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rulon Sanderson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sanderson 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rulon Sanderson!