PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Carrol Johnston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rich Assmo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Assmo has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Johnston
vs
Assmo

200 cm
21
346 lbs
0 - 5 - 0

200 cm
25
300 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Carrol Johnston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rich Assmo!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnston shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Johnston showed some decent athleticism there.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Johnston in particular looking to stall.
Assmo is looking to control Johnston's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Assmo avoid being mounted?
Assmo wants to improve his position but Johnston is controlling well.
Johnston could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Johnston stalling away here and it's allowed Assmo to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Johnston stopping the sweep attempt from Assmo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnston controls from within his opponent's guard.
Johnston throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnston pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Assmo is keeping the position for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Assmo looks winded!
Johnston is pushing down on Assmo's leg trying to pass to half guard. Assmo is fighting to maintain full guard but Johnston has managed to sneak the leg through.
Johnston lands strikes from half guard.
Assmo tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ground and pound from Johnston.
Johnston throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Johnston takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston wants to take a breather but Assmo is having none of it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Assmo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Assmo wants to break free but Johnston has control.
Johnston utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Johnston wants to take the fight to the mat but Assmo manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Johnston stalling in the clinch.
Assmo stops a takedown attempt from Johnston.
Johnston lands a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Assmo successfully pulls guard.
Johnston scoring with some ground and pound.
Johnston throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnston controls from within his opponent's guard.
Johnston trying to control but Assmo is working from the bottom.
Johnston trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnston sitting in guard here, content to control.
Assmo keeping moving, preventing Johnston from controlling successfully.

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.
Johnston working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Johnston closes this distance looking for a takedown but Assmo circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Carrol Johnston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Assmo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Johnston manages to avoid it.
Johnston tries to counter by clinching up but Assmo breaks away and moves out of range.
Assmo slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnston, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Assmo closes the distance and clinches.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Assmo jumps into guard, dragging Johnston to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Carrol Johnston will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Carrol Johnston's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Assmo throws a body kick that misses.
Johnston keeps the fight on the outside.

Assmo gets a takedown into half guard.
Johnston works his way to full guard. Good work.
Johnston wants to sweep here but Assmo controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Johnston holds on and takes a little breather.
Johnston wants to stand and escape but Assmo is having none of it.
Assmo is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston keeping full guard, as Assmo tries to pass.
Johnston is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnston is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Assmo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Johnston is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Assmo's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Johnston is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston tries to get to full guard but Assmo has control of the leg.
Johnston wants to get back to his feet.
Assmo is thwarting Johnston's attempts to control the position.
Rich Assmo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnston preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Assmo prevents Johnston from improving his position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Johnston lands but Assmo takes it in his stride.

Assmo shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Johnston napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Assmo stands up and beckons Johnston to his feet.
Johnston lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

Assmo changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Johnston looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Johnston wants to get back to his feet.
Johnston trying to control here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnston is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Assmo jumps into side control!
Johnston taking punishment in the form of punches.
Johnston is letting Assmo control him for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rich Assmo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Carrol Johnston's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnston throws a low kick but Assmo moves out of range easily.
Assmo fails in his attempt to clinch.

Assmo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Assmo remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Johnston is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnston wants to control but Assmo postures up.
Johnston tries to bench press Assmo off him but Assmo keeps the position.
Johnston is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston wants to control but Assmo postures up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Assmo closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Johnston is looking for a sweep. Assmo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Assmo is controlling the pace.
Assmo is trying to control. Johnston wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston tries to roll over but Assmo keeps him under control.
Assmo keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Johnston is looking for a sweep. Assmo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Johnston wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Assmo gets a clinch.

Assmo manages to pull guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assmo trying to keep a closed guard but Johnston is proving a slippery customer.
Johnston trying to control the position from guard on top but Assmo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Assmo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Johnston trying to control the position from guard on top but Assmo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnston controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Johnston scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Assmo is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnston takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rich Assmo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Assmo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rich Assmo!