PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Johnie Cash (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tzeni Mpotsi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnie Cash has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cash
vs
Mpotsi

165 cm
25
143 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

167 cm
19
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Johnie Cash!
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, Tzeni Mpotsi!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Michael Johnstone and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mpotsi shoots and misses
and Cash counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Cash looks to score with a jab to the body but Mpotsi is just out of range.
A big left from Cash misses.
Cash tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mpotsi was well out of range. Poor timing from Cash.
Mpotsi wants to counter with a clinch but Cash pushes him away.
Mpotsi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cash as he jumps to the side.
Cash misses the shot to the body.
Cash throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Mpotsi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cash is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Mpotsi.
Cash takes a swing at Mpotsi's ribcage but misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mpotsi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cash misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Mpotsi clinches with his opponent.
Mpotsi goes for a takedown attempt but Cash pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Johnie Cash has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tzeni Mpotsi.
Cash takes a swing at Mpotsi's ribcage but misses.
Mpotsi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Cash scores with a shot to the body.
Cash misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mpotsi.
Cash throws an overhand right that lands on Mpotsi's shoulder, as Mpotsi tries to avoid the shot.
Mpotsi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mpotsi takes one to the chin there.
Mpotsi tries to clinch but Cash moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mpotsi fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mpotsi wants to clinch up but Cash keeps it at a distance.
A little feinted left hand from Cash on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Mpotsi defending well as Cash loads up on a big left hand.
Mpotsi doesn't manage to clinch there - Cash circles away.
Cash ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Mpotsi avoids the body shot from Cash.
Mpotsi is looking to clinch.
Cash lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mpotsi at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mpotsi shoots in but no luck this time.
Mpotsi looks to land a combination but Cash avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cash bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Mpotsi's head.
Mpotsi avoids the body shot from Cash.
Mpotsi tries to clinch but Cash is having none of it.
Cash lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Cash just misses with a punch to the body.
Mpotsi doesn't manage to clinch there - Cash circles away.
It looked like Cash was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Mpotsi.
Johnie Cash is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cash throws a jab but it's blocked by Mpotsi.
Cash throws a body shot but no joy.
Cash throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mpotsi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Cash throws a jab when Mpotsi was well out of range.
Mpotsi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cash defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cash misses with an uppercut. Mpotsi saw that one coming.
Mpotsi swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Cash throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Mpotsi tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Cash throws a body punch but Mpotsi moves out of range.
Mpotsi takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Mpotsi shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Cash pinned against the cage. Cash gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mpotsi looks winded!
Cash throws a hook to the side of Mpotsi's head but Mpotsi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnie Cash dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Cash lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Mpotsi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Cash.
Mpotsi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Cash keeps the fight on the outside.
It looked like Cash was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Mpotsi.
Mpotsi is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Mpotsi is rocked!
Mpotsi looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Cash is fending him off so far but Mpotsi persists. Nope, Cash circles away and we're back to standing.
Mpotsi is still on wobbly legs! Can Cash finish him?
Cash scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Mpotsi seems to have recovered his senses.
Cash just misses with a punch to the body.
Mpotsi moves out of range as Cash strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mpotsi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mpotsi is looking to clinch but Cash is avoiding it.
Mpotsi wants to clinch.
Cash is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Mpotsi can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mpotsi avoids the body shot from Cash.
Cash tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mpotsi was well out of range. Poor timing from Cash.
Cash throws out a loose jab but Mpotsi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Cash swings widly with a right hand
and Mpotsi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cash throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cash lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Mpotsi tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Cash defends well and Mpotsi ends up having to push Cash into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Cash swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mpotsi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cash swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Cash misses with a wild body shot.
Cash throws a body shot but no joy.
Mpotsi is looking to clinch.
Cash is looking to counter punch.
Mpotsi throws a left and a right that both miss
and Cash counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Mpotsi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cash paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cash throws a body punch but Mpotsi moves out of range.
Cash is looking to wear down Mpotsi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Mpotsi avoids the body shot from Cash.
Cash fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mpotsi lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cash's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mpotsi slips under a jab from Cash.
Cash jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Mpotsi steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Cash.
A big left from Cash misses.
It seemed like Mpotsi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mpotsi doesn't manage to clinch there - Cash circles away.
Cash keeps the fight on the outside.
Cash swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mpotsi doesn't manage to clinch there - Cash circles away.
Cash looks to score with a jab to the body but Mpotsi is just out of range.
Mpotsi darts in trying to clinch
and Cash counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mpotsi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cash appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Mpotsi tries to clinch but Cash is having none of it.
Cash fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mpotsi manages to avoid it.
Cash misses with a looping left.
Cash works Mpotsi's body with a nice hook.
Cash misses with a straight right.
Mpotsi follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mpotsi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cash throws out the jab.
Cash misses with a body shot.
Mpotsi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnie Cash dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Cash lands a head shot.
Cash throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cash throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnie Cash is winning the standup battle so far.
Mpotsi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cash swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mpotsi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cash throws out the jab.
Cash throws a hook but Mpotsi avoids it easily.
Mpotsi misses with a leg kick.
Cash is looking for a counter combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cash misses with a hook to the body

and Mpotsi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cash won't be happy with that.

Cash bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mpotsi tries to clinch but Cash is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cash misses with a wild body shot.
Cash misses with a hook. Mpotsi ducked under it nicely.
Cash slips a straight right by Mpotsi.
Cash lands a jab to Mpotsi's midsection.
Cash throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cash throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Mpotsi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Mpotsi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cash swats him away and circles back towards the center.
It looked like Cash was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Mpotsi.
Mpotsi fails with a takedown attempt.
It looked like Cash was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Mpotsi.
Cash looks to land a right hand but Mpotsi moved out of range.
Mpotsi doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cash lunges at Mpotsi with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Mpotsi's hand.
Cash throws an overhand right that lands on Mpotsi's shoulder, as Mpotsi tries to avoid the shot.
Mpotsi slips under a jab from Cash.
Cash throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Cash misses the shot to the body.
Mpotsi feints the counter takedown.
Nice body punch from Cash.
Mpotsi is looking to clinch but Cash is avoiding it.
Mpotsi wants to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cash looks to land a left hand but Mpotsi moved out of range nicely.
Cash slips a jab and a cross from Mpotsi.
Cash avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cash lands the left hand.
Mpotsi ducks under a wild hook from Cash.
Cash fails to land with a series of punches.
And Mpotsi tries to counter it with a takedown but Cash pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Mpotsi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cash throws a body shot but no joy.
Mpotsi tries to close the distance and clinch but Cash swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Cash connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Mpotsi's hands.
A big left from Cash misses.
Cash takes a swing at Mpotsi's ribcage but misses.
Mpotsi takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Mpotsi defending well as Cash loads up on a big left hand.
Mpotsi uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cash.
Tzeni Mpotsi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnie Cash is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mpotsi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A quick step to the side and Cash tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnie Cash showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cash, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:26
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:26
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnie Cash!