PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Franco Murphy Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Toshihiro Mondo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Johnson might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to perfect enemies. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Murphy Johnson
vs
Mondo

193 cm
29
145 lbs
3 - 12 - 0

168 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

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 3 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Franco Murphy Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Toshihiro Mondo!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Hirohito Nitta and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mondo with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Mondo connects with a solid leg kick.

Johnson drives through and clinches with Mondo against the cage.
Mondo looking for a takedown.
Johnson misses with the head strike.
Johnson fails to pull guard.
Johnson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Mondo avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Decent striking displayed by Mondo there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mondo misses with a wild combination.
Johnson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mondo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Johnson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mondo sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franco Murphy Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mondo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Johnson counters with a three punch combo that has Mondo backing up. Mondo nods at Johnson to acknowledge the strikes.
Mondo thumps Johnson with a low kick.
Mondo lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Johnson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Mondo is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Mondo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Johnson's calf.
Mondo throws a sloppy head kick and Johnson moves out of range easily.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mondo looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Mondo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jab from Mondo.
Johnson darts in looking for a takedown but Mondo gets double underhooks and turns Johnson into the cage.
Mondo blocks the body kick.

Mondo shoots in and bounces Johnson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Mondo with a nice head shot there.
Mondo tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Mondo pushes his legs off easily.
Mondo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mondo landing with the ground and pound.
Johnson is adopting a defensive guard.

Johnson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Mondo doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Mondo manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Mondo won't allow Johnson to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mondo is looking to work some ground and pound but Johnson has wrist control.
Johnson looking to control.
Mondo is fighting to break Johnson's control of his arms but Johnson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Johnson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Mondo wants to get back to full guard.

Johnson escapes and gets back to his feet.
Mondo looks winded!
Mondo tries to bum rush Johnson with a series of wild strikes but Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson tries to clinch but Mondo moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Toshihiro Mondo dominated that round.
That's time! Johnson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Mondo is just out of range.

Johnson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Johnson has Mondo pressed against the cage.
Mondo wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Mondo goes for a takedown in the clinch but Johnson prevents it.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mondo defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.
Mondo is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Mondo tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Mondo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnson somewhat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Mondo, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Mondo against the cage but Mondo circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franco Murphy Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johnson moves out of range of the leg kick from Mondo.
Mondo dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Mondo's guard.
Johnson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mondo has control of Johnson's left arm, preventing Johnson from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Johnson would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Mondo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson tries to stand but Mondo is controlling from the bottom.
Mondo looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Johnson puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Mondo is controlling Johnson's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Franco Murphy Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnson controlling the action here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson scores with a one two! Mondo had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Toshihiro Mondo has been cut.
Mondo is breathing heavily.
Johnson shoots for a double leg takedown but Mondo sprawls well. He's pushed Johnson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Mondo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Franco Murphy Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mondo is looking for the big counter here.

Johnson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mondo was covering up waiting for the punch and Johnson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Mondo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mondo wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franco Murphy Johnson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Toshihiro Mondo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Mondo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Toshihiro Mondo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mondo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franco Murphy Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Mondo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mondo.

Mondo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mondo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Mondo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Mondo.
Johnson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Mondo was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnson.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Mondo throws a right and a left that both miss.
Mondo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to clinch.
Mondo throws a head kick that misses.
Mondo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Mondo throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mondo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Mondo throws a nice head kick!
Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Mondo pushes him off.
Mondo circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mondo! But no joy.
Franco Murphy Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mondo avoids a low kick by using good footwork.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking to score a takedown here. Mondo is defending well but Johnson drives through and ends up in Mondo's guard.
Mondo is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.
Mondo keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Mondo is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mondo keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson is really struggling to control Mondo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Johnson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stays in close to Mondo's body and controls the position.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Mondo slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mondo keeps Johnson at a distance using the push kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Toshihiro Mondo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mondo 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Toshihiro Mondo!