PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Johns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kei Noguchi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Johns
vs
Noguchi

186 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jimmy Johns!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kei Noguchi!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Kenichi Hosakawa and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Noguchi goes for a double leg but Johns avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Johns continues to drive forward.
Johns is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Noguchi.
Good work by Noguchi as he checks the leg kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Noguchi jumps guard and drags Johns to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Johns trying to control the position from guard on top but Noguchi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johns showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Noguchi keeping moving, preventing Johns from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johns is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johns looking to sit in guard and control but Noguchi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Noguchi throws a big elbow that misses.
Johns is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Noguchi is controlling him.
Johns looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johns not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Noguchi passes into half guard.
Johns is doing well to control the position and prevent Noguchi from advancing to side control.
Johns is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noguchi wants to free his trapped foot but Johns is holding on for dear life with his legs.
It looks like Noguchi is going to stand back up.
Johns tries to get to full guard but Noguchi has control of the leg.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noguchi misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Noguchi rushes Johns and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johns is trying to pull guard but Noguchi turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Johns is trying to stall.
Johns pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Johns pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Noguchi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johns's efforts to push away.
Johns has had enough of the clinch but Noguchi keeps him there for the moment.

That's four 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.
Johns is working for takedown but Noguchi is calmly controlling the position for now.

Noguchi has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Johns clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!

Johns manages to get to his feet, escaping the difficult position.
Johns gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Noguchi counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimmy Johns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johns jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Noguchi walks away with a smile on his face. Johns gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Johns goes for a double leg but Noguchi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Noguchi continues to drive forward.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Noguchi fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Johns tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Noguchi manages to circle out of the way.

Johns shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kei Noguchi will probably get the nod.
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.

Noguchi scores with a kick to the body.
Johns tries to clinch there but Noguchi circles away.
Noguchi tries to counter by closing the distance.
Johns tries to score a power double leg takedown but Noguchi sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johns somewhat.
Noguchi dives in for a single leg takedown but Johns sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Johns is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Noguchi.
Johns closes the distance looking to clinch
and Noguchi counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horrible takedown attempt by Noguchi or perhaps it was just good defense by Johns, which made it look bad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Noguchi, right into the meat.
Johns on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Johns tries to close the distance and clinch up but Noguchi swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Noguchi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Jimmy Johns has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kei Noguchi.
Noguchi is breathing heavily.
Johns goes for a double leg but Noguchi avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Noguchi continues to drive forward.

Johns drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Noguchi tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Johns biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johns is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.

Johns is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Noguchi is defending well though. Johns let's go of the attempt for now.
Noguchi trying to get back to his feet but Johns is in full control for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Noguchi preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Johns.
Noguchi is in bad spot here.

Johns working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

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.

Noguchi is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Johns gets his way!

Johns is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Noguchi knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Noguchi for a finish.
Noguchi tries to escape but Johns has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Noguchi tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jimmy Johns will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Johns darts in looking for a takedown but Noguchi gets double underhooks and turns Johns into the cage.
Noguchi misses with a takedown attempt

and Johns decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Noguchi's guard.
Noguchi is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johns slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johns stopping the sweep attempt from Noguchi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johns working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Noguchi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johns is controlling him.
Noguchi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Noguchi is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johns striking off his back but it's not causing Noguchi any problems.
Johns avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Johns trying to keep a closed guard but Noguchi is proving a slippery customer.

Johns throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Johns looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Jimmy Johns overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Noguchi content to stall in guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Johns wants to clinch.
Noguchi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Johns defends it well.

Noguchi closes the distance and clinches.
Johns is trying to break the clinch but Noguchi has him pressed against the cage.

Noguchi breaks the clinch.
Johns misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Noguchi moves into range and clinches up with Johns.

Noguchi jumps guard.
Johns in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Noguchi is trying to keep Johns in close.
Johns controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Noguchi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johns gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Johns pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Noguchi is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Noguchi keeping moving, preventing Johns from controlling successfully.
Johns engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Johns with a lazy takedown attempt
and Noguchi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Noguchi throws a sloppy head kick and Johns moves out of range easily.
Johns went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Noguchi defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johns.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jimmy Johns. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Noguchi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johns circles away quickly and effectively.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kei Noguchi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Noguchi 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Kei Noguchi!