PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robbie Lawler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Johns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Lawler
vs
Johns

185 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
183 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Robbie Lawler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Johns!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Darius Henderson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lawler takes a kick to the side of the head.

Lawler closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Johns wants to improve his position but Lawler is controlling well.
Johns wants to control but Lawler is keeping busy.
Lawler wants to control but Johns is keeping him busy.

Johns looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Johns is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lawler's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lawler's back!
Lawler tries to roll but Johns sticks to his back.
Johns avoiding Lawler 's attempts to control his hands.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lawler is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Johns trying to control.
Lawler trying to control the hands but Johns won't let him.
Lawler is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

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.
Lawler is trying to break free.

Johns is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Lawler is defending well though. Johns let's go of the attempt for now.
Johns tries to keep control of the position but Lawler is staying busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lawler is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Lawler trying to control but not successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler tries to roll but Johns sticks to his back.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Johns's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Johns has good solid back control here.

Johns has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Lawler has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Lawler looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Johns is trying to stick to Lawler's back but Lawler is turning into Johns. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Johns's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Lawler.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johns is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Johns dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Lawler bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Johns is looking for a sweep.
Lawler working away.

Lawler stands up.

Lawler fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johns, pushing him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawler is trying to pull guard but Johns has him pressed against the cage.
Johns has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lawler fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Johns wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lawler has him pressed against the cage.
Lawler will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Johns up against the cage.

Lawler breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lawler gets a takedown into half guard.
Lawler knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johns on the ground.
Johns gets back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johns pulls Lawler in close to prevent any damage.
Lawler pushes down on Johns's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Johns wants to improve his position but Lawler is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johns is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lawler is looking to take a break and control but Johns is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Johns looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Jack Johns has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johns makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johns.
Lawler wants to control from the top but Johns keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lawler is looking to pass into half guard but Johns pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Johns is in guard.

Lawler wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Lawler is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Johns throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Lawler is looking to take a break and control but Johns is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Lawler is working for a kimura but Johns is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lawler prevents Johns from improving his position.
Lawler controlling the pace.
Johns wants to control but Lawler is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lawler lands strikes from half guard.
Johns trying to control but Lawler postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Robbie Lawler dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Johns throws a head kick that Lawler semi-blocks.

Lawler throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Johns was covering up waiting for the punch and Lawler finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Johns keeping moving, preventing Lawler from controlling successfully.
Lawler scoring with punches to the head and body.
Lawler has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lawler controls from within his opponent's guard.
Lawler looking to sit in guard and control but Johns gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johns stops Lawler from standing up.
Johns trying to control the position from guard on top but Lawler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Lawler manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Lawler tries to pull guard but Johns forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Lawler goes for a takedown attempt but Johns pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Johns looks for a takedown but Lawler sprawls well.
Johns tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lawler manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johns shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Lawler as he avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lawler shoots for a takedown but Johns saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robbie Lawler. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lawler throws a half hearted mid kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johns rushes Lawler and presses him up against the cage.
Johns stops a takedown attempt from Lawler.
Johns prevents the takedown attempt.
Johns is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Lawler gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Lawler wants a takedown but no success here.
Johns can't break the clinch.
Lawler prevents Johns from breaking the clinch.
Johns tries to stall but Lawler uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Johns is stalling here.
Lawler tries to circle away but Johns has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johns tries to score a body lock takedown but Lawler shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Johns jumps guard.
Lawler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Johns wants to sweep but no luck.

Johns pushes Lawler off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Johns shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Johns closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lawler did well to prevent Johns getting side control.

Lawler kicks Johns off and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Lawler clinches up with Johns and pushes him back against the cage.

Lawler pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lawler blocks the body kick.
Lawler shoots in looking for a takedown but Johns manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lawler's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Johns clinches up against the cage.
Lawler tries for a takedown. No joy.
Lawler tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Johns smiles and moves away.
Lawler slaps away a takedown attempt from Johns, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lawler throws a quick counter head kick but Johns was just out of range.
Lawler slaps away a takedown attempt from Johns, before circling back to the center of the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Robbie Lawler.
I think Lawler has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 29:28
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Robbie Lawler!
After the fight, Robbie Lawler was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.