PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ben Johnson (ranked 5346 p4p, 237 weight class) and Mark Barlow (ranked 5369 p4p, 239 weight class). Johnson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Clash - This Is England. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnson
vs
Barlow

150 cm
25
136 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

170 cm
25
138 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Urban Fighter
IniTech Nutrition

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ben Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Barlow!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Barlow throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Johnson throws a hook but Barlow avoids it easily.
Barlow now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Johnson misses with an uppercut.
Johnson takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Johnson throws the left hand but Barlow avoids the punch easily.
Barlow throws out a counter right but Johnson avoids it with no problem.
Barlow will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johnson throws a poor cross that misses
and Barlow counters with a nice body kick.
Barlow throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Barlow pushes Johnson away with a front kick.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.
Johnson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Barlow.
Barlow lands with a kick to the ribs.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Barlow throws a series of punches but Johnson moves out of range.
Barlow goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Barlow steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barlow misses with a series of wild punches.
Barlow fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnson misses with an uppercut. Barlow saw that one coming.

Johnson darts in and clinches Barlow up against the cage.
Johnson pushes Barlow back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Barlow tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Johnson is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Barlow's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Barlow keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Johnson.
Johnson slips a jab and a cross from Barlow.
Johnson lands with a straight right. Barlow didn't see that one coming.
Barlow misses with a jab, cross combination.

Johnson drives through and clinches with Barlow against the cage.
Johnson lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Barlow backwards.
Johnson lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Barlow avoiding damage as Johnson throws knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson avoiding damage as Barlow throws knees to the body.
Johnson keeps control of Barlow as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Barlow misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Johnson.
Johnson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Barlow trying to stall but Johnson improves his position.
Barlow tries to break free but Johnson pushes him back against the cage.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Barlow throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Barlow moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Barlow misses with a two punch combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Barlow misses the target.
Barlow looks winded!
Johnson throws a body shot but no joy.
Barlow is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Ben Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson misses with a straight left.
Barlow on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Johnson throws a big shot that misses.
Johnson really is a fat lump.
Johnson throws an overhand right that lands on Barlow's shoulder, as Barlow tries to avoid the shot.
Mark Barlow is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barlow avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Barlow takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Johnson misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Barlow counters with a leg kick.
Barlow displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Barlow tries to bum rush Johnson with a series of wild strikes but Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Barlow changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Left hook, right uppercut from Johnson.
Barlow keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnson darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barlow throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Johnson scores with a hook.
Barlow throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.
Barlow fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Barlow tries for a takedown but Johnson manages to get underhooks.
Ben Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Barlow.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a shot to the body.
Johnson misses with a looping left.
Barlow is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Johnson misses with a looping left.
Johnson lands with an overhand left.
Johnson throws a looping overhand right but Barlow ducks down to avoid it.
Johnson throws out a loose jab but Barlow uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Barlow ducks right into an uppercut from Johnson.
Barlow misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.
Barlow throws a right hand that Johnson ducks under and follows up with a left that Johnson also avoids with ease.
Barlow bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson misses with a left hand
and Barlow counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.

Johnson scores with a takedown into Barlow's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson content to stall in guard here.
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 Ben Johnson will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Barlow throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Johnson.
Johnson tries a head kick but it misses.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Barlow is just out of range.
Johnson looks to throw the jab but Barlow is out of range.
Barlow lands a nice looking kick to the body. Johnson takes a step back to recover.
Mark Barlow seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Barlow throws a nice looking combination but Johnson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mark Barlow is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson scores with a jab to the jaw.
Johnson misses with a looping left.
Barlow throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Barlow will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
An attempted straight right counter from Johnson misses the target.
Barlow wants to land a leg kick but Johnson is out of range.
Johnson swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Barlow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barlow throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Barlow is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson throws the left hand but Barlow avoids the punch easily.
Johnson lands a glancing blow to the side of Barlow's head.
Barlow pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Johnson clinches.
Barlow tries to pull guard but Johnson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Barlow is trying to pull guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson misses the jab.
A head kick misses from Johnson.
Barlow moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
Barlow unleashes a big counter combination but Johnson bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Johnson drives through and clinches with Barlow against the cage.
Johnson pushes Barlow back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Good body shot from Johnson.
Johnson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nice shot lands for Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barlow slips a jab from Johnson.

Johnson forces Barlow back against the cage and clinches.
Barlow wants to stall.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barlow can do to turn this around?

Johnson pulls guard successfully.
Barlow stops Johnson from standing up.

Barlow wants to stand up, so he's looking to wriggle free of Johnson's closed guard. He's half up but Johnson has locked on to an arm! Uh oh! Johnson pivots and extends the arm, Barlow falls face first to the mat and taps??... does he?? YES! He's tapping! Excellent counter grappling there by Johnson! Well done that man!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:46 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ben Johnson!