PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Endicott Johnson (ranked 5523 p4p, 0 weight class) and Oliver Pickering (ranked 3785 p4p, 411 weight class). Oliver Pickering has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Endicott Johnson's chin.

Johnson
vs
Pickering

166 cm
24
152 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
24
160 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Very quick

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Endicott Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Oliver Pickering!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pickering shoots in looking for a takedown but Johnson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Pickering's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Johnson darts in and clinches Pickering up against the cage.
Johnson struggles to land a body shot inside as Pickering controls his hands.

Johnson is trying to trip Pickering. He has hold of a leg but Pickering is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Johnson persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Johnson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Johnson won't allow Pickering to get back to his feet.

Pickering working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.
Johnson passes Pickering's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pickering is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson is controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pickering wants to get back to his feet.
Pickering trying to control but Johnson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Johnson prevents Pickering from improving his position.
Pickering throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Johnson wants to pass to mount but Pickering is defending the position.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pickering keeps working.

Pickering has one foot on Johnson's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Pickering misses with a takedown

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pickering won't be happy with that.
Pickering stops Johnson from passing to mount.
Johnson working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pickering avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Johnson.
Pickering is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Johnson in side control, just content to control the action for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pickering is looking to regain half guard here but Johnson keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pickering is trying to control Johnson's posture but Johnson avoids it.
Johnson taking a breather here.
Pickering manages to get back to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Pickering manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Pickering wants to get back to his feet but Johnson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pickering trying to control the position.
Pickering lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pickering wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pickering trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Johnson manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Pickering trying to control the position.
Pickering lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Pickering trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pickering wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pickering looking to pass the guard.
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 Endicott Johnson will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pickering looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pickering.
Johnson is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Pickering.
Pickering ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Johnson throws a hook but Pickering blocks it.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pickering's guard.
Johnson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pickering bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Johnson's guard.

Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Pickering wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Pickering tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pickering throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Pickering wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Pickering wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Pickering throwing strikes but missing.
Pickering trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pickering can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Johnson has a closed guard, preventing Pickering from standing up.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Pickering wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Pickering. Pickering gets slowly back to his feet.
Endicott Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Oliver Pickering.
Pickering closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Pickering pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Johnson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Johnson wants it to stay on the feet.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Pickering in a clinch.
Pickering avoiding damage as Johnson throws knees to the body.
Johnson landing knees to the body.

Pickering is fighting off a takedown attempt but Johnson is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Pickering to the mat. Pickering regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Pickering not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pickering bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Johnson's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Pickering looking to control.
Pickering is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Johnson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pickering is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.
Pickering looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Pickering is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Pickering is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson landing with the ground and pound.
Pickering keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Pickering is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pickering wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Endicott Johnson dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Pickering shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Johnson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Pickering looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Pickering wants to control but Johnson postures up.
Johnson cracks Pickering with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Johnson landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
You can see the frustration on Pickering's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pickering is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Johnson off and has taken his back!
Johnson trying to control the action but Pickering just sinks the hooks in.

Pickering working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Johnson defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
Johnson trying to control the action but Pickering just sinks the hooks in.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson 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 Pickering gets his way!

Pickering is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Johnson won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips Pickering off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Oliver Pickering!