PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Walker (ranked 3215 p4p, 358 weight class) and Zach Assad (ranked 3995 p4p, 413 weight class). Zach Assad has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Johnny Walker's chin.

Walker
vs
Assad

175 cm
25
170 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

175 cm
25
161 lbs
9 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Organic Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Johnny Walker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zach Assad!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Joseph Jones and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Assad misses with a hook.
Walker is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Assad.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Walker checks a leg kick.
Assad blocks a head kick by Walker.
Assad throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Walker sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Assad missing with a left hand there. Walker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Assad throws a lazy right hand but Walker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Assad throws a right and a left that both miss.
Assad throws a lazy right hand but Walker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Assad has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Walker missing with a left hand there. Assad was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Assad on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Assad throws a shot to the body.
Walker fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Assad.
Some wild striking there from Walker.
Walker has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Assad finds it's way round the side to connect with Walker's head.
Zach Assad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A slow jab from Assad misses its intended target.
Assad scores with a sloppy right hand. Walker should have avoided that one.
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!
Assad throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Assad takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker connects with a nice looking jab.
Walker takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Assad throws a hook to the side of Walker's head but Walker sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Assad tries to work over Walker's front leg with a kick but Walker checks it.
Walker lands with a cross.
Assad tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Walker tries to clinch up but Assad circles away and keeps his distance.
Walker cracks Assad with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Assad keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Walker.
Walker throws a right hand that Assad ducks under and follows up with a left that Assad also avoids with ease.
Assad misses with a two punch combination.
Walker throwing a counter right hand but Assad manages to avoid it.
Assad takes a swing at Walker's ribcage but misses.
Assad doesn't manage to clinch there - Walker circles away.
Walker seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
A jab from Assad misses.
As Assad looks to move away, Walker throws a big counter combo but Assad just gets out of the way.
Assad throws a shot from downtown. Walker moves away and avoids it.
Walker on the wrong end of a nice hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Assad on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Assad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Walker manages to avoid it.
Walker bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Assad pushes Walker up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walker lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Walker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Walker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Assad throws a low kick but Walker avoids it.
Walker takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Walker lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Walker steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Assad.
Nice defenses there by Walker.
Walker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Assad fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Walker fails with an attempt to clinch.
Assad uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Walker.
Assad bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd cheers as Assad lands an impressive looking overhand right. Walker doesn't seem phased though.
Walker throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Assad connects with a good right hand that stumbles Walker. Walker circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Assad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Assad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assad looks to land a right hand but Walker moved out of range.
Walker moves forwards but Assad connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Walker displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Walker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Walker is looking to counter the offense by Assad and move into the clinch.
Assad moves out of range as Walker strikes.
Assad throws a body shot but no joy.
Assad uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Walker.
Good standup being displayed there by Assad as he connects with a hook.
Assad avoids the body shot from Walker.
Assad tries to clinch up.
Walker throws a right and a left that Assad avoids nicely.

Walker tries to keep at a distance but Assad has taken the fight into the clinch.
Assad fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Walker throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Assads head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Walker blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Walker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Walker lands a shot to the body.
Walker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Walker has had enough of the clinch but Assad keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Assad misses with the head strike.
Walker avoids the elbow strike from Assad, against the cage.

Walker breaks from the clinch.
Walker listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Walker looks to land a right hand but Assad moved out of range.
Assad ducks under a wild hook from Walker.
Assad circles away from the clinch attempt.
Assad misses with a right hand
and Walker counters with a left and a right that stings Assad.
Assad throws the left hand but Walker avoids the punch easily.
Assad throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Walker sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Assad scores with a body shot.
Walker moves into range and connects with a jab.
Assad wants to clinch but Walker slips to the side
and Walker counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Walker misses with a straight left.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A telegraphed right hand from Assad misses the target.
Walker works the jab nicely.

Assad forces Walker back against the cage and clinches.
Assad lands a hook that snaps the head of Walker backwards.
Assad throws a punch but it's blocked by Walker.
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 Johnny Walker will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Walker misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Assad works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Assad tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Walker steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Assad.
Walker scores with a decent looking hook.
Assad throws a jab but it's blocked by Walker.
Assad throws a looping overhand right but Walker ducks down to avoid it.
Assad throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Assad misses with an uppercut. Walker saw that one coming.
Assad lands a jab.
Assad swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Johnny Walker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Assad wants to slow Walker down by chopping away at his legs.
Walker is looking to counter the offense by Assad and move into the clinch.
Walker jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Assad waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Walker.
Walker shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Walker lands a leg kick that knocks Assad off balance momentarily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Assad misses with a right hand
and Walker counters with a nice uppercut.
Assad fails to land with a series of punches.
Walker misses with a low kick as Assad jumps back.
Assad misses with a hook
and Walker counters with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker avoids a punch combination nicely.
Walker misses with a jab, cross combination.
Walker swinging wildly here.
Assad throws a big shot that misses.
Walker misses with a jab, cross combination.
Assad uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Walker.
Assad tried to score with a low kick but Walker checks it.
Assad looks to score with a jab to the body but Walker is just out of range.
Assad swats away the attempt to clinch by Walker.
Assad waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Walker.
As Assad looks to move away, Walker throws a big counter combo but Assad just gets out of the way.

Assad moves into range and clinches up with Walker.
Walker wants to get back to striking at distance but Assad won't allow it.
Assad throws a punch but it's blocked by Walker.
Assad fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Assad lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Walker backwards.
Assad working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Walker misses with a wild body shot.
Assad pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
An attempted straight right counter from Walker misses the target.
Walker defending well as Assad loads up on a big left hand.
It looked like Walker wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Assad thows a left - swing and a miss!
A bone on bone clash there as Walker blocks the leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Walker moves out of range of the strikes.
Assad moves away from the strike by Walker.
Assad ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Walker moves away.
It looked like Walker wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Assad throws out a loose jab but Walker uses good head movement to avoid it.
Walker feints a jab promting Assad to slip. Walker then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Assad slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Walker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Assad moves out of range of the body kick.
Walker looks to land a right hand but Assad moved out of range.
Walker throws a body punch but Assad moves out of range.
Assad misses with a hook
and Walker counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Walker keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Assad.
Assad throws a series of punches but Walker avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Assad finds it's target.
Walker ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Assad is looking to chop away at Walker's legs.
A shot to the body from Assad misses

and Walker counters by clinching up.
Zach Assad seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Walker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Walker on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Assad throws the left hand but Walker avoids the punch easily.
Walker throws a lazy right hand but Assad sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Assad misses the jab.
Walker throws a shot to the body.
Assad misses with a left hand
and Walker cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A jab from Assad misses.
Walker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Assad looks to land a right hand but Walker moved out of range.
Walker looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Assad takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Walker misses the shot to the body.
A slow jab from Assad misses its intended target.
Assad walks into a stiff left hand from Walker.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walker misses with a wild body shot.
Assad gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Assad moves into the clinch.

Walker pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Walker wants to clinch up but Assad keeps it at a distance.
Assad missing with a left hand there. Walker was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Assad clobbers Walker with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Assad ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Walker moves away.
Assad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Assad instigates a clinch.
Walker lands a body punch in the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Assad.
Assad fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Assad can't find room to land a body shot as Walker controls the action.
Assad lands an elbow just above Walker 's eye.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Walker is trying to break the clinch but Assad is controlling him.
Assad looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Assad misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Zach Assad will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Walker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

A looping hook to the body misses from Assad. Walker does a little dance to reset his feet.
Walker uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Assad.
Good work by Walker as he checks the leg kick.
Good leg kick by Assad there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Johnny Walker is winning the standup battle so far.
Walker moves away from the strike by Assad.
Walker moves into range and connects with a jab.
Walker lands the left hand.
Walker throws a leg kick but Assad sees it coming and moves out of range.
Walker doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Assad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Walker swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The fight stays on the outside here - Assad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Walker throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Nice defenses there by Walker.
Walker was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Assad has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Walker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Assad.
Walker ducks under a wild hook from Assad.
Assad throws a hook but Walker blocks it.
Walker is looking to counter with head kicks.
Assad lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker misses with an uppercut. Assad saw that one coming.
Walker finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Assad dodges the punch combination from Walker.
Assad is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Walker with a body shot.
Assad ducks under a wild hook from Walker.
Walker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Assad.
Walker slips under a jab from Assad.
Walker tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Assad paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Assad tries to work over Walker's front leg with a kick but Walker checks it.
Walker moves out of range of the strikes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Assad looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Walker wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Nice defenses there by Assad.
Donk. Walker catches Assad right on the button with a cross.
Assad tries to clinch but Walker moves out of range.
Danga de danga de dang - Walker scores with a four punch combination!
Walker ducks under a wild hook from Assad.
Assad looks to land a left hand but Walker moved out of range nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Assad connects with a nice looking jab.
Walker lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
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!
Walker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A little feinted left hand from Walker on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Assad takes a swing at Walker's ribcage but misses.
Assad walks into a jab.
Assad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Assad misses with a low kick.
Assad tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Walker was well out of range. Poor timing from Assad.
Walker lands a jab.
A bone on bone clash there as Assad blocks the leg kick.
Walker swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Walker throws a hook but Assad avoids it easily.
Walker slips under a jab from Assad.
Walker throws an overhand right that lands on Assad's shoulder, as Assad tries to avoid the shot.
Assad steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Walker.
A jab from Walker misses.
Walker tries to land a front kick but Assad steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Walker is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Assad.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Assad throws the left hand but Walker avoids the punch easily.
Walker uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Assad.
Assad misses with a hook. Walker ducked under it nicely.
Walker looks to land a combination but Assad avoids it well.
Assad swinging wildly here.
Assad pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Walker gets a clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Walker.
Assad misses with a short punch on the inside.
Assad scores with a nice hook to the head.
Assad fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Assad lands a shot to the body.
Walker wants to break free but Assad has control.
Walker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Assad misses with a punch on the inside.
Walker is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Assad misses with the head strike.

Walker escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Assad closes the distance and clinches.
Walker working hard to break the clinch.
Assad can't find room to land a body shot as Walker controls the action.
Walker blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Walker blocking some punches.
Walker lands with a short shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Still in the clinch, Assad scores with a nice short uppercut.
Walker blocks an elbow strike.
Assad misses with a short punch on the inside.
Assad working aggressively here.
Assad throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Assad fails to land.
Assad swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Walker lands a left hand.

Walker's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Walker throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Assad tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Assad throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Walker throwing a counter right hand but Assad manages to avoid it.

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 Johnny Walker.
I think Walker 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:28

The fight is ruled a draw!