PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Foster (ranked 24057 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Johnson (ranked 5042 p4p, 0 weight class). Abdul Foster has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Foster
vs
Johnson

165 cm
24
193 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
21
194 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Abdul Foster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, James Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yuuki Gou and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Foster avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Foster throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Johnson.

It looks like James Johnson has been cut.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foster shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Johnson defends it nicely.
Johnson tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foster rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but Foster turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Abdul Foster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Johnson.

Foster pulls guard successfully.
Johnson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Foster.
Johnson trying to control but Foster is working from the bottom.
Johnson controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Foster is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Foster wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Foster tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.
Johnson is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Foster, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Foster against the cage but Foster circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Foster tries to counter by clinching up but Johnson breaks away and moves out of range.
Foster could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Foster fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Foster.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Foster darts in and clinches Johnson up against the cage.
Foster is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Foster breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Foster.

Foster has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Foster walks away with a smile on his face. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Foster clinches up against the cage.

Johnson pulls guard effortlessly.
Foster has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Foster would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Foster is proving a slippery customer.
Foster landing with the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnson pulls Foster in to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Foster dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Johnson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Foster misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Foster has managed to clinch.
Foster lands a nice elbow.
Foster unloads a knee to the mid-section. Johnson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Johnson letting Foster take a breather here.

Foster has Johnson pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Foster pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Johnson tumbling to the mat - Foster dives into Johnson's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foster working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Johnson looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Foster decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Foster stalks Johnson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Johnson's face. Johnson staggers backwards, shaken.
Johnson blocks a head kick by Foster.
Johnson feints the counter takedown.
Foster scores with a one two! Johnson had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Johnson uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Foster.
Foster shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Foster holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foster lands a good knee to the midsection. Johnson won't want to take too many of those.
Foster stalling.
Foster slowing the pace effectively.
Foster taking a breather.

Foster turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Foster manages to end up in side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.

Foster is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson wants to control but Foster postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Foster creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Johnson sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Johnson wants to control but Foster postures up.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

Foster is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnson struggling a bit here.

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.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Foster is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Johnson is trying to control Foster's posture but Foster avoids it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Foster clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Foster forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Foster dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on James Johnson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Foster tries to clinch up.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Foster shows good takedown defense.
Foster misses with a head kick.

Foster rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Foster holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
Johnson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Foster smiles and moves away.
Abdul Foster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Johnson.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Foster looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
Johnson is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.

Foster moves into the clinch.
Foster stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Foster walks away with a smile on his face. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Johnson is defended easily by Foster.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Foster but Foster pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Sloppy strikes from Foster. Those never looked like landing.
Abdul Foster seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Foster fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Foster throws a nice looking combination but Johnson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Foster is looking to counter the offense by Johnson and move into the clinch.
Foster tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Foster slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Johnson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Foster swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Foster fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Foster.

Johnson jumps guard and drags Foster to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Foster throwing strikes but missing.
Foster is in close to Johnson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Foster in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Foster avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foster postures up and lands a big shot to Johnson's brow.
Foster throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Foster accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Johnson controlling the position.
Johnson is trying to control the position but Foster postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Foster trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
James Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Abdul Foster is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Foster.

And that's the end of the fight!
Abdul Foster showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Foster has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:26
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:26
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Abdul Foster!