Fight Club - LV 1 PBP Commentary

Undercard bout

Co-main event

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johnson
vs
Taylor

155 cm
20
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

152 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jimmy Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tim Taylor!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnson gets a clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Taylor pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Taylor swinging wilding here.
Johnson is looking to clinch.
Tim Taylor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taylor throws a low kick but Johnson avoids it.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taylor as he jumps to the side.
Taylor swinging wilding here.
Taylor tries to bum rush Johnson with a series of wild strikes but Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Taylor tries to bum rush Johnson with a series of wild strikes but Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A left and a right from Johnson both land. Nice combination.
Johnson connects with a single shot there.

Johnson rushes Taylor and presses him up against the cage.
Johnson could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor slips under a jab from Johnson.
Johnson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Taylor misses with a combination

and Johnson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Taylor manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Taylor swings widly with a right hand
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Taylor throws a combination that misses
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Taylor takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Taylor throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Johnson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnson gets underhooks to prevent Taylor's takedown attempt.
Taylor looks gassed!
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Taylor keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson keeps control of Taylor as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
No joy there for Taylor, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to clinch.
Taylor avoids the body shot from Johnson.
Taylor clinches but Johnson breaks the clinch

and Johnson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Taylor keeps him there for the moment.
Come on Johnson - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Taylor thinking.
A jab from Johnson misses.
Taylor misses with a kick to the body

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.

Taylor breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Taylor avoids the body shot from Johnson.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson pulls guard.
Taylor preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Taylor's guard.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson postures up in Taylor's guard and throws a big left but Taylor blocks it.
Johnson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Taylor is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.

That's four 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.

Johnson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Taylor misses with a double jab
and Johnson counters with a right hand to the body.
Taylor thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Johnson if he has to take too many more of those.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

and Johnson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Taylor!
Johnson can't control as he wanted to and Taylor manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Johnson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson tries to clinch but Taylor is having none of it.
Johnson lands a slapping body shot.
Taylor keeps the fight on the outside.

Johnson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Johnson scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Johnson postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Taylor to stand up.
Johnson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Taylor is fending him off so far but Johnson persists. Nope, Taylor circles away and we're back to standing.
Taylor on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Johnson 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.
Johnson misses with an uppercut.
Taylor misses with a left hand

and Johnson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Taylor gets caught flat footed, as Johnson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Taylor can do anything to dispel that myth.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Taylor has a closed guard, preventing Johnson from standing up.
Taylor has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Johnson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Taylor's head.

That's two 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.
Taylor looking for a sweep. Not yet Taylor, not yet.

Johnson stands and steps away. Taylor gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Jimmy Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Taylor misses with a combination

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown. Taylor fights it but they end up in guard.
Johnson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson forces his way into half guard.
Taylor tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Johnson trying to control the action but Taylor is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Taylor is looking to improve his position.

Johnson decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Johnson lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Johnson.
Taylor scores with a jab to the body.
Johnson takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson cracks Taylor with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Taylor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnson.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Taylor, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Taylor against the cage but Taylor circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
A cross from Johnson lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Johnson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Johnson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Taylor throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Taylor walks into a jab.
Taylor keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Taylor throws and low kick but Johnson moves out of range easily.
Johnson misses with a combination
letting Taylor counter with a right hand.
Johnson feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Taylor's calf.
Taylor keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnson swings for the body but Taylor moves out of range.
Taylor darts in trying to clinch
and Johnson counters with a two punch combo.
Taylor lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Taylor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Johnson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Johnson.
Taylor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Johnson misses with a head kick.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Taylor throws a lazy body kick

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.
Johnson trying to control the position but Taylor is working away.
Johnson scores with a couple of short elbows.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Taylor can do to turn this around?
Johnson landing a few strikes.
Taylor is trying to buck Johnson off.

Johnson stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Taylor is just out of range.
Taylor lands a jab to the head.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Taylor but Taylor pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Taylor throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
Jimmy Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Taylor is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor trying to control here.
Taylor is trying to control but Johnson manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Johnson throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Johnson trying to control but Taylor is having none of it.
Johnson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tim Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taylor is squirming around, avoiding Johnson's attempts to control the action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Johnson 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Johnson!