PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ron Johnson (ranked 2451 p4p, 4469 weight class) and Thierry Bailly (ranked 257 p4p, 397 weight class). Bailly has chosen MMA Entrance Music / Dustin Poirier as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Thierry Bailly is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Johnson
vs
Bailly

180 cm
25
155
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
145
1 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes musicals

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ron Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Thierry Bailly!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Sandra Marshall and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bailly shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Johnson as he avoids it easily.
Bailly's coach down at Cozad The Island was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Bailly's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Johnson connects with an inside leg kick.
Bailly has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bailly fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Ron Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thierry Bailly.
Bailly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bailly throws a fast counter high kick but Johnson manages to duck under it in time.

Bailly feints and as Johnson raises his hands in defense, Bailly changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Johnson has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Bailly is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Bailly tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Bailly drops back down to his feet.
Bailly changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johnson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson works Bailly's body with a nice hook.
Johnson dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bailly. That did some damage!
Johnson throws a series of punches but Bailly moves out of range.
Johnson fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johnson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bailly on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Johnson swings for the body but Bailly moves out of range.
Johnson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A jab from Johnson does it's job there.
A swing and a miss from Johnson.
Bailly throws a big counter head kick but Johnson avoids it with no problem.
Johnson misses the shot to the body.
Despite the aggression on Bailly's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Bailly moves out of range.
Bailly is looking for the big counter here.
Johnson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bailly shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson loads up on a big right hand but Bailly slips the punch.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Bailly is just out of range.
Bailly is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
Johnson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Bailly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Bailly counters with a body kick.
Johnson uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Ron Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson cracks Bailly with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnson misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Bailly on that attempt.
Johnson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Bailly does a little dance to reset his feet.
Bailly is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Johnson darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Bailly moves away from the strike by Johnson.
Bailly blocks a jab.
Bailly throws a counter combo.
Bailly shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Johnson pinned against the cage. Johnson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Johnson looks to land a combination. Bailly sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Bailly slips a jab and a cross from Johnson.
Despite the aggression on Bailly's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Johnson lands a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bailly dives in for a single leg takedown but Johnson sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bailly or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson, which made it look bad.
Horrible takedown attempt by Bailly or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson, which made it look bad.
Bailly on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Bailly has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Ron Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Donk. Johnson catches Bailly right on the button with a cross.
Bailly takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The fighters circle momentarily. Johnson darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Johnson keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Bailly shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Johnson as he avoids it easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Johnson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Johnson stalks Bailly and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bailly's face. Bailly staggers backwards, shaken.
Bailly ducks right into an uppercut from Johnson.
Bailly takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Bailly staying out of range there.
Bailly throws a counter combo.
The fighters circling - Johnson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Johnson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A big left from Johnson misses.
Bailly shapes to counter with a head kick.
Johnson throws a nice outside leg kick.
Johnson comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Johnson connects with a body shot.
Nice shot by Johnson.
Johnson fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bailly has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bailly takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson scoring well with a low kick there.
Bailly shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Bailly keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Bailly tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bailly takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Bailly looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bailly checks the leg kick.
Johnson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ron Johnson is winning the standup battle so far.
Bailly shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Johnson counter with a right hand.
Ron Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thierry Bailly.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Bailly has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnson keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bailly's efforts to push away.
Bailly looking to slow down the pace here.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson slaps away a takedown attempt from Bailly, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Johnson jabs Bailly to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Bailly gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson lands a nice shot that snaps Bailly's head back.
Bailly walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Bailly feints a counter leg kick.
Bailly takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Decent striking displayed by Johnson there.
Bailly takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Johnson takes a swing at Bailly's ribcage but misses.
Bailly's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Johnson connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Bailly scrambles back to his feet.
Bailly takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Johnson stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Johnson dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Johnson misses with a body shot.
Johnson attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Johnson throws a hook to the side of Bailly's head but Bailly sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Bailly looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Bailly moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
Bailly is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bailly.
Johnson is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Thierry Bailly is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnson is looking to chop away at Bailly's legs.
Bailly shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson connects with a body shot.
Johnson throws a jab when Bailly was well out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bailly! But no joy.
Johnson lunges at Bailly with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Bailly's hand.
Bailly is trying hard to land a takedown here. Johnson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Johnson looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Johnson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Johnson scores with a punch to the head.
A punch combination from Johnson misses.
Johnson throws a shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ron Johnson dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnson misses the shot to the body.
Johnson scores with a jab. Bailly acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Johnson misses the jab.
Bailly throws a counter combo.
Johnson connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Johnson misses with a series of wild punches.
Johnson scores with a jab to the body.
Bailly looks to clinch
and Johnson counters with a two punch combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson leaves Bailly with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Johnson swings for the body but Bailly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bailly fails with a takedown attempt.
Bailly takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Bailly on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Johnson darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Bailly is looking to clinch.
Nice jab there from Johnson.
Bailly fails to land the takedown.
Ron Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thierry Bailly.
Johnson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bailly manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Johnson does it's job there.
Johnson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Johnson wants it to stay on the feet.
A shot to the liver by Johnson. Beautiful body shot.
Johnson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bailly raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Johnson throws a body shot but no joy.
Johnson shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Bailly eats them both and turns towards Johnson to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson swings for the body but Bailly moves out of range.
Johnson swings for the body but Bailly moves out of range.
Johnson throws a body shot but no joy.
Bailly closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Ron Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bailly dives in and grabs Johnson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes down on Bailly's head and hops out.
Johnson connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Johnson fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Bailly on the side of the head.
Jab from Johnson.
Bailly misses with a head kick.
Johnson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Bailly slips a jab and a cross from Johnson.
Johnson is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.

Bailly is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Johnson's half guard.

Johnson has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Bailly is on him like a limpet, forcing Johnson back against the cage.
Bailly takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bailly has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bailly.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Bailly takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Bailly throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Johnson's waist but Johnson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bailly off to one side.
Johnson lands with a nice body kick.
Bailly displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Johnson throws out the jab.
Bailly wants to counter the offense by Johnson and move into the clinch position.
Bailly shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bailly can do to turn this around?
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.
Johnson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Bailly.
Thierry Bailly has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ron Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johnson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:24
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 30:24
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:24

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ron Johnson!
Ron Johnson bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.
Thierry Bailly spoke after the fight, saying 'Despite my loss against an opponent who was tonight better as me a big thanks to my sponsor Savage Fightwear Island and the Highland organisation for having the chance fighting here tonight.Also a big thanks on the great fans and public supporting me.Thanks again !'.