PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Alec Harvey (ranked 2561 p4p, 3231 weight class) and Uestus Johnston (ranked 318 p4p, 394 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Harvey might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Lemonade - Yungblud & Denzel Curry. Johnston has chosen Clint Eastwood- Gorillaz as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Harvey
vs
Johnston

178 cm
21
155
6 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
157
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alec Harvey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Uestus Johnston!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A shot to the body from Harvey misses
and Johnston counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Harvey ducks under a wild hook from Johnston.
Harvey scores with a nice head shot.
Johnston takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Harvey throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Johnston to counter with a crisp jab.
Johnston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Harvey circles away quickly and effectively.

Harvey throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Johnston tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Harvey is in Johnston's guard.
Johnston controlling the position.
Harvey trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Harvey slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Johnston trying to control the position here.
Johnston keeping moving, preventing Harvey from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harvey's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Harvey is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Harvey wants to control from the top but Johnston keeps moving.
Johnston managing to control the position.
Johnston wants to sweep here but Harvey controlling him for the moment.
Johnston looking to control.
Johnston is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Harvey connects with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Harvey walks into a jab.
Johnston drops his hands momentarily and Harvey takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Uestus Johnston has been cut.
Harvey throws a big shot that misses.
Johnston unleashes a big counter combination but Harvey bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Johnston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnston avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Harvey lands with a shot to the body.
Harvey misses the jab.

Harvey drives through with a takedown into guard.
Harvey preventing the sweep.
Johnston keeps trying to improve his position.
Harvey trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnston is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnston looking to control but Harvey passes into half guard.
Harvey is thwarting Johnston's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnston is defending against the submission attempts here by Harvey.
Johnston is trying to maintain the position but Harvey is very close to passing his half guard.
Harvey wants to take a breather but Johnston is having none of it.
Johnston is trying to control but can't.
Johnston is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Harvey is staying active.

Harvey seems to be working for a kimura but Johnston defends the submission attempt.
Harvey wants to control but Johnston is keeping him busy.
Johnston trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Harvey manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harvey tries to control but Johnston wriggling away.
Johnston is wriggling around trying to escape.
Johnston tries to hold on but Harvey postures up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Johnston can do anything to dispel that myth.
Johnston is looking to get to half guard.
Harvey wants to control the pace but Johnston is squirming around nicely.

Harvey looking for a guillotine from mount but Johnston is having none of it.
Johnston really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Harvey. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Harvey trying to control but Johnston is having none of it.
Johnston tries to hold on but Harvey postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alec Harvey dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Uestus Johnston's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Harvey throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Johnston fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
The crowd cheers as Johnston lands an impressive looking overhand right. Harvey doesn't seem phased though.

Harvey shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Harvey showed some decent athleticism there.
Johnston trying to control here.
Johnston is looking to improve his position.
Johnston has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Harvey is working away from the top position though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnston might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Harvey haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Harvey trying to pass the guard but Johnston defending well.
Harvey sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harvey prevents Johnston from improving his position.
Alec Harvey overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnston keeping control of the position.
Johnston trying to control but Harvey postures up.
Harvey definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Johnston is holding on to half guard well.
Johnston wants to control but Harvey is keeping busy.
Harvey wants to control but Johnston is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Harvey is looking for a kimura here.
Johnston tries to roll over but Harvey keeps him under control.

Harvey is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Johnston is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Harvey is looking for a kimura here.
Johnston trying to control but Harvey postures up.
Johnston is looking for a sweep. Harvey is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is trying to control but can't.
Johnston keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Harvey wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnston keeps working.
Johnston is trying to maintain the position but Harvey is very close to passing his half guard.
Harvey is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnston is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Harvey looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Harvey is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Johnston can do to turn this around?
Johnston has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Harvey is working away from the top position though.
Johnston is controlling Harvey's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnston is trying to maintain the position but Harvey is very close to passing his half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Harvey shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Harvey works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Johnston wants to control but Harvey is keeping busy.
Johnston trying to get back to full guard but Harvey takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Johnston holds on to Harvey as tight as he can, avoiding damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnston is working to get back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alec Harvey dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Uestus Johnston's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Harvey drives through with a takedown into guard.

Harvey is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Johnston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnston is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnston trying to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harvey is stalling in the full guard.
Johnston is trying to control the position but Harvey postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston controlling the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Harvey wants to control from the top but Johnston keeps moving.
Johnston trying to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Uestus Johnston is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Harvey shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Johnston slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Johnston is adopting a defensive guard.
Johnston looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Harvey is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Harvey thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Johnston is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnston trying to control the position.
Johnston being controlled here, momentarily.
Johnston is pulling down on Harvey's head. It's preventing any offense from Harvey, at least for the moment.
Johnston keeping moving, preventing Harvey from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Harvey swings for the body but Johnston moves out of range.
A nice side step and Johnston releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Harvey misses with a hook. Johnston ducked under it nicely.
Johnston throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Harvey doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Johnston rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Harvey moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Alec Harvey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harvey misses with a right hand
and Johnston counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnston ducks under a wild hook from Harvey.
Johnston dips to his left and cracks Harvey with an uppercut!
A telegraphed right hand from Harvey misses the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Harvey. Those never looked like landing.
Harvey misses with a double jab.
Harvey looks to land a left hand but Johnston moved out of range nicely.
Johnston lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Harvey moves out of range of the strikes.

Harvey closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Johnston keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Harvey prevents Johnston from improving his position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Harvey is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Johnston is just riding it out for now. Harvey eventually gives up the hold.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johnston tries to get to full guard but Harvey has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alec Harvey showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Harvey, 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alec Harvey!
During a confident post fight interview, Alec Harvey thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.