PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Uestus Johnston (ranked 1659 p4p, 1105 weight class) and Rico Cole (ranked 224 p4p, 165 weight class). Johnston comes to the cage accompanied by Clint Eastwood- Gorillaz. Cole comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Gerardo's Rico Suave kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnston
vs
Cole

180 cm
28
166
19 - 11 - 0

182 cm
47
168
42 - 31 - 1

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Determined

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 19 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Uestus Johnston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 42 - 31 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Rico Cole!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Damien Edna and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Johnston.
We've been told by Johnston's head coaches at Shut Up & Train! {$1000} that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Johnston scores with a body shot.
Cole misses with a hook. Johnston ducked under it nicely.
Johnston slips a straight right by Cole.
Johnston swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A jab lands there for Johnston.
Cole jabs Johnston right on the nose. Johnston blinks but takes it well.
Johnston scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Johnston lands a nice shot that snaps Cole's head back.
Cole takes a shot to the body in his stride.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cole wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Cole digs a good body shot into Johnston's ribs.
Cole lands a right hook to the body.
Johnston slips under a jab from Cole.
Johnston swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Johnston lands a jab-cross combination.
Johnston throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Cole stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A big right from Cole misses.
A little feinted left hand from Johnston on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Cole keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnston 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.
Johnston moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Johnston connects with a right hand. Cole shakes it off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cole is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnston.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnston is just out of range.
The fighters circling - Cole throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Johnston scores with a jab to the jaw.
Cole swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Cole takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Cole has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Cole misses the shot to the body.
Johnston lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cole throws a jab when Johnston was well out of range.
A jab lands there for Johnston.
Donk. Cole catches Johnston right on the button with a cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Cole misses with a wild body shot.
Cole takes a swing at Johnston's ribcage but misses.
It looked like Johnston wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Cole walks into a left hand.
A jab from Johnston does it's job there.
Cole walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Johnston lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cole lands a slapping body shot.
Johnston is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Cole takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Johnston scores with a nice right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Johnston.
Cole doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Johnston takes one to the chin there.
Some wild striking there from Johnston.
The crowd cheers as Johnston lands an impressive looking overhand right. Cole doesn't seem phased though.
A big right from Cole misses.
Johnston ducks under a wild hook from Cole.
Johnston avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Cole takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Johnston jabs Cole to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Johnston takes a jab right on the kisser.
Johnston lands a jab to the nose.
Johnston lands a right hook to the body.
Cole misses the shot to the body.
Johnston lands a head shot.
Rico Cole seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnston is just out of range.
Nice jab there from Johnston.
Cole takes a swing at Johnston's ribcage but misses.
Johnston slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cole ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnston moves away.
Johnston lands a really nice looking cross but Cole seems unphased.
Johnston works the jab nicely.
Johnston jabs Cole right on the nose. Cole blinks but takes it well.
Johnston scores with a decent looking hook.
Cole swings widly with a right hand
and Johnston connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnston lands with a cross.

Cole is rocked!
Johnston connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cole. Cole circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Cole is still on wobbly legs! Can Johnston finish him?
Cole has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Cole loads up on a big right hand but Johnston slips the punch.
Cole throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Johnston to counter with a crisp jab.
Johnston connects with a good right hand that stumbles Cole. Cole circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnston throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Cole! But no joy.
Johnston lands a right hook to the body.
Cole seems to have recovered his senses.
Johnston cracks Cole with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Cole fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Johnston manages to avoid it.
Decent striking displayed by Johnston there.
Cole looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnston is just out of range.
Johnston dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Cole gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Johnston lands a lovely overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Cole. Johnston does a little dance to reset his feet.
Johnston cracks Cole with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Cole misses the shot to the body.
Cole pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A punch lands to the side of Cole 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Johnston works Cole's body with a nice hook.
Cole looks winded!
Johnston slips a jab from Cole.
Jab by Johnston.
Johnston throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Cole on the side of the head.
Johnston scores with a jab to the head.
Jab by Johnston.
Good exchange - Johnston coming out on top.
Johnston lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Johnston lands with an overhand left.
Johnston scores with a hook to the body. Cole takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Nice defenses there by Johnston.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnston cracks Cole with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Johnston moves out of range as Cole strikes.
Cole misses with an uppercut.
Johnston lands the left hand.
Cole throws a jab when Johnston was well out of range.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Uestus Johnston dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Johnston cracks Cole with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Johnston ducks under a wild hook from Cole.
Cole takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Johnston with a hook.
Cole throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johnston appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Cole thows a left - swing and a miss!
Johnston connects with a jab.
Cole looks to land a right hand but Johnston moved out of range.
Johnston paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cole throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnston sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Johnston on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Johnston works the jab nicely.
A jab lands there for Johnston.
Cole misses the shot to the body.
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!
Cole misses with a hook.
Johnston fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Cole throws a hook but Johnston avoids it easily.
Johnston scores with a hook.
Cole scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Johnston lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Cole misses with a body shot.
Johnston displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Cole throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Johnston coming out on top.
Johnston uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Cole.
Johnston bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Johnston scores with a jab to the head.
Johnston lands with a cross.
Cole misses with a looping right.
Johnston bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Cole's head.
Cole throws a predictable looking body shot
and Johnston counters with a stiff right hand.
Cole is breathing heavily.
A big left from Cole misses.
Johnston throws a big counter combination but Cole scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Cole just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnston lands with a cross.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Cole might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Johnston has got the better of the exchanges.
Johnston connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cole's hands.
Johnston bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
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!
Johnston scores with a jab to the body.
Johnston throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Johnston lands with a good body shot.
Cole misses the shot to the body.
Johnston scores with a crisp jab that stopped Cole in his tracks.
Johnston connects with a right hand. Cole shakes it off.
A big left from Cole misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston thuds his right hand into Cole's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Johnston ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Johnston lands a nice shot to the body.
Nice uppercut there from Cole.
Johnston scores with a hook to the body. Cole takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Johnston lands with a nice body punch.
Uestus Johnston is winning the standup battle so far.
Cole misses with a wild body shot.
Johnston swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Cole.
A jab from Cole misses.
Johnston connects with a body shot that sends Cole's belly button to the back.
Cole misses with a straight left.
Johnston keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Johnston lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Johnston takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Cole with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Johnston to score with a decent uppercut.
Decent striking displayed by Johnston there.
Today's fight clock is brought to you by... OOOH that's a huge shot by Johnston! Cole is in big trouble here - the ref steps in to save him and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:54 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Uestus Johnston!
Uestus Johnston spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.