PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chris John (ranked 298 p4p, 708 weight class) and Finlay Standifer (ranked 49 p4p, 105 weight class). John comes to the cage accompanied by Don't Stop Me Now. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Finlay Standifer enters the cage!

John
vs
Standifer

178 cm
22
160
10 - 1 - 0

172 cm
22
160
9 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris John!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Finlay Standifer!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Viktor Lagutenko and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Standifer misses with a looping right.
John lands a nice shot to the body.
John jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Standifer staying out of range there.
Standifer throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Standifer comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
John stalks Standifer and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Standifer's face. Standifer staggers backwards, shaken.
Standifer throws a shot to the body.
Standifer throws a lazy uppercut
and John counters with a lovely straight right hand!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Standifer tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. John manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Standifer loads up on a big right hand but John slips the punch.
Standifer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from John.
John walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Standifer swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Standifer fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but John avoids it really well and circles away.
John uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Standifer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John ducks under a wild hook from Standifer.
Standifer takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A looping hook to the body misses from Standifer. John does a little dance to reset his feet.
Standifer uses good head movement to avoid the hook from John.

Standifer gets tackled into the cage by John. John maintains the clinch.
John scores with an uppercut up the middle.

John pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Standifer moves out of range of the body kick from John.
Standifer drops down looking to force a counter takedown but John defends it well.
Standifer blocks a head kick by John.
Standifer throws a shot from downtown. John moves away and avoids it.
John uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Standifer.
John lands a nice shot to the body.
John scoring well with a low kick there.
Standifer takes a body punch but keeps moving.
John connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
John misses with a body shot.
We've been told by John's head coaches at Champion Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts John, as that shot connected.
Standifer closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John throws a jab but it's blocked by Standifer.
Standifer with the counter takedown but John avoids it easily.
Standifer shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Standifer throws a left and a right that both miss
and John counters with a right hand to the body.
Standifer shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as John sprawls well. John wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Standifer gets slowly back to his feet.
Chris John has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finlay Standifer.
John ducks under a wild hook from Standifer.
John throws a low kick but Standifer avoids it.
John throws a nice outside leg kick.
John moves out of range as Standifer strikes.
John throws a head kick but Standifer moves out of range.
John getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
John missing with a left hand there. Standifer was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Standifer feints the counter takedown.
Standifer lands with a shot to the body.
Standifer checks the leg kick nicely there.
John throws a jab but it's blocked by Standifer.
Standifer lands a right hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer misses with a few strikes there.
John is looking to clinch.
Standifer is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
John with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

John gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
John lands an uppercut.
John is trying to push Standifer away but Standifer has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Standifer pulls guard effortlessly.

Standifer is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
John preventing the sweep.
Standifer has a closed guard, preventing John from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Standifer controls John momentarily but John frees himself.
John postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
John trying to stand up but can't free himself from Standifer's guard.
Standifer is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Standifer looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
John throwing strikes from guard but Standifer blocks nicely.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Standifer is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
John tries to free his leg and advance position but Standifer is retaining full guard.
John wants to stand but Standifer is controlling his posture from full guard.
Standifer working a defensive guard but John manages to pass into side control anyway.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chris John dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

John looks to score with a jab to the body but Standifer is just out of range.
John lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Standifer tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
John takes a swing at Standifer's ribcage but misses.
And Standifer tries to counter it with a takedown but John pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Standifer scores with a shot to the body.
Nice cross by Standifer.
Standifer misses with a straight right.
Good shot there by Standifer.
John misses the jab.
Standifer shoots in for a takedown but John shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
John's corner calls for a 1-2. John obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Standifer throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
John connects with the punch.
John avoids the body shot from Standifer.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A combination from Standifer does no damage.
John takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Standifer shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts John as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A slow jab from John misses its intended target.
Standifer uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from John.
John lands a nice hook to Standifer's body. Standifer takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
John swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
John is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Standifer.
John walks into a straight right hand from Standifer.
John throws a leg kick but Standifer moved away.
John is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Standifer can do to turn this around?
John misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
John ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Standifer moves away.
Standifer tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Standifer scores with a crisp jab that stopped John in his tracks.

Standifer shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. John is trying to defend but Standifer finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

John kicks Standifer off and gets back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Standifer dodges the punch combination from John.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big left from John misses.
Standifer drops down looking to force a counter takedown but John defends it well.
John thumps Standifer with a low kick.
Standifer on the wrong end of a nice jab.
John throws a low kick but Standifer moves out of range easily.
Chris John is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Standifer ducks under a wild hook from John.
Standifer slips a jab from John.
John uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Standifer.
Standifer takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Standifer digs a good body shot into John's ribs.
John blocks a jab.
Standifer scores with a jab to the head.
John uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Standifer.
Standifer throws out a powerful jab.
John fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Standifer checks it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Standifer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer works John's body with a nice hook.
John uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Standifer.
John throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
John scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
John misses with a low kick.
Standifer swings for the body but John moves out of range.
Standifer drops his hands momentarily and John takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Standifer lands with a good body shot.
Standifer steps to the side to avoid the strikes from John.
Standifer takes a kick to the side of the head.
Chris John is winning the standup battle so far.
Standifer moves away from the strike by John.
John scores with a jab to the jaw.

Standifer is rocked!
Standifer tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but John swivels and escapes.
John is looking to counter with head kicks.
Standifer is still on wobbly legs! Can John finish him?
Chris John has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Finlay Standifer.
John drops Standifer with a straight left! Oh this is bad for Standifer! John dives in and starts dropping bombs - the referee has no choice but to step in and save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Chris John!
Chris John retains his lightweight title!
Chris John was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.