PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joey Simone (ranked 109 p4p, 79 weight class) and Kareem Johnson (ranked 21 p4p, 14 weight class). Simone comes to the cage accompanied by Gucci Mane - Trap God Intro. Joey Simone has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Simone
vs
Johnson

198 cm
39
175
26 - 12 - 0

186 cm
31
196
23 - 10 - 0

BJJ Red Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Fast

Furnace Performance 🔥
Shadow Realm Apparel

Hoarse Pills
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joey Simone!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kareem Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Winston Howard and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnson takes the fight into the clinch.
Simone blocks a body shot from Johnson.
Johnson struggles to land a body shot inside as Simone controls his hands.
Johnson misses with a punch to the body.
Simone can't find room to land a body shot as Johnson controls the action.
Simone tries to throw a body punch but Johnson avoids it by throwing Simone back against the cage.
Johnson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Simone tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
Johnson lands a shot to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Johnson fails to land.
Simone prevents a body shot from Johnson.
Simone jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Simone gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Simone rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson scores with a nice hook to the head.
Johnson lands a hook to the side of the head.
Simone working aggressively here.
Johnson lands a body shot in the clinch.
Simone jumps guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Simone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Simone.
Johnson lands a hook to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Simone's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is leaning against Simone and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Simone jumps guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Simone blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Johnson throws a punch but it's blocked by Simone.
Simone misses with a hook from the clinch.
Simone blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Simone lands with a right to the head.
Johnson misses with a punch on the inside.
Simone tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson gets through Simone's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Simone tries a body shot but Johnson blocks it.
Johnson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Simone drags the fight down to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Johnson won't allow Simone to sweep him here.

Johnson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Simone has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Johnson has managed to get both his arms back between Simone's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Simone is looking to sweep but instead, Johnson has passed into half guard.
Johnson prevents Simone from improving his position.
Johnson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Johnson wants to free his trapped foot but Simone is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Simone tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
Simone makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Simone.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simone is adopting a defensive guard.
Simone is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Simone wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Simone is keeping the position.
Johnson trying to control but Simone is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Simone tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Simone takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Simone moves out of range of the strikes.
Simone is looking to counter the offense by Johnson and move into the clinch.
Johnson motions for Simone to come forward. Johnson throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Simone really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Nice defenses there by Johnson.
Simone misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A decent looking cross lands there for Simone.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kareem Johnson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Simone throws a right hand that misses
and Johnson counters with a lovely straight right hand!

It looks like Joey Simone has been cut.

Simone has managed to clinch.
Simone blocks an uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Simone.
A short left from Simone.
Johnson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Simone swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Simone misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Simone lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Simone stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Johnson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Simone misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Johnson misses with some punches.
Simone is trying to pull guard but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
Simone blocks a body shot from Johnson.
Simone scores with a nice hook to the head.
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!
Simone lands a right hand that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Johnson misses with a body punch.
A short right from Johnson on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson blocks an uppercut.
Simone throws a head punch that misses.
Simone swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Simone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johnson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Simone misses with a short punch on the inside.
Simone tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Simone pulls Johnson into guard.
Johnson won't allow Simone to sweep him here.
Simone wants to hit a sweep here but Johnson passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Simone there!
Simone tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson controlling from the full mount.
Simone is working to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Simone is working hard here to advance position.
Johnson controlling from mount.
Simone is trying to escape the mount.
Simone is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Marty Robbin's Fight Ranch, so we'll see if he gets out of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Simone wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Simone manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Simone wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Johnson prevents Simone from improving his position.
Simone wants to control the action here but instead Johnson manages to pass to full mount!
Johnson prevents Simone from getting the reversal.
Johnson looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson manages to capitalize on a mistake by Simone to take his back!
Johnson controlling well, preventing Simone from escaping the position.
Simone trying to control the position but Johnson manages to sink in the hooks.
Johnson controlling well, preventing Simone from escaping the position.
Simone wants to control his opponent's hands but Johnson gets his hands free.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kareem Johnson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Joey Simone's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Simone misses with a straight left.
Simone misses the shot to the body.
It seemed like Johnson was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Johnson throws a looping overhand right but Simone ducks down to avoid it.
Good shot there by Johnson.
Simone with a hook.
Simone swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Simone lands a jab to Johnson's midsection.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Simone ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnson moves away.
Johnson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Simone doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Simone swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Simone throws a hook but Johnson avoids it easily.
Johnson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Johnson misses with an uppercut. Simone saw that one coming.
Simone tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Simone ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Johnson throws a right and a left that Simone avoids nicely.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Simone.

Simone has managed to clinch.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Johnson lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Johnson tries to work over Simone's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Simone blocking some punches.
Simone presses Johnson against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Johnson working aggressively here.
Good body shot from Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands a hook that snaps the head of Simone backwards.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Simone blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Simone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Simone fails to pull guard.
Kareem Johnson seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Simone lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Simone's elbow.
Johnson throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Simones head.
Simone jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Simone gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Simone. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson throws a jab when Simone was well out of range.
Simone throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Johnson counters with a nice uppercut.
Simone scores with a shot to the body.
Simone uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Johnson has time to react.
Simone uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Johnson has time to react.
Simone bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Johnson's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Simone is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Johnson.
Johnson takes one to the chin there.
Simone lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Johnson at a distance.
Johnson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Simone tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Simone lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Johnson at a distance.
Joey Simone has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Simone throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Johnson on the side of the head.
Johnson slips under a jab from Simone.
Simone stuns Johnson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Johnson thows a left - swing and a miss!
Simone lands with a hook. Johnson tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a big shot that misses.
Joey Simone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Simone connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Johnson's hands.
Simone throws a body punch but Johnson moves out of range.
Simone keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Simone.
Johnson looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Johnson gets tackled into the cage by Simone. Simone maintains the clinch.
A short uppercut from Johnson.
Simone misses with a hook from the clinch.
Johnson lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Simone successfully pulls guard.

Simone working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.
Johnson preventing the sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joey Simone showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kareem Johnson!
After winning the bout, Kareem Johnson thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.