PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Manuel Perez (ranked 5211 p4p, 4406 weight class) and John Johannes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Perez
vs
Johannes

178 cm
18
160
0 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
165
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Manuel Perez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Johannes!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Ren Mimura and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Johannes is defended easily by Perez.
Johannes lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Perez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Johannes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Perez throws a big shot that misses.
Johannes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johannes has a takedown stuffed.
Johannes lands with a straight right. Perez didn't see that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johannes dives in and grabs Perez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Perez pushes down on Johannes's head and hops out.
Manuel Perez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Johannes.
Perez slaps away a takedown attempt from Johannes, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Perez throws a series of punches but Johannes avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perez misses with a two punch combination.
Johannes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Horrible takedown attempt by Johannes or perhaps it was just good defense by Perez, which made it look bad.
Perez looks to land a combination but Johannes avoids it well.
Perez is breathing heavily.
Perez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johannes.
Perez tries to clinch but Johannes moves out of range.
Johannes on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Perez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Johannes.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johannes.
Perez tries to clinch up.
Johannes slips a jab and a cross from Perez.
Johannes looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Perez misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johannes moves into the clinch successfully.
Perez working hard to break the clinch.

Johannes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Perez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Nice takedown defense from Perez. No joy for Johannes on that attempt.
Perez tries to counter by clinching up but Johannes breaks away and moves out of range.
Perez misses with a two punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Perez misses with a few strikes there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Johannes.
Perez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johannes.
Johannes looks for a takedown but Perez sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johannes slips a jab and a cross from Perez.
Johannes fails with a takedown attempt.

Johannes clinches up with Perez and pushes him back against the cage.
Johannes has Perez pushed against the cage.
Come on Johannes - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Johannes receives a warning from the referee for stalling.

Johannes manages to break the clinch.
Johannes keeps the fight on the outside.
Johannes feints the counter takedown.
Perez tries to clinch there but Johannes circles away.
As Perez backs off Johannes throws a huge counter combo but Perez manages to avoid it all.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johannes dodges the punch combination from Perez.
Perez throws a right hand that Johannes ducks under and follows up with a left that Johannes also avoids with ease.
Perez fails to land with a series of punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Johannes manages to break the clinch.
Johannes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Perez swivels and escapes.
Johannes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Johannes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Perez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Manuel Perez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Johannes gets in close and instigates a clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Johannes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Perez misses with a series of wild punches.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Manuel Perez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Johannes.
As Johannes tries to get set, Perez tries to push him back and clinch up but Johannes manages to avoid the attempt.
Perez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Johannes can do to turn this around?
Johannes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Perez sprawls well. Perez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Johannes gets slowly back to his feet.
Perez feinted with a counter takedown.
Johannes tries to clinch up.
No joy there for Perez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Perez throws a right and a left that Johannes avoids nicely.
Perez looks to land a left hand but Johannes moved out of range nicely.
Perez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johannes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johannes shoots in and drives through. Perez sprawls well.
Horrible takedown attempt by Johannes or perhaps it was just good defense by Perez, which made it look bad.
Manuel Perez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Johannes.
Johannes dodges the punch combination from Perez.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perez misses with a double jab
enabling Johannes to counter with a crisp jab.
Perez leaves Johannes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Perez. No joy for Johannes on that attempt.
Johannes darts in looking for a takedown but Perez gets double underhooks and turns Johannes into the cage.
Perez scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Perez throws a series of punches but Johannes avoids them all with ease.

Perez tries to keep at a distance but Johannes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Johannes scores with a knee to the head.
Perez stalling the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Perez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Johannes is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Johannes lands a shot to the body.

Johannes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Johannes connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Perez's hands.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johannes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Perez tries to avoid it but Johannes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Perez to the ground. Perez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Perez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johannes shoots in but Perez avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Perez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Perez fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Johannes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Perez uses from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Johannes trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Johannes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Perez manages to get himself to full guard.

Johannes pushes down on Perez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Perez tries to get to full guard but Johannes has control of the leg.
Perez is working hard here to advance position.
Johannes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johannes throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Johannes is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Johannes trying to pass the guard but Perez defending well.
Johannes performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johannes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Manuel Perez will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Johannes rushes Perez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johannes stalling.
Perez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Johannes is defending well.
Perez tries to pull guard but Johannes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Perez is trying to break the clinch but Johannes is controlling him.
Johannes looking for a takedown.
Johannes changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Perez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Johannes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Johannes moves into the clinch successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johannes wants to take the fight to the mat but Perez manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Manuel Perez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Johannes.
Perez tries to score a body lock takedown but Johannes shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johannes is looking to take this one to the mat.

Johannes breaks the clinch.
Perez wants to clinch up but Johannes keeps it at a distance.
Perez leaves Johannes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Perez stuffs the takedown.
Left hook, right uppercut from Perez.
Johannes fails with a takedown attempt.
Perez wants to clinch up but Johannes keeps it at a distance.
Johannes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Johannes! But no joy.

Perez tries to keep at a distance but Johannes has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johannes ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Johannes no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Perez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Johannes throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Johannes working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Perez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Perez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Johannes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johannes managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Perez is pushing down on Johannes's leg trying to pass to half guard. Johannes is fighting to maintain full guard but Perez has managed to sneak the leg through.
Johannes flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Johannes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Perez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Perez's back!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johannes has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Johannes has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Perez has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johannes throwing wild punches that miss their target.

Johannes is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Perez is defending well though. Johannes let's go of the attempt for now.
Perez wants to control his opponent's hands but Johannes gets his hands free.
John Johannes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Manuel Perez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Johannes looking for the choke from the back.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Johannes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Perez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Manuel Perez!