PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chris John (ranked 64 p4p, 208 weight class) and Finlay Standifer (ranked 8 p4p, 26 weight class). John's entrance music is Don't Stop Me Now. A fine choice. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

John
vs
Standifer

178 cm
27
160
21 - 4 - 1

172 cm
27
156
18 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)
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BANZAI NUTRITION
NARCOS

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 21 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chris John!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Finlay Standifer!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Daniel Bishop and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Standifer checks the leg kick.
John throws a jab when Standifer was well out of range.
Standifer is clearly trying to counter these attacks from John with a body shot.
Standifer on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Standifer slips under a jab from John.
John looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
John takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
John throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
John misses with a body kick.
Standifer closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Standifer takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Standifer looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? John is fending him off so far but Standifer persists. Nope, John circles away and we're back to standing.
John throws a leg kick that is checked

and Standifer counters with a shoot takedown. John fights it but they end up in guard.
John is looking to stand back up but Standifer counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by John.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Standifer prevents John from standing back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John is trying to get back to full guard.
John tries to kick Standifer off but Standifer keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Standifer wants to lay and pray for a moment but John keeps working.
John misses with some strikes from the bottom.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Standifer working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Nice strikes from Standifer there.
Standifer content to control rather than advance.
John is refusing to be controlled, as Standifer sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Standifer is taking a breather. John says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
John is trying to stand up here but Standifer is controlling him well.
Standifer trying to pass the guard but John defending well.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
John throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
John throws a big shot that misses.
A slow jab from Standifer misses its intended target.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from John.
John misses with a lunging right hand

and Standifer counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer cracks John with a nice body shot.
A shot in the inside from Standifer.
John doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Standifer lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of John backwards.

Standifer has dropped down and is working for a takedown. John is trying to keep an underhook but Standifer manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Standifer is trying to control the action in half guard but John is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

John pushes Standifer off and gets back to his feet.
John throws a left and a right that both miss

and Standifer counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for John!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
John is trying to buck Standifer off.
Standifer staying calm.
Standifer grinds an elbow into John's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Standifer tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
John can't do much from the bottom here.
Standifer laying and praying for a moment but John takes advantage and regains half guard.
Standifer wants to control but John is keeping him busy.
John misses with some strikes from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Finlay Standifer will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

John chopping away at his opponent's legs.
John takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
John keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Standifer.
Standifer ducks under a wild hook from John.
John lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Standifer slips under a jab.
An inside leg kick lands from John.
Standifer keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
John lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
John wants to land a leg kick but Standifer is out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
John misses with an uppercut
and Standifer cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
John pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Standifer cracks John with a good jab.
John looks to land a right hand but Standifer moved out of range.
Chris John is winning the standup battle so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Standifer ducks under a wild hook from John.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Standifer! But no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
John throws a shot from downtown. Standifer moves away and avoids it.
Standifer tries to counter with a clinch but John shakes him off and moves away.
A telegraphed right hand from John misses the target.
A head kick by John misses
and Standifer counters with a nice body shot.
A slow jab from John misses its intended target.

Standifer fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with John, pushing him back against the cage.
Standifer throws a head punch that misses.
Standifer lands a nice uppercut.
Standifer tries a body shot but John blocks it.
John is trying to maintain a safe position but Standifer gets an underhook and turns John into the cage.
Standifer tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, John creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Standifer fails to land.

John escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
John lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Standifer backs up against the cage.
John looks to land a left hand but Standifer moved out of range nicely.
Standifer changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
John takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Standifer misses with a series of wild punches.
John looking to land some kicks to the body here.
John throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Standifer tries to counter by closing the distance.
Standifer takes one to the chin there.
John throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Standifer sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Chris John is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
John fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Standifer manages to avoid it.
Standifer throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
John with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Standifer to score with a decent uppercut.
Standifer walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Standifer tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but John paws at him with a jab and circles away.
John looks to throw the jab but Standifer is out of range.
John feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Standifers jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Standifer shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Standifer was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
John pushes Standifer away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Standifer gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Standifer working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
John is not content to let Standifer control the position.
John is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Standifer asserts his dominance and retains side control.
John wants to control but Standifer postures up.
John is pushing Standifer's head away, looking to escape. Standifer manages to hold on to the position though.

That's four 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.
John taking punishment in the form of punches.
Standifer trying to control the position but John is working away.
Check out the look on Standifer's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
John takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
John tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Standifer wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Standifer lands a nice forearm strike.
Standifer works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Standifer trying to control the action but John is working from the bottom.
John wants to get back to his feet.
Check out the look on Standifer's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
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 Chris John will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

John misses with a left hand
and Standifer counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
John connects with an inside leg kick.
Standifer throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
John throws a sloppy head kick and Standifer moves out of range easily.
Standifer gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Standifer takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Standifer tries to clinch up but John circles away and keeps his distance.
John explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
John misses the jab.
Standifer tries to counter by closing the distance.
John moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Standifer tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but John was well out of range. Poor timing from Standifer.
John looks to score with a jab to the body but Standifer is just out of range.
John throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
John's jab looks to have found its range, popping Standifer under the eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Standifer scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Standifer trying to control the action but John is working from the bottom.
John tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Standifer takes a little break here. John wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
You can see the frustration on John's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Standifer working the ground and pound.
Finlay Standifer has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
John tries to improve position but can't.
John gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Standifer scoring with strikes but John is staying in there.
Standifer with shots to the head and body - John looks very uncomfortable down there.
John is squirming around, avoiding Standifer's attempts to control the action.
John is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
John really wants to buck Standifer off and get back to his feet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Standifer lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
John tries to lock up and control but Standifer gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Standifer working the ground and pound effectively.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Standifer putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

John is rocked!
John tries to hold on but Standifer pushes him away.
Oh John is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Standifer pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

John somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Standifer moves out of range of the strikes.
Standifer doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Standifer avoids the body shot from John.
John seems to have got his legs back now.
John misses with a low kick.
A slapping leg kick lands for John.
John takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Chris John seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
John moves out of range as Standifer strikes.
John looks for the body kick but Standifer saw that one coming.
John throws a leg kick
and Standifer counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Standifer checks the leg kick nicely there.
Standifer swings for the body but John moves out of range.
Standifer scores with a jab. John acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
John clobbers Standifer with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
John looks to land a right hand but Standifer moved out of range.
John throws a jab but it's blocked by Standifer.
Standifer stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from John.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from John. Standifer shrugs it off though.
John throws a head kick but Standifer moves out of range.
John thows a leg kick but Standifer checks it
and Standifer counters with a stiff right hand.
John on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
John throws a head kick but Standifer moves out of range.
Standifer wants to counter the offense by John and move into the clinch position.
John throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Finlay Standifer.
I think Standifer 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 28:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finlay Standifer!