PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dan Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brent Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Brent Young will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Johnson
vs
Young

183 cm
18
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
24
186 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dan Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brent Young!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Daniel Franklin and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Johnson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Young, who protects the arm well.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Young has escaped the position, nice work there.
Young struggling a bit here.
Young manages to work his way to half guard, despite Johnson's best efforts.
Young is trying to get back to full guard.
Johnson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Johnson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Young is looking for a sweep. Johnson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Young clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.
Young prevents a takedown attempt there.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.
Young stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Young creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Johnson's defenses.

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

Young is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.

Young is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Johnson is aware though and is defending well.
Young looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Young.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stays in close to Young's body and controls the position.

Young is looking for a triangle here but Johnson uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Young tries to bench press Johnson off him but Johnson keeps the position.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Young has escaped the position, nice work there.
Young sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Young is pressing down on Johnson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Young working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.
Young working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnson.

Young is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson postures up in Young's guard and throws a big left but Young blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Johnson is stalling in the full guard.
Young looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Johnson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Young throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Young keeps moving.

Young looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Young looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.

Johnson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Johnson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Johnson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Young looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Young looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Young!

Young working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Young is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Young goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Johnson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Young's guard! Nice work there by Johnson!
Young keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

Young is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Young swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Young not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Young utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Young is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Young manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Young's guard.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Young is keeping the position for now.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Johnson needs to keep his hands up - Young had a free shot at his head there.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Young rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Young pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dan Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Young misses with a jab, cross combination.
Brent Young seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Young wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Young wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.

Young gets the takedown into side control.
Young controlling the position from side mount.
Johnson manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Johnson is trying to control but Young manages to pass to mount!

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Young working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Johnson is wriggling around trying to escape.

Young goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Johnson turns into him and now he's in Young's guard.

Johnson drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Young dives on top into guard.
Young wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brent Young dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson shoots for a takedown but Young saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Young doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Johnson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Young's guard now.
Johnson preventing the sweep.

Young throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Johnson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Young looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Young throws his legs up looking for a submission but Johnson uses it to pass to side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Young is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is staying tight to Young's torso, preventing him from escaping.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Young has escaped the position, nice work there.
Young regains half guard there - taking advantage of Johnson's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Brent Young has got the better of the ground game so far.

Young looking for submissions off his back.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's two 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.
Young is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Young avoid being mounted?
Young blocking the ground and pound attempt from Johnson.
Young is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in half guard.

Young looking for submissions off his back.

Johnson wants to work for an arm triangle but Young is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Young wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Young.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Young sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Young looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Young tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.

Young drives through with a takedown into guard.
Young looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Young throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Johnson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Young manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Young is retaining full guard.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.
Johnson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Young is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Johnson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Johnson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Young keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Young looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Johnson passes Young's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
Johnson trying to control the action but Young is working from the bottom.

That's six minutes gone in the round.

Young actively working from the bottom here.

Young looking for submissions off his back.

Johnson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Young shoots and misses

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Young won't be happy with that.
Dan Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brent Young.
Young manages to get back to half guard.

Young looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Young defends it well.

Young looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Young trying to control but Johnson postures up.
Johnson is pressing down on Young's thigh, looking to free his foot. Young is holding on for now.

Johnson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Young doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Johnson.
Johnson is thwarting Young's attempts to control the position.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Young is looking to clinch.

Young forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
Young lands a nice elbow.
Young connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnson's face.
Young lands an elbow that stopped Johnson in his tracks for a moment.
Young is pressed up against the cage. Johnson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Young down to the mat. Young avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Young is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Young tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Young manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Young clinches with his opponent.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Young with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Young has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Johnson is trying to keep an underhook but Young manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Young looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Johnson is trying to get back to full guard.

Young seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Brent Young will probably get the nod - 10:9.
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!

Johnson drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Johnson misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Young is looking to regain half guard here but Johnson keeps moving and retains side control.
Young manages to work his way to half guard, despite Johnson's best efforts.
The fighters are battling for position here. Young manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Young utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Young utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Young not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johnson drops back looking for a leg! Young is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Young manages to kick Johnson off! Johnson jumps back into Young's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Young is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Young working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Johnson trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Young looking for a guillotine here but Johnson defends easily.
Johnson sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Young is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Johnson is pushing down on Young's leg trying to pass to half guard. Young is fighting to maintain full guard but Johnson has managed to sneak the leg through.
Young is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in half guard.
Johnson not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Young keeps working.

Young looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Johnson passes to side control.
Young is trying to control Johnson's posture but Johnson avoids it.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Young has escaped the position, nice work there.
Young manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Johnson wants to control but Young is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four 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.

Young is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Johnson manages to get to full guard.
Young stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Young's guard.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Young is keeping the position.
Johnson trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to sit in guard and control but Young gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Young pushing down on Johnson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Young controlling the pace.
Young has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Young looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Johnson bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Young is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.

Young has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Johnson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Johnson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Young is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Young utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Young is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Young looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Young gets a clinch.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.
Johnson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Young prevents it.
Young connects with a knee to the head.

Young tightens his grip and picks Johnson up, before dumping him to the ground. Johnson manages to land in guard.
Young wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Johnson throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Young escapes and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Dan Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Young is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.

Young is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Johnson manages to get back to half guard.
Brent Young is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
Young content to control rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brent Young comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Young has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brent Young!