PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Brian Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Verson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Revenge by Danger Mouse. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Johnson
vs
Verson

168 cm
25
157 lbs
16 - 5 - 0

173 cm
23
150 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Powerful

[JMFC] 160!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brian Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Verson!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Verson blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Verson misses with a hook
and Johnson counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Verson scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Johnson.
Verson throws a shot from downtown. Johnson moves away and avoids it.
Johnson throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Johnson throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Verson's head.
A jab from Verson does it's job there.
Johnson just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Verson blocks a low kick nicely.
Verson takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Johnson connects with a single shot there.
Verson cracks Johnson with a good jab.
Johnson staying out of range there.

Verson moves into the clinch.
Johnson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Johnson lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Verson backwards.

It looks like Rodrigo Verson has been cut.
Verson can't get the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is working Verson over against the cage.
Verson misses with a punch on the inside.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Verson prevents a body shot from Johnson.
A nice right hand lands inside from Johnson.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Johnson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Johnson lands a nice uppercut.
Verson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Verson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Johnson lands a nice uppercut.
Johnson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Verson struggles to land a body shot inside as Johnson controls his hands.
Verson lands a left hand.
Johnson misses with a body punch.
Johnson tries to throw a body punch but Verson avoids it by throwing Johnson back against the cage.
Johnson lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Johnson tries a body shot but Verson blocks it.
Verson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Verson jumps guard but Johnson stands there with Verson around his waist. Verson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Verson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Verson is looking to control Johnson's arms but Johnson gets an underhook and turns him. Now Verson has his back to the cage.
Verson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Verson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short uppercut from Johnson.
Verson is trying to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling him.
Johnson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Verson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Johnson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Brian Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Verson.
Verson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Johnson's elbow.
Verson misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Verson.
Verson misses with some punches.
Good body shot from Johnson.
A left hand lands to the body for Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verson misses with some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Verson fails to land.
Verson lands a shot to the body.

Verson works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Verson looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Verson wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Johnson is now in half guard.
Verson trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Verson is bucking up trying to escape but Johnson cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Verson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Johnson is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Verson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Verson shrugs it off.
Johnson prevents Verson from getting the reversal.
Johnson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rodrigo Verson's cut.
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.

Johnson moves out of range as Verson strikes.
Verson swings widly with a right hand
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Nice defenses there by Johnson.
Verson shoots in looking for a takedown but Johnson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Verson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Johnson tries to land a front kick but Verson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Verson takes a kick to the side of the head.
Johnson throws a half hearted mid kick.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
A jab from Verson misses.
Verson takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
Verson moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Verson moves out of range easily.
Verson misses with a looping right.

Verson has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verson scores with a shoulder strike.
Johnson lands a right hand.
Verson blocks a body shot from Johnson.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Verson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Verson.
Johnson blocks an uppercut.
Verson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Verson prevents a body shot from Johnson.
Verson keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Nice body punch from Johnson.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Verson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Verson working aggressively here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A short uppercut from Verson.
Verson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Verson swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Verson misses with a punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Johnson.
Verson misses with some punches.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Johnson tries a body shot but Verson blocks it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Johnson.
Johnson blocks a body shot from Verson.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Verson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Verson misses with a punch on the inside.
Johnson is working Verson over against the cage.
Verson tries for a takedown but Johnson manages to get underhooks.
Johnson lands a right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Johnson misses with a punch to the body.
A hook to the body from Johnson.
Verson misses with a body punch.
Johnson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Johnson digs a right hand underneath Verson's ribcage. Verson let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Verson is trying to drag Johnson to the mat but Johnson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Brian Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Verson.

Verson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Verson misses with a hook.
Verson looks to throw the jab but Johnson is out of range.

Verson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Johnson avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Verson.
Verson cracks Johnson with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Verson swings around for an armbar but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Verson's guard.
Verson pulls Johnson in close to prevent any damage.

Verson working for a triangle but Johnson defends it easily.
Verson is breathing heavily.

Johnson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Verson looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Verson looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Verson!
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rodrigo Verson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Rodrigo Verson's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Verson misses the jab.
Verson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Johnson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Verson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Johnson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Johnson takes a jab right on the kisser.
Johnson throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Verson misses with a shot to the body
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Verson thinking.
Verson blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Verson blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Verson might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Johnson misses with a hook. Verson ducked under it nicely.
Verson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Verson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnson moves away.
Nice straight punches there by Verson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Verson.
Verson scores with a sloppy right hand. Johnson should have avoided that one.

Verson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Johnson to the ground. Verson is now in Johnson's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Verson trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Verson with a flurry of punches that miss.

Verson has gone for a leg lock! Johnson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Verson's guard.
Verson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Johnson stands up over Verson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Verson keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Verson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Verson controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
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.

Rodrigo Verson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Johnson scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Verson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Verson misses with a body shot
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Verson. Verson gets slowly back to his feet.
Verson throws a hook to the side of Johnson's head but Johnson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Jab, jab by Johnson - just one landing.
Verson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Johnson was well out of range. Poor timing from Verson.
Johnson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Brian Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson lands a front kick.
Verson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Verson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Verson walks into a left hand.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson throws a leg kick but Verson sees it coming and moves out of range.
Crunch! Johnson slams his shin into Verson's torso.
Johnson scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Verson misses with a jab to the body
and Johnson counters with a big head kick but Verson shrugs it off.
Verson throws an off balance right hand
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Verson throws an off balance right hand
and Johnson counters with a good, hard body kick but Verson shrugs it off.
Johnson tries to land a leg kick but Verson saw it coming and moves away.
Johnson throws a half hearted mid kick.
Johnson avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Verson throws an off balance right hand
and Johnson counters with a nice body kick.
Verson misses with a hook to the body
and Johnson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brian Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Johnson 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian Johnson!