PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mercury Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nihua Hua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Johnson
vs
Hua

185 cm
23
270 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
270 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mercury Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nihua Hua!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnson.
Hua uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Johnson.
Johnson throws a right hand that misses

and Hua counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
Hua missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hua looking to pass the guard.
Hua with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but Hua is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hua tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Hua decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hua tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hua dives in and grabs Johnson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes down on Hua's head and hops out.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Hua circles away easily

and Hua counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johnson's guard now.
Hua throwing strikes but missing.
Hua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hua chips away with some ground and pound.
Hua lands a couple of elbows.
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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hua is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
It looks like Hua might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Hua must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hua looking to pass the guard.
Hua passes Johnson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Hua not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hua drops an elbow to the side of Johnson's head.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hua sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hua.
Hua is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Hua seems to be working for a kimura but Johnson defends the submission attempt.

Hua is working for a kimura but Johnson is defending it quite comfortably.
Hua scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Johnson is defending against the submission attempts here by Hua.
Hua content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hua is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nihua Hua dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hua shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Johnson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hua trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.
Hua lands an elbow.
Hua in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

It looks like Mercury Johnson has been cut.

Hua swings around for an armbar but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Hua's guard.
Hua trying to control the position here.
Hua is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hua is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hua has control of Johnson's left arm, preventing Johnson from doing any damage.
Johnson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hua wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.

Nihua Hua has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Hua counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.
Hua in side control, throwing shots but Johnson defends.
Hua working the head with strikes.
Johnson is trying to escape the position but Hua is controlling the position.
Hua lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hua tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Hua stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Hua shoots in and bounces Johnson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Nihua Hua has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hua trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Johnson tries to get out of the position.

Hua decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hua shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hua fails to land the takedown.
Hua tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.
Mercury Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nihua Hua.
Johnson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Johnson wants it to stay on the feet.
Hua fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.

Hua scores with a takedown into Johnson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hua thows a big elbow that misses.
Hua slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hua throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nihua Hua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mercury Johnson'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. This is the final round!

Hua is looking to land body kicks.
Mercury Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson misses with a wild combination.
Hua looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Johnson looks to land a right hand but Hua moved out of range.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hua circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hua shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Hua was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The referee warns Johnson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hua looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hua cracks Johnson with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hua cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hua throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Johnson because Hua loaded up on that one.
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Hua's attempts to control the action.
Hua lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Johnson hang on?
Hua loads up on a couple of big shots to the head that have Johnson scrambling to escape. He can't get free though and several more unanswered shots from Hua land to the head. The referee has no choice but to stop the fight. Hua stands and salutes the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:02 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nihua Hua!