PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pierre Riley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Riley is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: The Joker and The Thief. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Pierre Riley was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Johnson
vs
Riley

175 cm
20
147 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
156 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Very strong

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

1337 ANZAC

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Anthony Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pierre Riley!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Kenichi Hosakawa and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Riley counters with a stiff right hand.
Riley thows a left - swing and a miss!
Johnson wants to slow Riley down by chopping away at his legs.
Johnson lands a nice looking kick to the body. Riley takes a step back to recover.
Riley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Anthony Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Riley missing with a left hand there. Johnson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Johnson throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Riley pushes him off.
Riley lands with an uppercut that bounces Johnson off the cage and back into range.
Riley blocks a leg kick.
A big right from Riley misses.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Johnson misses with an attempted mid kick.
Riley is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Johnson takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Riley takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a low kick but Riley avoids it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Riley.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Johnson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Riley working the ground and pound.
Johnson is not content to let Riley control the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is working hard here to advance position.
Riley taking a breather here.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Riley trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Riley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Pierre Riley.
Riley shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Riley circles away from the clinch attempt
and Riley counters with a straight right hand.
Riley has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Riley throws a hook but Johnson avoids it easily.
Riley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Riley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson staying out of range there.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Riley.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre Riley dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Riley. Riley gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson staying out of range there.
Johnson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnson wants to clinch but Riley slips to the side
and Riley counters with a nice uppercut.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Riley circles away.
Johnson leaves Riley with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nice body kick there by Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looks to clinch

and Riley counters with a takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Riley stalls from top position.
Johnson is looking to regain half guard here but Riley keeps moving and retains side control.
Riley cracks Johnson with a big right hand but Johnson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Johnson is trying to control Riley's posture but Riley avoids it.
Johnson being controlled for a moment.
Johnson is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to control Riley's posture but Riley avoids it.
Riley wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Check out the look on Riley's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Pierre Riley has got the better of the ground game so far.
Riley happy to just control the position for now.
Riley prevents Johnson from escaping the position.
Johnson trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
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.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Riley prevents Johnson from escaping the position.
Johnson tries to strike but it doesn't land.
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.
Riley in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Johnson tries to bench press Riley off him but Riley keeps the position.
Riley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Riley lands an elbow.
Riley is working Johnson over with some ground and pound from side control.
Riley lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Johnson down.
Riley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnson keeps working.
Riley connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Johnson some visible discomfort.
Riley creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson taking punishment in the form of punches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Riley landing strikes.
Johnson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Riley wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Riley moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Johnson is not content to let Riley control the position.
Johnson gets back to half guard.
Johnson tries to roll over but Riley keeps him under control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre Riley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Riley with a jab.
Riley throws a looping overhand right but Johnson ducks down to avoid it.
Johnson slips a jab from Riley.
Riley 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.
Riley keeps the fight on the outside.
Riley misses the shot to the body.
Riley keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Riley circles away and keeps his distance.
Riley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Johnson. Riley shrugs it off though.
Riley checks a leg kick.
Riley scores with a shot to the body.
Riley looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnson is just out of range.
Riley shoots in looking for a takedown but Johnson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Riley's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Riley is avoiding it.
Anthony Johnson is winning the standup battle so far.
Johnson throws a body kick that misses.
Anthony Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Johnson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Riley throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Anthony Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Riley connects with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson thuds his shin into the meat of Riley's side.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Riley circles away and keeps his distance.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Riley in a clinch.
Johnson lands an elbow inside.
Johnson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Johnson just misses with a elbow thrown towards Riley's brow.
Johnson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Pierre Riley has been cut.
Johnson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Riley drops down looking for an ankle pick but Johnson pulls his leg out and moves away.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pierre Riley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands with a thumping leg kick.
Johnson is looking to land body kicks.
Johnson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Johnson.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Riley circles away and keeps his distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Some bone on bone action there as Riley checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Johnson tries a low kick but Riley avoids it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Riley 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pierre Riley!
Pierre Riley gave a mention to 1337 ANZAC in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).