PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steve Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hanzo Murasaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes to the cage accompanied by Drag-on - New Cheif. Murasaki is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Feuer Frei. 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 Hanzo Murasaki was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Johnson
vs
Murasaki

176 cm
18
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Steve Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hanzo Murasaki!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Murasaki scores with a hook to the body. Johnson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Johnson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Murasaki looks to land a right hand but Johnson moved out of range.
Murasaki lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Johnson takes one to the side of the head.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Murasaki swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murasaki as he avoids it easily.
A left and a right from Murasaki both land. Nice combination.
Murasaki feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Johnsons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Johnson closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Johnson trying to control the position but Murasaki is working away.
Murasaki is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Murasaki can do anything to dispel that myth.

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

Johnson looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murasaki is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Murasaki wants to control but Johnson postures up.
Johnson landing a few strikes.
Johnson tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Murasaki is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Johnson has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Johnson wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Murasaki, who protects the arm well.
Johnson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Check out the look on Johnson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Murasaki can't do much from the bottom here.

Johnson is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Murasaki is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Johnson is trying to get an arm triangle but Murasaki is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Murasaki pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson trying to control the action but Murasaki is working from the bottom.
Johnson tries to score with some ground and pound. Murasaki controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Johnson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Murasaki lands with a good body shot.
Murasaki keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Murasaki tries to avoid it but Johnson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Murasaki to the ground. Murasaki escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Murasaki cracks a nice hook into Johnson's ribs.
Johnson has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Murasaki finds it's way round the side to connect with Johnson's head.
Murasaki rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Johnson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Murasaki lands with a shot to the body.
Murasaki has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Murasaki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Danga de danga de dang - Murasaki scores with a four punch combination!
Horrible takedown by Johnson or perhaps it was just good defense by Murasaki which made him look bad.
Johnson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Murasaki connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Johnson scrambles back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murasaki keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Steve Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Murasaki sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Murasaki throws a series of punches but Johnson avoids them all with ease.
Hanzo Murasaki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Murasaki connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Murasaki moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hanzo Murasaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murasaki scores with a nice right hand.
Murasaki connects with a good right hand that stumbles Johnson. Johnson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Johnson on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Murasaki misses with an uppercut.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Murasaki.
Murasaki misses with a series of wild punches.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Johnson throwing shots but Murasaki is blocking nicely.
Johnson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Steve Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Murasaki is trying to stand.
Murasaki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Johnson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Johnson is looking for a kimura here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Murasaki sees it coming and defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Murasaki is trying to stand up here but Johnson is controlling him well.

Johnson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Murasaki is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murasaki is trying to control but Johnson passes into side control!

Johnson is working for what looks like an arm triangle here. Murasaki is trying to escape and Johnson transitions quickly into an armbar! He's slapped it on tight and Murasaki is forced to tap! Nice work there by Johnson! Very nice indeed!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:27 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Steve Johnson!