PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ross Schultz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Billy Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Billy Johnson acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Schultz
vs
Johnson

190 cm
19
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
188 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Xtreme MMA

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ross Schultz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Billy Johnson!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Anthony Taglia and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Schultz moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson is working for takedown but Schultz is calmly controlling the position for now.

Schultz gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Schultz connects with a nice short shot to Johnson's temple.

Schultz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Schultz tries to stand and escape but Johnson is controlling the position.

Schultz is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Johnson is just riding it out for now. Schultz eventually gives up the hold.
Johnson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Johnson looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schultz looking to pass the guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Schultz trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Schultz stands up from Johnson's guard - Schultz perhaps looking for a knockout.

Schultz feints and as Johnson raises his hands in defense, Schultz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Schultz trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Schultz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

Schultz stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Schultz scores a takedown into full mount!
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Schultz's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Schultz is trying to take his opponent's back.
Schultz controlling from the full mount.

Schultz is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Johnson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Johnson is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schultz punishing his opponent with strikes.
Johnson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Johnson taking shots to the head.
Johnson tries to buck Schultz off but Schultz takes his back!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson turns into Schultz and is now in his guard.
Schultz looking to control but Johnson passes into half guard.
Johnson passes to side control.
Schultz tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schultz tries to improve position but can't.
You can see the frustration on Schultz's face as Johnson controls the position.
Johnson taking a break here but Schultz is having none of it and regains half guard.
Schultz is holding on to half guard well.
Johnson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Johnson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Schultz trying to control but Johnson postures up.
Schultz controlling the position well.
Johnson prevents Schultz from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Schultz 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 tries for a takedown but Schultz circles away easily

so Schultz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Schultz gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Schultz wants to clinch.
Ross Schultz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Schultz fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Schultz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Johnson's waist but Johnson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Schultz off to one side.
Johnson lands a high kick!
Johnson shoots in and drives through. Schultz sprawls well.
Schultz goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Schultz circles away.

Schultz moves into the clinch.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Schultz keeps him there for the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Schultz keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Schultz will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Johnson up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Schultz breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Schultz throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Johnson's waist but Johnson gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Schultz off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ross Schultz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Schultz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Johnson is not content to let Schultz control the position.

Schultz is working for a submission of some sort.
Schultz trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Schultz looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schultz trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Schultz winds up and cracks Johnson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Schultz trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Schultz wants to pass to mount but Johnson is defending the position.
Schultz not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Schultz wants to free his trapped foot but Johnson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Schultz missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Johnson wants to control but Schultz is keeping busy.

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

Schultz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Johnson!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schultz looking to control but Johnson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Schultz looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Schultz scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Johnson?
Johnson wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Will Schultz go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Johnson tries to roll but Schultz sticks to his back.
Schultz scores with punches to the body.
Schultz biding his time, looking for the opening.
Johnson tries to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Schultz has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Johnson has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Schultz loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Johnson hold on?
Schultz trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Schultz patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Schultz gets his hands free as Johnson looks to control.
Johnson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Schultz kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Johnson staying busy and making it hard for Schultz to control.
Schultz is trying to stick to Johnson's back but Johnson is turning into Schultz. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Schultz's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Johnson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ross Schultz dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Johnson tries to clinch up but Schultz circles away and keeps his distance.

Schultz closes the distance and clinches.

Schultz pulls guard effortlessly.

Schultz is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Schultz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Johnson!
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Schultz's attempts to control the action.

Schultz has hold of Johnson's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Johnson manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Schultz's attempts to control the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schultz unloading with bombs!
Johnson is squirming around, avoiding Schultz's attempts to control the action.
Johnson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Schultz landing shots from mount.
Schultz working Johnson over with strikes here.
Schultz looking to control and managing it successfully.
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Schultz stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Schultz circles away easily

so Schultz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Schultz advances to half guard.
Ground and pound from Schultz.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Schultz is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but Schultz is controlling him well.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Schultz connects with a nice short shot to Johnson's temple.
Schultz keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Schultz 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schultz stops Johnson from getting back to his feet.
Johnson is staying active underneath Schultz, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Ross Schultz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Schultz moves in looking to clinch but Johnson pushes him off.
Johnson looks to clinch

and Schultz counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Schultz looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Schultz keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Schultz pulls Johnson in close to prevent any damage.

Schultz is looking for a triangle but Johnson pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schultz controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.

Schultz pushes Johnson off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Schultz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Johnson can do to turn this around?

Schultz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Schultz from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Billy Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Johnson has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Schultz is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Johnson.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ross Schultz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Schultz, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:26
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:26
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ross Schultz!