PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gauthier Lambert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gauthier Lambert has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Anthony Johnson's chin.

Johnson
vs
Lambert

188 cm
25
192 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

178 cm
26
189 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Anthony Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Gauthier Lambert!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson leaves Lambert with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Lambert pushes him off.
Lambert slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Johnson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johnson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Johnson wants it to stay on the feet.
Gauthier Lambert seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lambert tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lambert somewhat.
Anthony Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gauthier Lambert.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lambert.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Lambert leaves Johnson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson takes one on the button.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Johnson gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Lambert being controlled for a moment.
Johnson misses with the ground and pound.
Lambert takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Lambert 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.

Johnson is trying to get an arm triangle but Lambert is defending well.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lambert keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Johnson trying to control the position but Lambert is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lambert is trying to control Johnson's posture but Johnson avoids it.
Lambert is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Johnson landing strikes.
A lull in the action here as Johnson stalls from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Anthony Johnson.
Lambert works Johnson's body with a nice hook.
Johnson slips under a jab.

Lambert closes the distance and clinches.
Johnson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson lands a good knee to the midsection. Lambert won't want to take too many of those.
Lambert wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johnson has him pressed against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A battle for position here, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Johnson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Lambert in a clinch.
Lambert lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Johnson stalling in the clinch but Lambert improves position.
Lambert jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnson walks away with a smile on his face. Lambert gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lambert.
Johnson moves away from the strike by Lambert.

Lambert moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Johnson goes down! Can Lambert finish him!?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lambert trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Lambert postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lambert throwing strikes but missing.
Lambert slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lambert won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom.

Johnson has his foot on Lambert's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lambert works his way back into a safe position though.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lambert sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Lambert postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Lambert scoring with punches to the head and body.
Lambert wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lambert is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lambert stands up from guard. Let's bang!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Johnson darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Johnson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Johnson wants to stand up but Lambert has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the action but Lambert is working from the bottom.
Johnson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Johnson is stalling here. Lambert is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Johnson seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Lambert has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Johnson manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Lambert won't allow Johnson to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lambert sees it coming and defends easily.
Johnson wants to advance to full mount but Lambert doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Lambert keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Lambert had control of the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gauthier Lambert showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lambert closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Lambert cracks Johnson with a big right hand but Johnson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Lambert in side control lands a decent elbow.
Lambert working the ground and pound from side control.
Johnson is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Lambert working the strikes but Johnson uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Lambert thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Johnson's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lambert is looking to take a break and control but Johnson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lambert not doing much here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.

Lambert postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Johnson to stand up.
Lambert wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Johnson is rocked!

Johnson closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Lambert's guard.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Lambert manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Lambert raining down hammerfists from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lambert in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Anthony Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee warns Johnson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Lambert lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Lambert trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson is in a horrible position here. Lambert smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Oh Johnson is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Lambert lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Johnson hang on?
Johnson seems to have got his legs back now.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.
Lambert lands a nice shot to the head.
Lambert punishing his opponent with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Lambert lands a nice shot to the head.
Johnson is working to get back to half guard.
Lambert pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Johnson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Lambert tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Johnson wants to control but Lambert is having none of it.
Lambert controlling from the full mount.
Johnson is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lambert landing strikes, looking to finish!
Lambert controlling the pace for now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Lambert can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.
Lambert putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Lambert landing punches.
Lambert scoring with strikes but Johnson is staying in there.
Lambert breaks from Johnson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Lambert trying to control but he's not successful this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gauthier Lambert comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lambert 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gauthier Lambert!
In his post fight interview, Gauthier Lambert started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.