PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Howard Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Estefanio Luis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johnson
vs
Luis

182 cm
25
218 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Howard Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Estefanio Luis!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Luis digs a good hook to Johnson's body.

Johnson has Luis up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Luis fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Johnson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Johnson slips a jab and a cross from Luis.
Danga de danga de dang - Luis scores with a four punch combination!
No joy there for Luis, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Luis throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnson.

Johnson gets a double leg takedown into Luis's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Luis is retaining full guard.
Luis avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Johnson throws a strike but Luis rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Luis stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luis lands a nice hook to Johnson's body. Johnson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Johnson.
Johnson wants to control but Luis is keeping him busy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
An elbow from Johnson crashes against the mat.
Johnson with the ground and pound but Luis regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Johnson lands strikes from half guard.
Johnson is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is pressing down on Luis's thigh, looking to free his foot. Luis is holding on for now.
Johnson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Luis on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Luis tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Johnson is keen to just control but Luis is a slippery customer.
Luis is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Johnson scores with a couple of nice shots.
Luis is staying active underneath Johnson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Luis keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Johnson lands a nice short elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Luis's head.
Johnson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Luis defending well though.
Luis looks gassed!
Luis has hold of Johnson's hands but Johnson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Luis pushes Johnson off looking to stand but Johnson dives back in and keeps control.
Johnson is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Luis keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Johnson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Luis keeps moving.
Johnson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Johnson throws an elbow that misses. Luis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Johnson's guard. Nice move by Luis!
Johnson throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Luis would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson looking to control.
Johnson pulls Luis in close to his closed guard and prevents Luis from doing any damage or advancing position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Johnson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

We're going to have a standup here because Howard Johnson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Luis stuffs the takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howard Johnson 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 has closed the distance and engaged Luis in a clinch.

Johnson has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Luis is trying to keep an underhook but Johnson manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Luis is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in 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. Johnson connects with a nice short shot to Luis's temple.
Johnson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Luis does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Johnson seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Johnson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Luis with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Johnson in particular looking to stall.
Johnson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Johnson with the ground and pound but Luis uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Luis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Luis wants to stand and escape but Johnson is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luis is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Johnson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Luis keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Johnson lands a couple of elbows.
Johnson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Luis works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson controlling from the top position.
Johnson chips away with some ground and pound.
Johnson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.

Luis pushes Johnson off and scrambles back to his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.
Luis lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnson circles away quickly and effectively.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Johnson closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Luis's guard.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Johnson throwing strikes from guard but Luis blocks nicely.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Luis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Luis is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson works over Luis with some ground and pound from guard.
Johnson scoring with some ground and pound.
Johnson stays in close to Luis's body and controls the position.
Luis avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johnson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Luis utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Luis keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands a couple of digs.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Luis has wrist control.
Johnson throwing strikes from guard but Luis blocks nicely.
Johnson trying to control but Luis is working from the bottom.
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!
Luis has momentary wrist control but Johnson slips an elbow through the middle.
Luis keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Johnson works over Luis with some ground and pound from guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Howard Johnson dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Luis manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Luis swinging wildly here.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but Luis saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Howard Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Luis gets caught napping as Johnson dives in and scores a takedown. Luis manages to retain guard.
Johnson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Luis's head.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Luis swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Luis keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Luis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Luis wants to stand up but Johnson is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson scoring with some ground and pound.
Johnson throws an elbow that misses. Luis uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Johnson's guard. Nice move by Luis!
Johnson striking from his own guard.
Luis preventing the sweep.
Johnson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Luis is controlling him.

Luis gets to his feet. Johnson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Luis throws a right and a left that both miss.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson is trying to control. Luis wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Johnson is nestled in close to Luis, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Luis is trying to stand.
Johnson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nice strikes from Johnson there.
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. Johnson connects with a nice short shot to Luis's temple.
Luis is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Luis can do to turn this around?
Johnson drops an elbow to the side of Luis's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Johnson.
Luis is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Johnson drops an elbow to the side of Luis's head.
Johnson scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Johnson looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Luis with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Johnson trying to control from half guard but Luis is working away.
Still in half guard, Johnson seems content to control.
Johnson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Johnson in particular looking to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands with a punch from half guard.
Howard Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Well, if Johnson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Johnson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Estefanio Luis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson lands with a punch from half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Luis is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Howard Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Luis is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Howard Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johnson, 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Howard Johnson!
Our winner, Howard Johnson, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.