PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Keller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnson
vs
Keller

180 cm
24
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
24
143 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rashad Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Sam Keller!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Keller is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Sam Keller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Johnson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Keller circles away.
Keller tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Keller somewhat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Johnson.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.

Johnson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Johnson lands in his opponent's guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Keller keeps moving.
Keller 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Johnson works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Keller kicks Johnson off and gets back to his feet.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Keller circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Keller avoids it really well and circles away.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Keller sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Keller wants to clinch.
Keller shoots in and drives through. Johnson sprawls well.
Keller fails in his attempt to clinch.
Keller tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.

Keller has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Keller tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Keller somewhat.
Keller changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johnson tries to avoid it but Keller manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johnson to the ground. Johnson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Keller rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Johnson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Keller pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Keller moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Keller fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Keller closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Keller pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Keller defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.
Keller will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.
Keller fails in his attempt to clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keller doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sam Keller will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Keller tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Keller manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Keller shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Rashad Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Keller shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Johnson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Keller pinned against the cage. Keller gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Keller lands with a nice combination. Johnson backs away looking to recover.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Keller misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looks for a takedown but Keller sprawls well.
Horrible takedown by Johnson or perhaps it was just good defense by Keller which made him look bad.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Keller!
Keller swinging wildly here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Keller is defending well for now.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but Keller turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Keller changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johnson fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Keller changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johnson tries to avoid it but Keller manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johnson to the ground. Johnson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Keller. No joy for Johnson on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Keller, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Keller against the cage but Keller circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Keller stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keller wants it to stay on the feet.
Keller misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Keller tries to clinch up.
Keller defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Keller fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Johnson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Keller.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Keller closes the distance and clinches.
Keller wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Keller pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Keller fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Keller moves in looking to clinch but Johnson pushes him off.
Keller lands with a nice combination. Johnson backs away looking to recover.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Keller keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Keller showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnson misses with an attempted mid kick.
Keller stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keller wants it to stay on the feet.
Johnson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Keller tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Keller manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Keller jabs Johnson to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Keller shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Keller is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Keller but Keller pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rashad Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson dives in and grabs Keller's left leg, looking for a takedown. Keller pushes down on Johnson's head and hops out.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Keller takes the fight into the clinch.
Johnson slows down the pace here.
Keller is trying to maintain a safe position but Johnson gets an underhook and turns Keller into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Keller is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Johnson is defending well.
Keller manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Keller is trying to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling him.
Johnson can't get the takedown.
Keller drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Johnson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Keller lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Keller working hard to break the clinch.
Johnson gets underhooks to prevent Keller's takedown attempt.
Johnson looking to stall.
Keller prevents the takedown attempt.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Sam Keller seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Keller stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Keller wants it to stay on the feet.
Johnson wants to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Keller tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Keller displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Keller tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Keller enables Johnson to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Keller manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Keller keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Keller is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Sam Keller.
I've got Keller winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight for Sam Keller!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Sam Keller!
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight for Sam Keller!

Sam Keller wins by unanimous decision!