PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joe Johnston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikhael Flannigan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Flannigan is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by The boys are back. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnston
vs
Flannigan

170 cm
25
153 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

176 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Johnston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mikhael Flannigan!
The judges for this bout are Richard Clark, Donald Grub and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Flannigan moves into range and clinches up with Johnston.
Flannigan wants to break free but Johnston has control.
Flannigan can't break the clinch.
Flannigan tries to break the clinch but Johnston is controlling the position.
Johnston tries to pull guard but Flannigan forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Johnston lands a shoulder strike.

Flannigan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Flannigan misses with a few strikes there.

Flannigan moves into the clinch successfully.

Flannigan breaks the clinch.

Johnston closes the distance and clinches.
Flannigan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Johnston blocks it with crossed arms.
Johnston lands a knee to the body.
Flannigan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnston.
Johnston tries to pull guard but Flannigan holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnston drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Johnston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnston misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Johnston.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flannigan is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Johnston is defending well for now.
A frustrated look appears on Flannigan's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Johnston pulls guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Johnston tries to strike from the bottom.

Flannigan stands up and waves to Johnston to follow him.
Flannigan throws a right and a left that both miss.
Johnston tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Flannigan misses with a wild combination.
Johnston has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Flannigan feints and then cracks Johnston's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Johnston down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnston drives through and clinches with Flannigan against the cage.
Johnston scores a nice knee to the body.

Johnston breaks from the clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Flannigan there.

Johnston rushes Flannigan and presses him up 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!
Flannigan blocks an elbow strike from Johnston.

Flannigan breaks from the clinch.

Flannigan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Johnston decides to pull guard.
Flannigan wants to get up but he can't break Johnston's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Flannigan decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Flannigan throws a series of punches but Johnston avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston fails to land the takedown.
Flannigan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Johnston makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
A punch combination from Flannigan misses.
Flannigan looks winded!

Flannigan clinches.

Flannigan breaks from the clinch.

Flannigan clinches up with Johnston and pushes him back against the cage.
Johnston fails to pull guard.
Flannigan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Flannigan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Johnston breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnston shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Flannigan as he avoids it easily.
Flannigan lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Flannigan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flannigan throws a nice head kick!

Flannigan instigates a clinch.
Knees to the body from Johnston.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Johnston's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Flannigan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Johnston counters with a big head kick but Flannigan shrugs it off.
Johnston looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Flannigan is fending him off so far but Johnston persists. Nope, Flannigan circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnston takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Flannigan clinches with his opponent.
Johnston is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Johnston tries to pull guard but Flannigan holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnston drops back down to his feet.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Flannigan blocks the elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Flannigan swinging wildly here.

Flannigan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Flannigan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Johnston wants to stall.
Johnston is stalling here.
Flannigan can't break the clinch.
Flannigan can't break the clinch.
Flannigan is trying to push Johnston away but Johnston has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Johnston landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Johnston wants to take the fight to the mat but Flannigan manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Flannigan working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters up against the cage, Johnston throws an elbow but misses.

Flannigan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnston doesn't manage to clinch there - Flannigan circles away.
Flannigan throws a nice inside leg kick.
Johnston fails in his attempt to clinch.
Flannigan misses with a low kick.

Flannigan fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnston, pushing him back against the cage.

Flannigan manages to break the clinch.

Flannigan closes the distance and pushes Johnston back into the cage.
Flannigan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Johnston gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Flannigan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Johnston lands with a left to the head.
Flannigan throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Flannigan manages to break the clinch.

Flannigan has closed the distance and engaged Johnston in a clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Johnston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Flannigan just stands there and leans against the cage.
Johnston is trying to pull guard but Flannigan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Johnston. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnston pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Johnston is trying to pull guard but Flannigan turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Mikhael Flannigan seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Flannigan is trying to break the clinch but Johnston has him pressed against the cage.
Flannigan wants to break free but Johnston has control.
Flannigan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Flannigan tries to circle away but Johnston has him pinned against the cage.
Flannigan gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnston.
Flannigan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Flannigan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Flannigan pushes Johnston up against the cage in a clinch.
A knee to the head by Johnston.
Flannigan is looking to control Johnston's arms but Johnston gets an underhook and turns him. Now Flannigan has his back to the cage.

Flannigan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Flannigan misses with a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Flannigan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Flannigan falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Johnston counter with a right hand.
Johnston is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Flannigan darts in and clinches Johnston up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston looking for a takedown.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Flannigan pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnston takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Flannigan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Flannigan throws a head kick but Johnston moves out of range.
Johnston throws the kick towards the body but Flannigan avoids it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnston looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Flannigan throws a nice looking combination but Johnston bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mikhael Flannigan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnston is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnston lands with a slapping head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhael Flannigan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A punch combination from Flannigan misses.
Sloppy strikes from Flannigan. Those never looked like landing.
Joe Johnston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Good work by Johnston as he checks the leg kick.
Flannigan throws a low kick but it's checked well by Johnston.
Flannigan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnston.

Flannigan clinches up with Johnston and pushes him back against the cage.

Johnston gets control of Flannigan's arms and successfully pulls guard. Johnston will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Flannigan postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Johnston is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Flannigan, into his guard.

Johnston gets to his feet. Flannigan looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Flannigan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnston rushes Flannigan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Flannigan working hard to break the clinch.

Johnston breaks the clinch.
Flannigan throws a half hearted mid kick.
Flannigan throws a hook but Johnston avoids it easily.
Johnston dives in and grabs Flannigan's left leg, looking for a takedown. Flannigan pushes down on Johnston's head and hops out.

Flannigan darts in and clinches Johnston up against the cage.
Johnston has Flannigan pressed against the cage, preventing Flannigan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Johnston misses with a knee to the head.
Flannigan prevents a takedown attempt there.
Johnston has Flannigan pressed against the cage, preventing Flannigan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Johnston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Johnston rushes Flannigan and presses him up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Flannigan is keeping busy.
Johnston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Flannigan just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joe Johnston. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Flannigan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sloppy strikes from Flannigan. Those never looked like landing.
Johnston avoids a kick to the body.
Johnston will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Johnston avoids the head kick by Flannigan.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Flannigan clinches up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Flannigan's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Flannigan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Flannigan misses with a few strikes there.
Flannigan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Johnston counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Flannigan has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnston is pushing Flannigan up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Flannigan is looking to break free of the clinch but Johnston has double underhooks.
Johnston lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Johnston tries to pull guard but Flannigan holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnston drops back down to his feet.
Johnston jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Flannigan walks away with a smile on his face. Johnston gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Johnston successfully pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnston is trying to keep Flannigan in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston keeping full guard, as Flannigan tries to pass.
Flannigan throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Flannigan tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnston is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Johnston had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Flannigan defends it easily.
Johnston wants to control but Flannigan passes easily into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mikhael Flannigan.
I've got Flannigan 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 Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mikhael Flannigan!
Mikhael Flannigan bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.