PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fickel Groober (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hugh Johnston (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.

Groober
vs
Johnston

183 cm
21
290 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Fickel Groober!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Hugh Johnston!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Daniel Bishop and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnston pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Groober moves away from the strike by Johnston.

Johnston scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Groober regains half guard there - taking advantage of Johnston's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Johnston trying to control from Groober's half guard. Groober has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Johnston wants to control from the top but Groober keeps moving.
Johnston won't allow Groober to get back to his feet.
Groober controls Johnston momentarily but Johnston frees himself.
Johnston pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Groober is keeping the position for now.
Groober being controlled here, momentarily.
Johnston trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groober is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Groober tries to clinch up but Johnston circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnston changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Groober tries to avoid it but Johnston manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Groober to the ground. Groober escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Groober fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Nice sprawl there from Johnston as Groober shoots in.
Groober fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fickel Groober. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Groober wants to clinch up but Johnston keeps it at a distance.
Johnston fails with the takedown.
Groober wants to clinch up but Johnston keeps it at a distance.
Johnston shoots for a double leg takedown but Groober sprawls well. He's pushed Johnston's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Groober doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnston circles away.
Groober tries to clinch up but Johnston circles away and keeps his distance.
Groober tries to clinch but Johnston moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Johnston closes this distance looking for a takedown but Groober circles away.
Groober connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Groober darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Groober moves in looking to clinch but Johnston pushes him off.
Groober tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnston swivels and escapes.
Groober is breathing heavily.
Johnston shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Groober pinned against the cage. Groober gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Groober dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Johnston. That did some damage!
Groober tries to clinch up but Johnston circles away and keeps his distance.
Groober shoots in but no luck this time.
Johnston changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Groober tries to avoid it but Johnston manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Groober to the ground. Groober escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Johnston shoots for a double leg takedown but Groober sprawls well. He's pushed Johnston's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Johnston circles away from the clinch attempt.
Groober tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnston avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Groober closes the distance and clinches.
Groober lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Groober lands with a right to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Groober just stands there and leans against the cage.
Johnston is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Johnston drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Groober gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Johnston tries to score a body lock takedown but Groober shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Groober throws a knee to the head but misses.
Groober has had enough of the clinch but Johnston keeps him there for the moment.

Groober breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Groober tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnston paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Groober is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Groober is looking to clinch.
Groober tries for a takedown but Johnston sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Groober is looking to clinch.
Johnston throws a hook to the side of Groober's head but Groober sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Groober looks for a takedown but Johnston sprawls well.
Johnston has his takedown stuffed
and Groober counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Johnston closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Groober to the mat! Groober manages to get full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnston trying to control the position from guard on top but Groober is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Groober is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnston is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnston is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Groober is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnston is controlling him.
Johnston wants to control from the top but Groober keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hugh Johnston will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Groober tries to clinch up.
Nice takedown defense from Johnston. No joy for Groober on that attempt.
Johnston avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Johnston tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Groober swivels and escapes.
Johnston closes the distance and clinches up with Groober, looking for a takedown. Johnston pushes Groober against the cage but Groober circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Johnston shoots in but Groober avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Fickel Groober has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hugh Johnston.
Johnston moves in looking to clinch but Groober pushes him off.
Groober tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnston fails to land the takedown.
Groober tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnston paws at him with a jab and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Groober wants to clinch up but Johnston keeps it at a distance.
Johnston fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Groober is looking to clinch but Johnston is avoiding it.

Groober rushes Johnston and presses him up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Still in the clinch, Groober scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston goes for a takedown attempt but Groober pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Groober tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnston swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Johnston tries to keep at a distance but Groober has taken the fight into the clinch.
Groober is trying to break the clinch but Johnston has him pressed against the cage.
Groober tries to break the clinch but Johnston is controlling the position.
Groober prevents Johnston from breaking the clinch.
Johnston trying to stall but Groober improves his position.
Johnston tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnston has a couple of punches blocked by Groober.
Groober lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Johnston backwards.
Johnston is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Groober lands a shot to the body.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Johnston is trying to break the clinch but Groober has him pressed against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Groober pushes Johnston back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnston is trying to break the clinch but Groober has him pressed against the cage.
Johnston is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Groober.
Johnston tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Groober just stands there and leans against the cage.
A knee to the head by Groober.
Groober digs a right hand into Johnston's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Johnston's gas tank.
Groober prevents a takedown attempt there.
Groober lands a shoulder strike.
Johnston looking to stall.
Groober throws a knee to the head but misses.
Johnston tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnston can't get the takedown.
A short left from Groober.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston letting Groober take a breather here.
Groober landing knees to the head.
Johnston has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Groober is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Groober jumps guard and drags Johnston to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Johnston prevents Groober from getting back to his feet.
Groober tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnston wants to control from the top but Groober keeps moving.
Groober is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Johnston trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnstonis looking to pass into half guard but Groober pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Groober is in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Groober decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnston, up you get!
Johnston swats away the attempt to clinch by Groober.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnston tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnston can't get the takedown.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Groober tries for a takedown but Johnston manages to get underhooks.
Johnston has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Groober is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Groober stalls.
Johnston drops down looking for an ankle pick but Groober pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fickel Groober is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Groober shoots in for a double leg but Johnston sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fickel Groober 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. This is the final round!

Johnston shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Groober but Groober pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Johnston gets the takedown into side control.

Johnston is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Groober is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnston wants to take a breather but Groober manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Johnston.
Groober manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Groober trying to control but Johnston is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston working to try and regain half guard.
Groober trying to control but Johnston is having none of it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Johnston can do anything to dispel that myth.
Groober controlling the pace for now.
Johnston wants to hold on but Groober pushes him away.
Johnston is squirming around, avoiding Groober's attempts to control the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Johnston wants to hold on but Groober pushes him away.
Groober looking to control but Johnston is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnston is wriggling around trying to escape.
Groober looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston can't escape the position.
Johnston regains half guard.
Groober is thwarting Johnston's attempts to control the position.
Johnston wants to improve his position but Groober is controlling well.
Groober perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Groober is keen to just control but Johnston is a slippery customer.
Johnston is looking to control Groober's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnston avoid being mounted?
Johnston is trying to get back to full guard.
Johnston trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Groober manages to pass to mount!
Johnston is in all sorts of trouble here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Hugh Johnston.
I think Johnston 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hugh Johnston!