PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Beaumont McHale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

McHale
vs
Johnson

182 cm
35
215 lbs
38 - 14 - 1

188 cm
33
222 lbs
15 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 38 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Beaumont McHale!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Robert Twigg and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson swinging wildly here.
McHale moves out of range of the body kick from Johnson.
Johnson tries to bum rush McHale with a series of wild strikes but McHale uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson pushes McHale away with a front kick.
A slapping body kick lands there for Johnson.
McHale takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and McHale counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson looks to clinch
letting McHale counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. McHale manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
McHale swinging wildly here.
Johnson defending well as McHale loads up on a big left hand.
McHale will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
McHale ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Anthony Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McHale darts in looking for a takedown but Johnson gets double underhooks and turns McHale into the cage.

Johnson breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Johnson has McHale up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but McHale keeps him there for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but McHale has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson is trying to force a seperation but McHale has the dominant position.

McHale gets a trip takedown into half guard.
McHale throwing shots but Johnson is blocking nicely.
McHale missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Johnson is looking for a sweep. McHale is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
McHale tries to pass to full mount but Johnson defends it.
McHale thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
McHale wants to control but Johnson is keeping him busy.
McHale has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McHale lands with a punch from half guard.
McHale missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Johnson is trying to maintain the position but McHale is very close to passing his half guard.
McHale not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Johnson is trying is best to control the position here.
McHale throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
McHale sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Johnson defending well though.
Johnson is trying to stand.
We've been hearing that McHale has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
McHale is nestled in close to Johnson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
McHale lands with a punch from half guard.
McHale wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson has hold of McHale's hands but McHale slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
McHale missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from McHale.
McHale landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
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. McHale connects with a nice short shot to Johnson's temple.
Johnson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
McHale lands strikes from half guard.
Johnson is trying to stand back up but McHale is controlling him
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McHale thows a huge punch but Johnson dodges it nicely.
McHale is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
McHale is really struggling to control Johnson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
McHale is nestled in close to Johnson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson gets back to full guard.
McHale throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but McHale is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Beaumont McHale dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson misses the jab.
Beaumont McHale is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McHale looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johnson stalks McHale and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into McHale's face. McHale staggers backwards, shaken.

It looks like Beaumont McHale has been cut.
McHale goes for a double leg but Johnson avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Johnson continues to drive forward.
Johnson stops a takedown attempt from McHale.
McHale being controlled against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from McHale.
McHale is trying to force a seperation but Johnson has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McHale blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
Johnson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McHale circles away quickly and effectively.
McHale misses the body punch
and Johnson counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
McHale circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
McHale misses with a jab, cross combination.
McHale on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Johnson avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Johnson misses with a straight right.
McHale throws a series of punches but Johnson avoids them all with ease.
McHale fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Beaumont McHale. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Johnson lands a big head kick that sends McHale tumbling to the mat! Johnson takes a step backwards and waves McHale back to his feet - he wants the finish!

McHale is rocked!
McHale drops his hands momentarily and Johnson needs no second invitation. He sets himself and throws a perfect high kick, that clips McHale just on the top of the head. McHale drops like a sack of potatoes to the canvas, out cold! Oooooooh yeah! Stick a fork in McHale - he's done!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Anthony Johnson!
Anthony Johnson is the new light heavyweight champion!
After the fight, Anthony Johnson was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.