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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Michael Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicky Santoro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!
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| 173 cm
39
155 lbs
14 - 13 - 1 |
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160 cm
34
158 lbs
27 - 13 - 1 |
Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine |
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Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
14 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
27 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Nicky Santoro!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson throws a nice looking combination but Santoro bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Johnson tries to land a front kick but Santoro steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Johnson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Johnson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Santoro not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Johnson gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Johnson defending well as Santoro loads up on a big left hand.
Johnson shoots in and gets a takedown into Santoro's guard.
Johnson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Santoro working for submissions but it's allowed Johnson to get to half guard.
Johnson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Santoro gets back to full guard.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Santoro is keeping the position.
Santoro looking to control.
Santoro is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Santoro looking for a sweep. Not yet Santoro, not yet.
Johnson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Santoro is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnson stopping the sweep attempt from Santoro.
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.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Santoro 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.
Santoro trying to control the position here.
Santoro wants to sweep but no luck.
Johnson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Santoro is striking off his back. Johnson thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to control but Santoro is keeping him busy.
Johnson is thwarting Santoro's attempts to control the position.
Santoro is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Santoro is trying to control but can't.
The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Santoro trying to strike off his back.
Santoro keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson won't allow Santoro to sweep him here.
Santoro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santoro keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.
Johnson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Santoro is trying to keep Johnson in close.
Santoro is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnson feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Santoro is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Santoro throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Michael Johnson dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.
Johnson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Santoro was covering up waiting for the punch and Johnson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Santoro is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Santoro is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santoro is trying to hold Johnson in close to prevent damage but Johnson has managed to pass into half guard.
Santoro is not content to let Johnson control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santoro wants to get back to full guard.
Johnson stands up and beckons Santoro to join him on the feet.
Johnson throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Santoro tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Johnson is in Santoro's guard.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Santoro controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
Santoro looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Santoro is pulling down on Johnson's head to control his posture.
Johnson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Santoro is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Johnson tries to get to full guard but Santoro has control of the leg.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Santoro not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Santoro can do to turn this around?
Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Santoro trying to control from half guard but Johnson is working away.
Johnson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Santoro is working away from the top position though.
Johnson is trying to get back to full 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. Santoro connects with a nice short shot to Johnson's temple.
Johnson is looking to control Santoro's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnson avoid being mounted?
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Santoro landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Santoro thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.
Johnson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johnson.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnson working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Santoro.
Santoro trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Santoro connects with a couple of short punches.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Santoro from controlling successfully.
Santoro postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Santoro trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Santoro controlling him for the moment.
Santoro with a flurry of punches that miss.
Johnson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Santoro has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Johnson is working away from the top position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santoro is looking for a sweep. Johnson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Michael Johnson dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!
Johnson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Santoro is trying to defend but Johnson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Johnson passes to side control.
Johnson throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Santoro stops Johnson from passing to mount.
Santoro is looking to reverse the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Santoro is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Johnson taking a break here but Santoro is having none of it and regains half guard.
Santoro trying to hold on to Johnson's head to control him but Johnson postures up.
Michael Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson thows a huge punch but Santoro dodges it nicely.
Johnson controlling the pace.
Santoro keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Santoro holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Santoro tries to roll over but Johnson keeps him under control.
Santoro looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Santoro has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Johnson is working away from the top position though.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Johnson is looking for a kimura but Santoro is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Johnson to get the leverage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Santoro is refusing to be controlled, as Johnson sits in half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Johnson is pressing down on Santoro's thigh, looking to free his foot. Santoro is holding on for now.
The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Santoro takes one on the button.
Johnson has Santoro up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson is trying to maintain a safe position but Santoro gets an underhook and turns Johnson into the cage.
Johnson successfully pulls guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Santoro trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Santoro postures up.
Nicky Santoro has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson pulls Santoro in close to his closed guard and prevents Santoro from doing any damage or advancing position.
Johnson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnson wants to control but Santoro passes easily into half guard.
Johnson has hold of Santoro's hands but Santoro slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Santoro lands strikes from half guard.
Santoro is thwarting Johnson's attempts to control the position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Santoro lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Santoro wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Santoro is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Santoro working the head and body with strikes.
Santoro has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Johnson keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Santoro.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Santoro slips a nice elbow through Johnson's hands, connecting with Johnson's forehead.
Ground and pound from Santoro.
Michael Johnson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Santoro thows a huge punch but Johnson dodges it nicely.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Michael Johnson.
Well Johnson has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Johnson!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
27% |
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