PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Clay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Johnson
vs
Clay

215 cm
24
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

199 cm
23
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anthony Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ray Clay!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Robert Twigg and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Clay shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Johnson's guard.
Clay pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
Clay keeps trying to improve his position.
Clay is stalling in the full guard.
Clay postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Clay tries to pass.
Clay is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Clay throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Johnson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Clay has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

Clay lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Clay content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Johnson defending well though.
Clay looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Clay not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay trying to control the pace.

Clay postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Johnson to stand up.
Clay lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

Clay pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Clay stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Clay breaks the clinch.
Johnson lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Clay has managed to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay is pushing Johnson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Clay is looking to take this one to the mat.
The referee calls for Clay to work.

Clay decides to pull guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clay has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Clay looking for a guillotine here but Johnson defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Clay 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 a lazy head kick

and Clay counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.
Clay postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Clay has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Clay is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Johnson is being controlled here.
Clay tries to move into full mount but can't pass Johnson's legs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Clay tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Clay has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Clay in side control, throwing shots but Johnson defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clay in side control, throwing shots but Johnson defends.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Clay is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Johnson's shoulder. That is not cool.

Clay decides to stand up, so the ref orders Johnson to his feet.
Johnson throws a jab but it's blocked by Clay.
Johnson lands with a nice body kick.
Johnson throws a lazy head kick

and Clay counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Clay.
Clay loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Clay controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Clay throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay stands and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Clay thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Clay is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Johnson will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Clay looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Johnson is avoiding damage well.
Clay advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay landing strikes from the mount.
Clay with the ground and pound from mount.
Clay controlling from mount.
Clay scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Clay looking to control and managing it successfully.
Clay is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay controlling his opponent.
Clay dominating with strikes here.

Clay get's back to his feet.
Ray Clay is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Clay moves into the clinch.
Johnson takes a shot to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Johnson is fighting off a takedown attempt but Clay is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Johnson to the mat. Johnson regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ray Clay 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Clay manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Johnson on his heels. He'll look to pass Johnson's guard now, I'm sure.
Clay is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Clay must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Clay stands and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Johnson gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Clay working the ground and pound effectively.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Clay dominating with strikes here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Clay controlling the position easily from mount.
Johnson taking shots to the head.
Clay is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Johnson can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Clay punishing his opponent with strikes.
Clay sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Clay lands a nice shot to the head.
Clay is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Johnson can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Clay tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Clay pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Clay controlling his opponent.

Clay is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Johnson to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Johnson shrugs it off.
Clay looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Clay scoring with strikes but Johnson is staying in there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Clay takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ray Clay comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Clay 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Ray Clay!
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight for Ray Clay!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Ray Clay!

Ray Clay wins by unanimous decision!