PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Roger Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Johnson
vs
Jones

197 cm
25
225 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

200 cm
25
279 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Roger Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ben Jones!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Sandra Marshall and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones shoots in and drives through. Johnson sprawls well.
Jones lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnson circles away quickly and effectively.
A punch combination from Jones misses.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ben Jones seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jones throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Left hook, right uppercut from Jones.

It looks like Roger Johnson has been cut.
Johnson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson misses with a knee strike.
Jones lands with a left to the head.
Jones has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Good body shot from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson pulls guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jones accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Jones working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Jones controlling from the top position.
Johnson wants to stand but Jones is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jones engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Jones stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Johnson gets tackled into the cage by Jones. Jones maintains the clinch.
Jones prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jones gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a punch to the body.

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

Jones pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Johnson stalls.

Jones escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson tries to clinch up but Jones circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed
and Jones cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Jones manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Jones fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
Johnson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Jones is keeping busy.
Jones wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Jones lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Johnson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jones just stands there and leans against the cage.
Jones lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Roger Johnson's cut is getting worse.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Jones holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
Jones tries to break the clinch but Johnson is controlling the position.
Johnson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jones just stands there and leans against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Johnson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Jones lands with a short shot to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson tries to pull guard but Jones forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Jones dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Roger Johnson's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Jones rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.

Jones moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
Johnson looking for a takedown.

Jones pulls guard effortlessly.
Jones is looking to stand up but Johnson isn't so interested in that idea.

Johnson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Jones manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Johnson has Jones in his guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Jones controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jones trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnson wants to stand and escape but Jones is having none of it.
Jones controlling from the top position.

Johnson has his foot on Jones's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Jones works his way back into a safe position though.
Jones content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Jones stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Jones misses with the combination.
Johnson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Jones tries to avoid it but Johnson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Jones to the ground. Jones escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Johnson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jones.
Johnson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Jones has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Jones manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Roger Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Jones drops Johnson with a beautiful combination! Johnson stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Jones is looking for the KO!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones misses with a low kick.
Jones tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Johnson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Jones swivels and escapes.

Jones clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.
Johnson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Jones gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Jones lands with a right to the head.

Jones decides to pull guard.
Johnson throws a strike but Jones rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Jones is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jones controls from within his opponent's guard.
Johnson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jones engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Let's hope that Jones has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Jones showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Roger Johnson's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Jones scores with a hook.

Jones forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but Jones has him pressed against the cage.

Jones breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Jones gets a clinch.
Johnson tries a knee to the head but Jones blocks it.

Jones pulls guard successfully.
Ben Jones has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson throws a big elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jones avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Johnson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Jones is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Johnson presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Jones to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roger Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A frustrated look appears on Jones's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Johnson is looking for a takedown.
Jones throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Johnsons head.

Roger Johnson's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

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

Jones moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson wants to stall.
Johnson is pushing Jones up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones lands a left hand.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Jones holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
Jones tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson misses with a body punch.

Johnson pulls guard effortlessly.

Jones stands up from Johnson's guard - Jones perhaps looking for a knockout.
Jones does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones tries for a takedown but Johnson circles away easily
and Johnson counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jones swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jones 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.

Jones gets a clinch.

Jones drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Johnson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Jones manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Johnson has Jones in his guard.

Johnson 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Jones gets to his feet. Johnson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson dives in and grabs Jones's left leg, looking for a takedown. Jones pushes down on Johnson's head and hops out.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnson sprawls well. Johnson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jones gets slowly back to his feet.
Jones scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Jones has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Ben Jones seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Jones has had enough of the clinch but Johnson keeps him there for the moment.
Ben Jones is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Johnson fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Roger Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Jones successfully pulls guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ben Jones comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Jones has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sandra Marshall scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Jones!