PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Gil Jennings (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler 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.

Jennings
vs
Johnston

181 cm
18
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gil Jennings!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tyler Johnston !
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Roger Salmon and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnston scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Johnston in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Johnston looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Jennings is avoiding damage well.
Johnston trying to control the action but Jennings is working from the bottom.
Johnston throws a strike aimed at the side of Jennings's head but Jennings avoids it well.
Jennings is looking for a sweep.

Johnston tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johnston has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jennings is looking to reverse the position.
Jennings looking for a sweep but Johnston has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jennings tries to hold on but Johnston postures up.
Johnston prevents Jennings from getting the reversal.
Johnston trying to control but Jennings is having none of it.
Jennings working to try and regain half guard.
Jennings bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston wants to sweep here but Jennings controlling him for the moment.
Jennings throws a big elbow that misses.
Jennings postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Johnston wants to sweep but no luck.
Johnston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Jennings keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Johnston 's head.

Johnston is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Johnston is trying to keep Jennings in close.
Johnston working a defensive guard but Jennings manages to pass into side control anyway.
Jennings lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Johnston down.

Jennings is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnston is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Johnston wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnston tries to bench press Jennings off him but Jennings keeps the position.
Johnston is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Jennings asserts his dominance and retains side control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Johnston is looking to reverse the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Jennings lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gil Jennings dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Johnston closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
It looks like Johnston is going to stand back up.
Johnston is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Jennings trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jennings is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Gil Jennings overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnston wants to control the pace but Jennings is squirming around nicely.

Johnston is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston throws a leg kick that is checked

and Jennings counters with a single leg into guard. Johnston didn't expect that.

Johnston manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Johnston manages to break the clinch.
Johnston is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Jennings is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Johnston .

It looks like Gil Jennings has been cut.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Jennings.
Johnston tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnston rolls, trying to escape but Jennings keeps control of the position.
The referee is taking a good look at Johnston as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Jennings!

Jennings working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Johnston trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jennings is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Johnston up.
Jennings is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Johnston . He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Jennings is not going to allow Johnston to sit and survive in this position.
Jennings is hanging on to Johnston 's back as he tries to escape.
Johnston is breathing heavily.
Jennings lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Johnston can't escape the position.
Johnston keeps trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jennings has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Johnston has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Johnston is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Jennings is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Johnston is defending well though. Jennings let's go of the attempt for now.
Jennings gets his hands free as Johnston looks to control.
You can see the frustration on Johnston 's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gil Jennings will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Gil Jennings's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnston decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Jennings is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Johnston passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Jennings!
Johnston can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Jennings is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jennings tries to hold on but Johnston pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jennings regains half guard.
Johnston prevents Jennings from standing back up.
Jennings keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Jennings is trying to maintain the position but Johnston is very close to passing his half guard.
Jennings punching from the bottom.

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.
Jennings is trying to get back to full guard.
Jennings keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Johnston is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Jennings manages to get to full guard.
Johnston postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jennings seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Johnston scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Jennings has one foot on Johnston 's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Jennings closes this distance looking for a takedown but Johnston circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johnston closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Jennings's guard.
Johnston throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Jennings works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnston throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnston wants to control from the top but Jennings keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jennings pulls Johnston in close to prevent any damage.
Jennings looking to control.
Jennings keeping full guard, as Johnston tries to pass.
Johnston is looking to work some ground and pound but Jennings has wrist control.

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!

Johnston closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Johnston lands in his opponent's guard.

Johnston gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyler Johnston comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Jennings has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Gil Jennings!