PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joey Johnson (ranked 6323 p4p, 584 weight class) and Shelton Gold (ranked 6190 p4p, 577 weight class). Johnson's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Welcome to the jungle. Shelton Gold has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Johnson
vs
Gold

185 cm
21
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
20
218 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joey Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shelton Gold!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Donatello Bradman and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gold is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Johnson's half guard.

Johnson manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Gold. Gold gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Gold on that attempt.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Gold on that attempt.
Johnson went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Joey Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shelton Gold.
Gold with a lazy takedown attempt
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Gold.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A punch combination from Johnson misses.

Gold scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Gold landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Gold landing strikes.
Johnson wants to control but Gold postures up.
Gold cracks Johnson with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Johnson is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Gold looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Johnson is avoiding damage well.
Gold scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Johnson to see if he's OK.
Gold is chipping away with strikes.
Gold is working Johnson over with some ground and pound from side control.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but Gold drags him back down.
Gold controls the position from side control.
Gold scoring with punches and elbows.
Gold lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Johnson down.
Gold controlling from side mount.
Johnson is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Johnson stops Gold from passing to mount.
Gold in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Johnson is trying to control Gold's posture but Gold avoids it.
Johnson wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gold in side control lands a decent elbow.

Johnson throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Gold 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.
Gold looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gold must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to keep Gold in close.
Gold throwing strikes from guard but Johnson blocks nicely.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Gold from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Gold fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Shelton Gold will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

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

Johnson has one foot on Gold's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Gold shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Gold is figuring out what he wants to do next.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Gold lands a nice short elbow.
Gold winds up and cracks Johnson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Johnson is trying to get back to full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Gold is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gold looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Johnson is looking to control Gold's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johnson avoid being mounted?
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is looking for a sweep. Gold is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gold 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.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.

Johnson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gold pulls his head out easily.
Gold scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Gold is controlling the pace.
Gold lands with a punch from half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gold in particular looking to stall.

Gold is looking for a kimura here.
Gold trying to control the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gold scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Gold looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Well, if Gold is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Shelton Gold has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gold works his way into side control.

That's four 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.
Gold lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Johnson is trying to control Gold's posture but Gold avoids it.
Gold is working Johnson over with some ground and pound from side control.
Gold cracks Johnson with a big right hand but Johnson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Johnson manages to get back to half guard.
Gold wants to free his trapped foot but Johnson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Johnson on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Nice strikes from Gold there.
Gold stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shelton Gold showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Johnson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Gold scores with a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Gold slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Johnson controls Gold momentarily but Gold frees himself.
Gold stops Johnson from standing up.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Gold tries to pass.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gold is one step ahead there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gold controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Gold is working Johnson over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gold postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gold lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gold controls the pace.
Gold landing with the ground and pound.
Gold makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gold controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Gold's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

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.
Gold not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gold stops Johnson from standing up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Gold closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Johnson to the mat! Johnson manages to get full guard.
Gold is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Gold working some strikes from top position.
Gold is in close to Johnson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Gold postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gold landing with the ground and pound.
Gold scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Johnson is rocked!
Gold postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Oh Johnson is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gold content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Johnson wants to stand but Gold is controlling the position.
Gold slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gold connects with a couple of short punches.
Gold controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gold advances position into side control!
Johnson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Johnson seems a little lost for a moment, as Gold dominates the positioning.

Gold tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Gold is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Johnson looks calm but he's in trouble here. Gold gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Johnson is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Gold lets go of the hold and Johnson can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Shelton Gold!
Our winner, Shelton Gold, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.