Brett Johns vs. Montel Jackson

Round 1
Johns (16-2, 4-2 UFC) will try to keep things rolling for Wales – Welsh fighters went 1-1 on Wednesday with Jack Shore staying undefeated in victory – against America’s Jackson (9-1, 3-1 UFC) also in the bantamweight division. Our referee is Rich Mitchell, and the two fighters greet one another with a touch of gloves. Johns leads off with a body kick that is easily blocked, and a low kick that is not. Jackson responds with one, and the two trade leg kicks. One of Jackson’s high thigh kicks goes south of the border, and Mitchell pauses the action for a moment. He claps things in, and Johns lands a one-two and presses Jackson against the fence. The Welsh fighter tries to tie up Jackson, but in the ensuing exchange, Jackson manages to get Johns down and nails him on the nose with an elbow. Johns climbs back to his feet and ties up Jackson again, only to break and try to sneak in a left hook. Jackson moves his head out of the way, but this strike is a distraction as Johns hits a quick takedown. The American walks up the fence, and Johns stays glued to him against the cage. Jackson starts to lift a few knees up, and holds on to Jackson’s hand to stop any offense or positional change. Johns uses his full body weight to try to drag the fight down, but the fence prevents the change in posture. “The Pikey” attempts a double, and when it fails, he hits an inside trip and get Jackson down for but a second. Jackson gets up and eats a knee to the face. Jackson pushes him away, and nails Johns with a right hand that sends the Welshman flying to the canvas. Jackson leaps down and carves him up with an elbow, and a few more punches land before Johns ties him up. Jackson manages to pull himself free to fire off a few elbows, but when he gets wild, Johns throws his legs up and traps his man in an armbar. “Quik” stands up quickly, and in doing so he breaks the position. The round ends with Jackson lording over his opponent on his back.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 2
There is no glove touch, as Johns comes out aggressively. Blocking a few incoming strikes, Johns pursues a single leg takedown that presses Jackson against the wall. He muscles him down momentarily, and Jackson walks up. This happens again, and Jackson likewise gets to his feet without much issue. Johns grids him against the wall, and Jackson sneaks up a couple short knees. Jackson tries to pull himself from the fence, but in the process, he takes an elbow to the chin. Johns tosses him back down, but like several times before it, Jackson springs back up. Johns doggedly pursues a takedown, and tries to tie up the legs and trip the American. He cannot, and they separate, allowing Jackson to land a straight left. Johns goes to the body with a kick, and allows Jackson to come back with a one-two. As soon as Jackson puts his foot down, Johns shoots in to take the fight down. Jackson catches him and stuffs it, greeting Johns with knees and tossing him to the ground. Johns gets up and charges in like a bull, and finally lands an emphatic takedown even though he takes a groin strike on the way in. Johns circles around to Jackson’s back, and he secures a body triangle with 90 seconds left. Jackson is able to keep his grip on Johns’ gloves, and proves to the referee that his grip is legal because his hands are just that large for a bantamweight. Jackson switches to two-on-one wrist control, and is trying to turn around while also pulling for a version of a straight armlock. Like the fight before, Johns allows himself to get swept as he throws his legs up for a triangle choke, and it is tight. Unlike the previous bout, Jackson powers out to pull his neck free from the dangerous position, and lands a few strikes on top to end the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns

Round 3
The two men do touch gloves to start the last round, and Johns paws out a jab a few times to get his range. Jackson tries to time a left hand as Johns shoots in from a great distance, and the American staves it off. Johns comes at him relentlessly and grabs hold of a single, lifting up a leg and taking a few elbows to the side of his head that make him set it down. Johns grinds Jackson on the fence, attempting and failing to lift Jackson off the ground. He regathers his thoughts, lifts Jackson up and plants him down in the center of the cage. Jackson quickly gets back up, and when he separates, Johns charges at him. Jackson catches him flush with a knee, and Johns ignores it to pursue and land the double leg takedown. Jackson once more wall walks to gain separation, and lands a one-two when he gets his sea legs beneath him again. Jackson circles away and scores a one-two, leaning into a clinch. Johns knees him up the middle and lands a right hand, but Jackson fires back at him. Johns keeps meandering forward, and his unrelenting aggression leads to yet another takedown. Jackson gets up and nearly gives up his back. The American gets free, and spins around the fence but gives up his neck. Johns grabs hold of it and drops down for a guillotine choke. Jackson calmly defends it, turning around to pull himself free. When Jackson stands up, Johns bullies him against the fence until the grinding round, and fight, ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Johns (29-28 Johns)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Johns (29-28 Johns)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Johns (29-28 Johns)

The Official Result
Brett Johns def. Montel Jackson via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Brett Johns vs. Aljamain Sterling

Round 1
Sterling works from the southpaw stance and throws a few side kicks at the body of Johns to keep the Welshman on the outside. Johns gets through with a pair of hooks, backing up Sterling to the fence. The American continues to circle the outside as Johns controls the center of the cage. Sterling clinches up and tries a sacrifice throw, but he winds up mounted as Johns stuffs the throw. Sterling immediately gets an underhook and sweeps Johns to the bottom, escaping a bad situation in a hurry and then pushing Johns against the cage. John stands up with just over two minutes on the clock, but he's still pinned to the chain-link by Sterling with an underhook. Johns breaks out and tries to resume striking with 60 seconds left. Sterling plants a kick in the midsection of the "Pikey," then gets taken down but forces Johns to fight off a guillotine at the finish.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sterling
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sterling
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Sterling

Round 2
Same as in round one, Johns takes the center of the cage and follows Sterling around the outside. However it's the circling Sterling controlling the distance and the pace of the fight, his strikes coming in quicker than Johns' in every exchange. Johns lands a nice knee, then tries a takedown, but Sterling hooks the Welsh fighter's rear leg, looks to hit the switch and then stands up instead. Johns keeps Sterling trapped on the fence with an underhook, but Sterling creates some space inside and feeds Johns a nasty knee to the gut. Johns covers his midsection and backs up, blocking punches as Sterling tries to finish off his injured opponent. Johns does well to recover from the body blow, even swinging back at Sterling with a left hand. With two minutes left, though, it's Sterling hitting a powerful takedown and then roughing up Johns with ground-and-pound. Johns gets back on his feet and leans back against the fence, giving Sterling a few elbows to the head as the American digs for another takedown. Referee Liam Kerrigan breaks up the clinch with 55 seconds on the clock, and now both bantamweights start landing punches. Johns tries a spinning backfist and a spinning kick at the end of the round, both dodged by Sterling.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sterling
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sterling
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Sterling

Round 3
Johns comes out aggressive, once again pressuring Sterling to the outside. Sterling aborbs the pressure and gives it back to the "Pikey" in the form of a knee to the body, a pair of inside leg kicks, then a takedown. Johns stands up as Sterling tries to jump on his back, leaving "Aljo" stuck with only one hook. Sterling drops off the back and goes to a front bodylock, shoulder-shrugging Johns' face as they fight chest-to-chest on the fence. Johns tries to get away and is taken off balance by Sterling, who's still looking to jump on the Welshman's back. Sterling settles for hugging Johns against the fence again, now halfway through the final round. Sterling throws knees to the legs of Johns, but it's not enough for referee Kerrigan, who splits up the fighters with 1:40 remaining. Johns tries a flying knee, a left hand, but Sterling dodges both and then drops for a single-leg. Sterling completes the takedown and hops on the back of Johns, then spends the final minute dropping punches with both hooks in.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round 10-9 Sterling (30-27 Sterling)
Chris Nelson scores the round 10-9 Sterling (30-27 Sterling)
Josh Stillman scores the round 10-9 Sterling (30-27 Sterling)

The Official Result
Aljamain Sterling def. Brett Johns via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00