PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between EJ Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Petri Pikkarainen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes to the cage accompanied by Game: South Side . Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Johnson
vs
Pikkarainen

173 cm
21
153 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, EJ Johnson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Petri Pikkarainen!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson throws a shot from downtown. Pikkarainen moves away and avoids it.
Pikkarainen fails with the takedown.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Pikkarainen scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Pikkarainen wants to pass the guard but Johnson is defending well.
Johnson gets back to full guard.

Johnson had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Pikkarainen is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Johnson Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Pikkarainen's back instead.
Johnson keeps control of the position as Pikkarainen tries to break free.
Johnson trying to control.
Pikkarainen rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Pikkarainen moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pikkarainen swivels though and keeps the full guard.
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.

Pikkarainen had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Johnson is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Pikkarainen Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Johnson's back instead.
Pikkarainen doesn't have the hooks in and Johnson manages to turn into his guard.
Johnson pushes down on Pikkarainen's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Johnson tries to pass to full mount but Pikkarainen defends it.
Pikkarainen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Johnson is thwarting Pikkarainen's attempts to control the position.

Pikkarainen is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Johnson pulls his head out easily.
Pikkarainen looks gassed!
Pikkarainen is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Pikkarainen has hold of Johnson's hands but Johnson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Pikkarainen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pikkarainen is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pikkarainen avoid being mounted?
Johnson tries to pass to full mount but Pikkarainen defends it.
Pikkarainen is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Johnson's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Johnson's back!
Pikkarainen is trying to stick to Johnson's back but Johnson is turning into Pikkarainen. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Pikkarainen's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Johnson.
Pikkarainen keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Pikkarainen keeping full guard, as Johnson tries to pass.

Pikkarainen working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Johnson passes Pikkarainen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Johnson seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Johnson is trying to control. Pikkarainen wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Pikkarainen defends it well.
Pikkarainen holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Pikkarainen is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Pikkarainen is looking to escape.

Johnson stands up out of the half guard.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch but Pikkarainen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Johnson scores with a takedown into Pikkarainen's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson trying to control but Pikkarainen is working from the bottom.
Johnson lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pikkarainen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Johnson stands up and waves to Pikkarainen to follow him.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Pikkarainen is avoiding it.
Johnson throws a body punch but Pikkarainen moves out of range.

Johnson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pikkarainen's guard.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pikkarainen is keeping the position for now.

Pikkarainen is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Pikkarainen is retaining full guard.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Pikkarainen keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

EJ Johnson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Johnson tries for a takedown but Pikkarainen circles away easily

and Pikkarainen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pikkarainen.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pikkarainen gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pikkarainen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pikkarainen is one step ahead there.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Pikkarainen from controlling successfully.
Johnson is trying to keep Pikkarainen in close.

Pikkarainen drops back looking for a leg! Johnson is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Johnson manages to kick Pikkarainen off! Pikkarainen jumps back into Johnson's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Pikkarainen tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to control the position but Pikkarainen postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson throws a low kick, looking for Pikkarainen's leg but Pikkarainen calmly moves out of range.
Johnson looks to land a combination but Pikkarainen avoids it well.
Johnson lands a jab to the head.

Johnson has Pikkarainen up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Johnson landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Pikkarainen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Johnson is stalling here.
Johnson tries to land knees in the clinch but Pikkarainen avoids the damage to the body.
Pikkarainen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Johnson scores with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to land knees in the clinch but Pikkarainen avoids the damage to the body.
Johnson missing with knees to the body.
Johnson misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pikkarainen.
Pikkarainen tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
Johnson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pikkarainen blocks it with crossed arms.
Johnson tries to stall but Pikkarainen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Pikkarainen is working for takedown but Johnson is calmly controlling the position for now.
Johnson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Johnson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Johnson misses with a body punch.
Pikkarainen tries to pull guard but Johnson won't allow it.
EJ Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Petri Pikkarainen.
Johnson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pikkarainen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Johnson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pikkarainen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pikkarainen tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Pikkarainen gets a trip takedown into half guard.

Pikkarainen is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Johnson is just riding it out for now. Pikkarainen eventually gives up the hold.

Pikkarainen is working for a submission of some sort.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pikkarainen seems to be looking for submissions.
Pikkarainen tries to stand and escape but Johnson is controlling the position.
Johnson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Pikkarainen trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Johnson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Johnson trying to control but Pikkarainen is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
Pikkarainen is looking to improve his position but Johnson isn't that keen on the idea.
Johnson looking to finish Pikkarainen with some ground and pound. This is bad for Pikkarainen!
Johnson with good strikes from the mount here!

Johnson get's back to his feet.

Johnson shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Johnson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
EJ Johnson overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Pikkarainen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Pikkarainen tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

EJ Johnson dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Johnson wants to clinch but Pikkarainen slips to the side

and Pikkarainen counters with a shoot takedown. Johnson fights it but they end up in guard.
Johnson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pikkarainen!

Johnson looking for a guillotine from mount but Pikkarainen is having none of it.
Pikkarainen is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Johnson working for a submission but Pikkarainen is keeping him at bay.

Johnson looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pikkarainen tries to hold on but Johnson pushes him away.
Johnson scoring with strikes but Pikkarainen is staying in there.
Pikkarainen working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Pikkarainen?

Johnson is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Pikkarainen is surviving well by controlling Johnson's body position as best he can.
Pikkarainen blocking the ground and pound.
Pikkarainen gets back to half guard.
Pikkarainen gets back to full guard.
Pikkarainen looking for a sweep. Not yet Pikkarainen, not yet.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Pikkarainen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Johnson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Pikkarainen has his foot on Johnson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnson works his way back into a safe position though.
Johnson won't allow Pikkarainen to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Johnson seems to have locked his on tight now - Pikkarainen screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Johnson, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). EJ Johnson!
EJ Johnson is the new featherweight champion!