PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sergey Melikhov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sergey Melikhov has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Melikhov
vs
Johnson

176 cm
23
205 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

184 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sergey Melikhov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jack Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Melikhov.
Melikhov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnson.
A jab lands there for Melikhov.

It looks like Jack Johnson has been cut.
Johnson defending well as Melikhov loads up on a big left hand.
Melikhov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Melikhov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson slips under a jab from Melikhov.
Sergey Melikhov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Melikhov throws a hook but Johnson avoids it easily.
Johnson scores with a head kick.
Melikhov looks to throw the jab but Johnson is out of range.
Melikhov misses with an uppercut.
Melikhov misses with an uppercut.
Johnson throws a head kick that half lands.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Johnson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Melikhov.
Melikhov is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Johnson's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Melikhov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Johnson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Melikhov throws out the jab.
A head kick by Melikhov misses

so Johnson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Melikhov's guard.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.

Johnson is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Melikhov sees it coming and defends easily.
Melikhov pushes Johnson off looking to stand but Johnson dives back in and keeps control.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
Melikhov flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

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.
Johnson wants to control but Melikhov is keeping him busy.

Melikhov makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Johnson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Melikhov.
Melikhov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Melikhov misses with a double jab.
Melikhov throws a shot from downtown. Johnson moves away and avoids it.
Melikhov misses with an uppercut.
Melikhov throws a big shot that misses.
Melikhov is breathing heavily.
Melikhov looks to land a left hand but Johnson moved out of range nicely.
Melikhov misses with a body punch

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is standing up over Melikhov. Melikhov looks to escape but Johnson dives into side control.

Johnson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Melikhov is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Johnson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Melikhov throws out the jab.
Melikhov misses with a hook. Johnson ducked under it nicely.
Melikhov misses with a straight left.
Melikhov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Johnson is trying to control. Melikhov wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Melikhov is trying to escape back to his feet but Johnson uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Johnson slows the pace down.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Melikhov pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Johnson wants to control but Melikhov is keeping him busy.
Johnson laying and praying for a moment but Melikhov takes advantage and regains half guard.
Melikhov on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Melikhov tries to get out of the position.
Melikhov looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jack Johnson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Good shot there by Melikhov.
Melikhov throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Melikhov.
Melikhov throws an overhand right that lands on Johnson's shoulder, as Johnson tries to avoid the shot.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Melikhov.
Melikhov throws a shot from downtown. Johnson moves away and avoids it.
Johnson fails with the takedown.
Melikhov throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Johnson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Johnson moves away from the strike by Melikhov.
Melikhov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Melikhov.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Melikhov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Melikhov throws an overhand right that lands on Johnson's shoulder, as Johnson tries to avoid the shot.
Melikhov lands a jab.
Melikhov stuffs the takedown attempt from Johnson. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Jack Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Melikhov throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Johnson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Melikhov.
Johnson steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Melikhov.
Johnson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Melikhov throws out the jab.
Melikhov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Melikhov throws a sloppy head kick

and Johnson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Johnson.
Melikhov keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Melikhov preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Johnson passes Melikhov's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Melikhov is trying to stand back up but Johnson is controlling him
Johnson prevents Melikhov from improving his position.
Melikhov wants to stand back up but Johnson manages to pass into side control.
Melikhov pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control the action but Melikhov is working from the bottom.

Johnson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Melikhov knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Melikhov knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Johnson moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Johnson moves out of range of the strikes.
Johnson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Melikhov throws out the jab.
Melikhov throws out a loose jab but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Johnson staying out of range there.
Melikhov throws a lazy right hand but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Melikhov swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Johnson.
Melikhov throws an overhand right that lands on Johnson's shoulder, as Johnson tries to avoid the shot.
Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Melikhov.
Melikhov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Melikhov looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnson is just out of range.
Melikhov takes a kick to the side of the head.
Melikhov misses with a looping right.
Melikhov throws a shot from downtown. Johnson moves away and avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergey Melikhov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jack Johnson's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Johnson scores with a one two! Melikhov had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown. Melikhov tries to sprawl out of it but Johnson keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Melikhov manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Melikhov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Melikhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnson moves away.
Melikhov throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.
Melikhov is trying to get back to his feet.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Melikhov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Johnson decides to stand up, so the ref orders Melikhov to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Melikhov.
Melikhov throws a shot from downtown. Johnson moves away and avoids it.
Melikhov looks to land a left hand but Johnson moved out of range nicely.
Melikhov loads up on a big right hand but Johnson slips the punch.
A telegraphed right hand from Melikhov misses the target.
Melikhov darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Johnson ducks under a wild hook from Melikhov.
Johnson closes this distance looking for a takedown but Melikhov circles away.
Melikhov throws a body kick the misses

and Johnson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Melikhov is trying to stand up here but Johnson is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Johnson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Melikhov throws a lazy right hand but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Johnson moves out of range of the strikes.
Johnson blocks a jab.
Melikhov jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Melikhov throws a big shot that misses.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Melikhov.

Johnson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Melikhov was covering up waiting for the punch and Johnson finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Melikhov is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Johnson, into his guard.
Johnson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Melikhov's guard.
Melikhov wants to get back to his feet but Johnson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Melikhov punching to the body, from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Melikhov has a closed guard, preventing Johnson from standing up.
Melikhov keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Melikhov is keeping the position for now.
Melikhov wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Melikhov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Melikhov wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Johnson!