PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Loser Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matti Nieminen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matti Nieminen is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Johnson
vs
Nieminen

219 cm
21
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

170 cm
26
143 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Loser Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matti Nieminen!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Aafke Stam and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nieminen leaves Johnson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Nieminen throws and low kick but Johnson moves out of range easily.
Johnson looks for a takedown but Nieminen sprawls well.
Nieminen throws a nice outside leg kick.
Matti Nieminen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nieminen shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Nieminen was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Johnson tries to lock up and control but Nieminen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen avoids the attempt from Johnson to control.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Johnson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Johnson tries to hold on but Nieminen pushes him away.
Johnson is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Johnson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Nieminen sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two 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 tries to hold on but Nieminen pushes him away.
Nieminen controlling the position easily from mount.
Nieminen avoids the attempt from Johnson to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nieminen is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Johnson looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Johnson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Nieminen decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson tries to roll over but Nieminen keeps him under control.
Johnson is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to control but Nieminen is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Nieminen decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Nieminen misses with a few strikes there.

Johnson forces Nieminen back against the ropes and clinches.

Nieminen lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Nieminen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Johnson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nieminen dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A head kick misses from Johnson.

Nieminen shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Nieminen showed some decent athleticism there.
Johnson is trying to stand.
Johnson punching from the bottom.
Johnson tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Nieminen has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Nieminen stands up from mount. Strange move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Nieminen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Nieminen escapes and gets back to his feet.

Nieminen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Nieminen wants to stand but Johnson is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Nieminen gets to his feet - Johnson follows without any prompting.

Nieminen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Nieminen manages to pass to side control.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.

Nieminen decides to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nieminen shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Johnson really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Johnson is looking for a triangle here but Nieminen uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Nieminen decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Johnson wants to clinch but Nieminen slips to the side

and Nieminen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.

Johnson has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Nieminen is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Johnson.
Matti Nieminen has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nieminen working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.

Nieminen stands up.

Nieminen feints and as Johnson raises his hands in defense, Nieminen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Nieminen passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matti Nieminen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nieminen fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Johnson sprawls well initially but Nieminen persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Nieminen postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Johnson to stand up.
Nieminen circles away from the clinch attempt

and Nieminen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Nieminen blocks the strikes from Johnson.
Nieminen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to get to full guard but Nieminen has control of the leg.

Nieminen escapes and gets back to his feet.

Nieminen feints and as Johnson raises his hands in defense, Nieminen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Nieminen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Johnson working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Nieminen has passed into half guard!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking for subs from the bottom but Nieminen mounts him!

Nieminen stands up from mount. Strange move.

Nieminen bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Nieminen working away.

Nieminen decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt

and Nieminen counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johnson's guard now.
Johnson working a defensive guard but Nieminen passes into half guard.
Nieminen prevents Johnson from improving his position.
Nieminen wants to stand up but Johnson is controlling the position.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Nieminen decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nieminen shoots in and bounces Johnson off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Matti Nieminen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Nieminen stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Loser Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson misses with a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matti Nieminen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Nieminen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight for Matti Nieminen!
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight for Matti Nieminen!
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight for Matti Nieminen!

Matti Nieminen wins by unanimous decision!