PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Branko Popovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shane Johns (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Popovic comes into the arena with None blaring out of the sound system. Johns has chosen By the Sword - Slash as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Branko Popovic has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Popovic
vs
Johns

193 cm
25
216 lbs
10 - 10 - 1

190 cm
23
222 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 10 - 10 - 1, fighting out of New York, Branko Popovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shane Johns!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Bruno Lombardi and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popovic throws a right hand that Johns ducks under and follows up with a left that Johns also avoids with ease.
Johns moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Popovic swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Popovic misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johns ducks under a wild hook from Popovic.
Johns misses with the combination.
Popovic misses the jab.
Johns ducks under a wild hook from Popovic.
Popovic throws a series of punches but Johns avoids them all with ease.
Popovic tries to clinch there but Johns circles away.
Nice body punch from Popovic.
A cross from Johns lands.
Popovic misses with a few strikes there.
A combination from Popovic does no damage.
Popovic looks to throw the jab but Johns is out of range.
Popovic scores with a one two! Johns had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

It looks like Shane Johns has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Johns looks to land a left hand but Popovic moved out of range nicely.
Popovic misses with a looping right.
A decent looking cross lands there for Johns.
Shane Johns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Johns gets a clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Popovic lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Johns gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

It looks like Branko Popovic has been cut.
Popovic blocks the elbow strike.
Johns blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johns working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Johns throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Johns lands a damaging elbow.
Johns working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Popovic lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Popovic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Popovic takes an elbow to the forehead.
Johns throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Popovic tries to throw a body punch but Johns avoids it by throwing Popovic back against the cage.
Popovic dodges an elbow strike from Johns.
Johns with a knee to the head.
Johns comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
With the fighters up against the cage, Johns throws an elbow but misses.
Popovic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Johns has him pressed against the cage.
Johns connects with a nasty looking knee right to Popovic's face.
Popovic is breathing heavily.
Nice elbow from Johns.
Popovic avoids a wild elbow strike from Johns.

Popovic tightens his grip and picks Johns up, before dumping him to the ground. Johns manages to land in guard.

Johns pushes Popovic off and scrambles back to his feet.
Johns fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Johns takes one to the chin there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Popovic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Popovic throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
A nice combination there by Johns.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johns blocks a head kick by Popovic.
Popovic throws a lazy right hand but Johns sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

Johns gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Johns scores with a shoulder strike.
Johns comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Johns lands an elbow inside.
Popovic blocks an elbow strike from Johns.
Popovic looking to throw knees to the head but Johns is blocking nicely.

Popovic breaks from the clinch.
Johns lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Johns swats away the attempt to clinch by Popovic.
Johns jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Johns tests Popovic's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Popovic moves out of range as Johns strikes.
Johns throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Popovic.
Popovic stuns Johns with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Popovic is looking to clinch.
It's a brutal combination of punches from Popovic! Johns is backing up but he can't get away as Popovic lands with one final shot to the jaw that drops Johns and ends the fight. Great knockout.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Branko Popovic!