PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Esko Nikkari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hank Johnstone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Nikkari
vs
Johnstone

185 cm
18
240 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

193 cm
20
272 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Esko Nikkari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hank Johnstone!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Valeri Chadov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnstone misses with a straight left.
Nikkari slips under a jab.
Nikkari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Johnstone.
Johnstone throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Nikkari.

Nikkari fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnstone, pushing him back against the cage.
Nikkari tries a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks it.
Johnstone wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nikkari looking to throw knees to the head but Johnstone is blocking nicely.
Nikkari tries to land a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks with his arms.
Nikkari landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Johnstone drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nikkari pulls his leg out and moves away.

Nikkari rushes Johnstone and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nikkari prevents a takedown attempt there.
Nikkari tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Nikkari lands a knee to the head.
Nikkari connects with a knee to the head.
Nikkari tries to land a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks with his arms.
Nikkari with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nikkari with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Johnstone tries to pull guard but Nikkari holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnstone drops back down to his feet.
Esko Nikkari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Johnstone.
Nikkari prevents a takedown attempt there.

Johnstone wants the takedown. Nikkari is fighting it off but Johnstone persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Nikkari's guard against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikkari trying to control the position here.
Nikkari is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnstone is controlling him.
Johnstone stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Nikkari swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Nikkari pushes Johnstone off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hank Johnstone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A choreographed right hand from Johnstone misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Johnstone throws a nice looking combination but Nikkari bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nikkari uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Johnstone.
Nikkari tries to clinch but Johnstone is having none of it.
Johnstone throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Nikkari moves into the clinch successfully.
Nikkari tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Nikkari scores with a knee to the head.
Johnstone tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Nikkari just stands there and leans against the cage.
Johnstone can't get the takedown.
Nikkari lands a knee to the head.
Johnstone looks gassed!
Nikkari lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Nikkari landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
A knee to the head by Nikkari.
Johnstone takes a knee right on the jaw!
Nikkari throws a knee to the head but misses.
Johnstone tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nikkari smiles and moves away.
Nikkari tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnstone swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Johnstone swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnstone misses with a series of wild punches.
Johnstone misses with a looping left.

Nikkari has managed to clinch.
Nikkari using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Johnstone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Nikkari throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Johnstone blocks it with crossed arms.
Nikkari misses with a knee strike.
Johnstone on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Johnstone tries for a takedown. No joy.
Johnstone fails to pull guard.
Nikkari with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Johnstone fails to pull guard.
Nikkari landing knees to the head.

It looks like Hank Johnstone has been cut.
Nikkari lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Nikkari connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnstone's face.
Nikkari landing knees to the body.
Nikkari tries to land a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks with his arms.
Nikkari connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnstone's face.
Nikkari with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnstone wants a takedown but no success here.
Nikkari looking to throw knees to the head but Johnstone is blocking nicely.
Nikkari misses with a knee strike.
Nikkari gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Johnstone.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nikkari with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nikkari landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Nikkari lands a knee to the head.
Nikkari using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Johnstone has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Johnstone fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nikkari misses with a knee to the head.
A knee to the head by Nikkari.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nikkari tries a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks it.
Johnstone tries to score a body lock takedown but Nikkari shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Johnstone manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Nikkari is looking to stand up but Johnstone won't let him.
Johnstone is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Nikkari sitting in guard, not really doing much.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Nikkari wants to pass the guard but Johnstone is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Nikkari dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hank Johnstone's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Nice sprawl there from Johnstone as Nikkari shoots in.
Nikkari tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnstone swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice uppercut lands for Johnstone. That snapped Nikkari's head back.
Danga de danga de dang - Johnstone scores with a four punch combination!
Johnstone throws an overhand right that lands on Nikkari's shoulder, as Nikkari tries to avoid the shot.

Nikkari clinches with his opponent.
Nikkari throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nikkari with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nikkari with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nikkari lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Nikkari looking to throw knees to the head but Johnstone is blocking nicely.
Johnstone wants a takedown.
Nikkari tries a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks it.
Nikkari tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Esko Nikkari has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Johnstone jumps guard but Nikkari stands there with Johnstone around his waist. Johnstone gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nikkari with a knee to the head.
Nikkari tries a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks it.
Nikkari with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnstone wants a takedown.
Esko Nikkari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hank Johnstone.
Johnstone changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Nikkari fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Nikkari staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nikkari tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Nikkari clinches up against the cage.
Johnstone wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nikkari with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nikkari with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nikkari tries to land knees in the clinch but Johnstone avoids the damage to the body.
Johnstone can't get the takedown.
Nikkari misses with a knee to the head.
Nikkari crunches a lovely knee into Johnstone's ribcage.
Nikkari misses with a knee strike.
A knee to the head by Nikkari.
Nikkari connects with a knee to the head.
Nikkari tries a knee to the head but Johnstone blocks it.
Nikkari lands a knee to the head.
Nikkari connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnstone's face.
Nikkari with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Johnstone drops down looking for an ankle pick but Nikkari pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hank Johnstone is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnstone smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnstone with a nice cross.
Esko Nikkari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johnstone cracks Nikkari with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

It looks like Esko Nikkari has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Johnstone!

Nikkari is rocked!
Nikkari doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Oh Nikkari is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Johnstone connects with a jab and follows up with a big overhand right! Oh that's hurt Nikkari! He's out on his feet! Johnstone rushes in and drops Nikkari with another big right hand, forcing the referee to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Hank Johnstone!