PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thorbjorn Rekdal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carter Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has chosen Enter Sandman by Metallica as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Rekdal
vs
Johnson

190 cm
32
275 lbs
36 - 12 - 0

195 cm
33
276 lbs
29 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
World class MT
Good gas tank

Legion of Pain Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 36 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thorbjorn Rekdal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Carter Johnson!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Jonathan Paton and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rekdal tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rekdal throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Johnson to counter with a crisp jab.
Rekdal takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
A jab from Johnson finds it's way through Rekdal's defenses.
Rekdal rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Johnson counters with a right hand to the body.
Rekdal misses with a double jab
and Johnson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Johnson moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Rekdal uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.

Rekdal closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.

Rekdal breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rekdal is looking to clinch.

Oooooh!!! Rekdal has knocked Johnson down with a huge combo! Rekdal steps away and waves a wobbly Johnson back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Carter Johnson has been cut.
Rekdal closes the distance but Johnson moves to the side
and Johnson counters with a one-two to the body.
Rekdal waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Johnson.
Johnson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Rekdal manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson swings for the body but Rekdal moves out of range.
Rekdal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnson.
Johnson throws a body punch but Rekdal moves out of range.
Rekdal chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Johnson can pounce on him.

Rekdal has taken the fight to the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Johnson.
Rekdal is breathing heavily.
Johnson lands an uppercut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson presses Rekdal against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rekdal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Johnson misses with a body punch.
Johnson lands a right hand.
Johnson tries to work over Rekdal's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rekdal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Johnson prevents Rekdal from breaking the clinch.
Johnson lands with a right to the head.
Johnson cracks Rekdal with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rekdal stops a takedown attempt from Johnson.
Johnson tries to throw a body punch but Rekdal avoids it by throwing Johnson back against the cage.
Johnson has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Rekdal after a bit of a struggle.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Johnson with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Rekdal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Johnson misses with the head strike.
Rekdal tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Johnson's elbow.
Johnson blocks an uppercut.
Rekdal throws a punch but it's blocked by Johnson.
Johnson working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

It looks like Thorbjorn Rekdal has been cut.
Rekdal misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Johnson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Johnson fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Johnson.

Rekdal breaks the clinch.

Johnson moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Rekdal goes down! Can Johnson finish him!?

Rekdal is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Oh Rekdal is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Johnson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Rekdal controls Johnson momentarily but Johnson frees himself.
Rekdal seems to have got his legs back now.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Rekdal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rekdal not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Johnson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Rekdal has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Rekdal's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekdal is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Rekdal avoid being mounted?
Johnson working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rekdal keeping hold of Johnson's head, controlling as best he can.
Rekdal blocking the ground and pound attempt from Johnson.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rekdal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Johnson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Johnson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rekdal wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carter Johnson dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Johnson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Johnson is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Rekdal rather than just go for the knockout.
A nice inside leg kick there by Johnson. That's going to slow Rekdal down.
Rekdal connects with a nice looking jab.
Rekdal throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rekdal thinking.
Rekdal misses with a straight right.
Rekdal wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Rekdal bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Johnson's head backwards.
Rekdal misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Johnson bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Carter Johnson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Johnson swings for the body but Rekdal moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a punch on the inside.
Johnson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Johnson has a couple of punches blocked by Rekdal.
A right hand to the body from Johnson.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rekdal is trying to push Johnson away but Johnson has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rekdal misses with some punches.
Rekdal wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rekdal scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rekdal has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Johnson scores with a hook to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Johnson gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura but Rekdal is defending well.
Rekdal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Johnson is pressing down on Rekdal's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rekdal is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Johnson lands a nice short elbow.
Johnson trying to control the action but Rekdal is working from the bottom.
Rekdal controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Johnson connects with a nice short shot to Rekdal's temple.
Johnson trying to control the action but Rekdal is working from the bottom.
Rekdal keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Johnson landing shots from mount.
Johnson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Rekdal throwing hammer fists to the chest of Johnson. What's that going to do exactly?
Johnson wants to control the action but instead Rekdal gets a body lock and reverses into Johnson's guard! Nice work!
Johnson controlling the position.
Johnson working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekdal controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Johnson looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Carter Johnson has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Rekdal takes one to the chin there.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Rekdal is just out of range.
Rekdal misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnson.
Johnson throws a shot to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rekdal swings widly with a right hand
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Rekdal thinking.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Rekdal does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rekdal getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carter Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Johnson lands with a hook. Rekdal tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Rekdal is looking to clinch but Johnson is avoiding it.
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.
Rekdal wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Thorbjorn Rekdal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rekdal looks to land a right hand but Johnson moved out of range.
Rekdal showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnson.
Johnson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rekdal misses with a left hand
and Johnson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Rekdal moves out of range of the leg kick from Johnson.
Rekdal dodges the punch combination from Johnson.
Rekdal fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Rekdal takes one to the chin there.
Rekdal throws a jab but it's blocked by Johnson.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rekdal. Johnson does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson thows a body shot but no joy.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Rekdal throws a hook but Johnson avoids it easily.
Johnson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Good standup being displayed there by Johnson as he connects with a hook.
Johnson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rekdal wants to clinch.
Johnson chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rekdal lands a body shot.
Johnson throws a nice looking combination but Rekdal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Johnson scores with a takedown into Rekdal's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Johnson's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Rekdal manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Johnson tries to hold on but Rekdal postures up.
Johnson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Rekdal kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Johnson is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Rekdal is staying active.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.
Johnson tries to lock up and control but Rekdal gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Rekdal controlling from mount.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Johnson really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Carter Johnson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Johnson wants to control but Rekdal is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rekdal misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Rekdal trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Carter Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson tries to hold on but Rekdal postures up.
Rekdal tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson wants to hold on but Rekdal pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Carter Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Carter Johnson!
Carter Johnson took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.