PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eirik Johansen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harper Wellington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johansen
vs
Wellington

182 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eirik Johansen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Harper Wellington!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Felipe Paraventi and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johansen misses with a head kick.
Johansen with a poor takedown

and Wellington counters with a shoot takedown. Johansen fights it but they end up in guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Johansen keeping moving, preventing Wellington from controlling successfully.
Wellington passes Johansen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Johansen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Wellington is taking a breather. Johansen says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Johansen is trying to stand.
Wellington is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wellington is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Johansen sees it coming and defends easily.
Wellington wants to take a breather but Johansen is having none of it.
Johansen wants to get back to his feet.
Johansen is refusing to be controlled, as Wellington sits in half guard.
Johansen pushes Wellington off looking to stand but Wellington dives back in and keeps control.

Wellington is looking for a kimura but Johansen is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Wellington to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wellington tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Johansen.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Wellington in particular looking to stall.
Wellington trying to pass the guard but Johansen defending well.
Johansen tries to kick Wellington off in order to stand up. Wellington Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Wellington wants to control but Johansen is keeping him busy.

Wellington stands up and beckons Johansen to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johansen lands with an overhand left.

It looks like Harper Wellington has been cut.
Johansen misses with a takedown attempt - Wellington sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Sloppy strikes from Johansen. Those never looked like landing.
Johansen throws the left hand but Wellington avoids the punch easily.

Wellington closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Johansen did well to prevent Wellington getting side control.
Wellington seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Johansen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Wellington is just content to waste time from the top position. Johansen takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Wellington stands up from Johansen's guard - Wellington perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johansen's jab looks to have found its range, popping Wellington under the eye.

Wellington is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Johansen's half guard.
Johansen tries to kick Wellington off but Wellington keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Wellington perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Wellington moves into full mount! Johansen won't be happy about that!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johansen is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harper Wellington dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Harper Wellington's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

A punch combination from Wellington misses.
Wellington will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Johansen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Harper Wellington is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Johansen misses with an uppercut.
Eirik Johansen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Johansen misses.

Wellington drives through with a takedown into guard.

Wellington stands and steps away. Johansen gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Wellington avoids a kick to the body.
Johansen looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Johansen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Wellington circles away quickly and effectively.
Wellington blocks a head kick by Johansen.
Wellington takes a swing at Johansen's ribcage but misses.
Johansen throws a head kick that misses.
Johansen looks to land a right hand but Wellington moved out of range.
Wellington moves out of range of the strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wellington shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Wellington was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Wellington passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Johansen!
Harper Wellington has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wellington dominating with strikes here.
Wellington looking to ground and pound but Johansen is blocking nicely.
Wellington won't let Johansen get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Wellington scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Johansen?
Wellington unloading with bombs!
You get the feeling that Johansen really doesn't like being in this position too much.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wellington can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johansen is looking to escape.

Wellington is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Johansen has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Johansen!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johansen wants to pass the guard but Wellington is keeping the position.
Wellington has control of Johansen's left arm, preventing Johansen from doing any damage.
Johansen wants to get up but he can't break Wellington's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wellington tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Wellington keeping full guard, as Johansen tries to pass.
Johansen tries to stand but Wellington is controlling from the bottom.
Johansen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wellington thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Johansen wants to stand but Wellington has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Johansen preventing the sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A telegraphed right hand from Johansen misses the target.

Wellington looking to score a takedown here. Johansen is defending well but Wellington drives through and ends up in Johansen's guard.

Wellington gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Wellington is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johansen. Wellington does a little dance to reset his feet.
Wellington uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Johansen.
Johansen tests Wellington's chin there with a solid looking shot.
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!
Johansen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Wellington circles away quickly and effectively.

Wellington throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Johansen was covering up waiting for the punch and Wellington finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Johansen wants to get back to his feet but Wellington is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Harper Wellington showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Harper Wellington's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Johansen ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Johansen scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Wellington shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Wellington was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Johansen is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Wellington asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Johansen trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
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!
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johansen is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Wellington tries to advance to mount but Johansen denies him.
Wellington looking to control but instead Johansen has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Johansen is trying to stand back up but Wellington is controlling him
Wellington trying to control the action but Johansen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Johansen is trying to stand.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Harper Wellington was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Wellington shoots in and gets a takedown into Johansen's guard.
Wellington stops Johansen from standing up.
Johansen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Wellington is working Johansen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Johansen is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Wellington dives into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wellington laying and praying for a moment but Johansen takes advantage and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wellington controlling the action here.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Johansen on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Wellington working the head and body with strikes.
Wellington throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wellington thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Johansen's head.
Johansen pushes Wellington off looking to stand but Wellington dives back in and keeps control.
Wellington uses his free foot to push down on Johansen's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Johansen.
Wellington won't let Johansen get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Wellington controlling the pace for now.
Johansen is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harper Wellington comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Wellington 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Harper Wellington!