PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between TJ Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Johnson (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.

Jones
vs
Johnson

183 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, TJ Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ryan Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jones tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jones tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Jones manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Jones gets tackled into the cage by Johnson. Johnson maintains the clinch.

Johnson gets control of Jones's arms and successfully pulls guard. Johnson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Jones engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Jones postures up.
Johnson trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Jones wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.
Johnson trying to control the position.

Johnson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Jones is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson pulls Jones in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones passes Johnson's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Jones throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Jones trying to control from half guard but Johnson is working away.
Johnson controlling the position well.
Johnson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Jones.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson gets full guard.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Jones trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Jones trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Jones drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Johnson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Jones has Johnson in his guard.
Jones is controlling Johnson's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Jones isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Johnson stacks Jones on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Johnson!
Jones tries to control but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
Jones has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Johnson's lack of action.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Jones keeps working.
The fighters are battling for position here. Jones manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jones wants to improve his position but instead Johnson has moved into half guard.
Johnson trying to advance position but Jones counters by regaining guard.
Jones wants to stand up but Johnson is controlling him.
Jones keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Johnson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ryan Johnson will probably get the nod.
That's time! Jones's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Johnson shoots for a takedown but Jones saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson tries to clinch but Jones is having none of it.
Jones tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Jones.
Jones defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jones misses with a wild combination.
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Jones manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Jones, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Jones against the cage but Jones circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
TJ Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ryan Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jones is looking to clinch.
Jones shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense.
An inside leg kick from Johnson misses.
Johnson tries to clinch but Jones moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Jones. No joy for Johnson on that attempt.
Jones looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Johnson shoots in and drives through. Jones sprawls well.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson shoots in looking for a takedown but Jones manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Johnson's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Jones throws a body kick that misses.
Jones fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Jones avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jones looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Johnson is fending him off so far but Jones persists. Nope, Johnson circles away and we're back to standing.
Jones scores with a hook.
Johnson leaves Jones with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jones shoots in looking for a takedown but Johnson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Jones's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Jones circles away.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Jones keeps it at a distance.
Johnson displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jones.
Jones stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Jones wants it to stay on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones stuffs the takedown attempt from Johnson. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jones as he avoids it easily.
Jones misses with a jab, cross combination.
Jones shoots in for a double leg but Johnson sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Jones is just out of range.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jones changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johnson tries to avoid it but Jones manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johnson to the ground. Johnson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Jones shows good takedown defense.
A head kick misses from Jones.
TJ Jones is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jones as he avoids it easily.
Jones throws a body kick that misses.
Johnson swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Jones shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Jones sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ryan Johnson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Johnson.

Jones forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.

Jones gets control of Johnson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Jones will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that TJ Jones will probably get the nod.
That's time! Jones's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Johnson tries to clinch there but Jones circles away.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Jones in a clinch.
Jones is looking to take this one to the mat.
Jones drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Johnson gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Jones drops down looking for an ankle pick but Johnson pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for TJ Jones. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Jones sprawls well. Jones wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jones leaves Johnson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Jones lands a jab to Johnson's midsection.
Johnson tries to clinch up.
Jones will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Jones tries a head kick but it misses.
Nice sprawl there from Jones as Johnson shoots in.
Johnson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Jones defends it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt - Jones sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Jones scores with a shot to the body.
Nice sprawl there from Johnson as Jones shoots in.
Jones looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Johnson is fending him off so far but Jones persists. Nope, Johnson circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jones.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Jones is trying hard to land a takedown here. Johnson sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but Jones sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Johnson checks a leg kick.
Johnson moves away from the strike by Jones.
Johnson has a takedown stuffed.
Johnson slaps away a takedown attempt from Jones, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jones pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson shoots for a double leg takedown but Jones sprawls well. He's pushed Johnson's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Jones on that attempt.
Jones throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Jones tries to avoid it but Johnson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Jones to the ground. Jones escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jones defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Johnson.
Jones shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Johnson looks for a takedown but Jones sprawls well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jones shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Jones keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Johnson clinches.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to TJ Jones.
I think Jones has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight for Ryan Johnson!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for TJ Jones!
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Ryan Johnson!

Ryan Johnson wins by split decision!