PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Shia Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Ponjev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnson
vs
Ponjev

180 cm
25
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ace of Spades Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Shia Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Sam Ponjev!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, David Hoff and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson with a poor takedown

and Ponjev counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.
Johnson is looking to reverse the position.
Johnson is working hard here to advance position.
Johnson striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

Ponjev wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Johnson, who protects the arm well.
Johnson sneaks back into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.

Johnson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Ponjev pulls his head out easily.
Ponjev moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Johnson wants to get back to full guard but Ponjev has passed into side control.
Johnson is trying to improve his position.
Johnson tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Ponjev is putting a hurting on Johnson here, landing some big shots from side control.
Johnson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Johnson misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Johnson misses with a strike from the bottom.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Ponjev is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Johnson will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Johnson is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ponjev really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Johnson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Ponjev in side control lands a decent elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ponjev blocks the strikes from Johnson.
Ponjev content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Johnson throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.
Johnson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Johnson punching from the bottom.
Johnson is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Elite Training Facility-Steel Penn that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Ponjev moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Johnson.
We've been informed that Ponjev has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Ponjev blocks the strikes from Johnson.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.
Ponjev is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson missing with punches from the bottom.
Ponjev trying to mount his opponent but Johnson defends it.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ponjev slows the pace down in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Shia Johnson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Johnson drops his hands momentarily and Ponjev takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt

and Ponjev counters with a single leg into guard. Johnson didn't expect that.
Johnson is striking but Ponjev is not phased and passes to half guard.

Johnson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Johnson has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Ponjev escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Ponjev!
Johnson throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponjev cracks Johnson with a big right hand but Johnson just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Johnson tries to bench press Ponjev off him but Ponjev keeps the position.
Johnson wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Johnson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Ponjev scores with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponjev landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Ponjev remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Ponjev works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Johnson is letting Ponjev control him for a moment.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson misses with a strike from the bottom.
Johnson throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Ponjev lands an elbow.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Johnson misses with a strike from the bottom.
Ponjev takes a little break here. Johnson wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Ponjev is putting a hurting on Johnson here, landing some big shots from side control.
Johnson tries to buck Ponjev off but Ponjev is having none of it.
Johnson throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.
Sam Ponjev has got the better of the ground game so far.
Johnson is working to avoid the ground and pound but Ponjev connects with a decent elbow.
Johnson on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Johnson takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

Ponjev is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Ponjev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to reverse the position.
Ponjev takes a little break here. Johnson wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ponjev lands an elbow.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sam Ponjev showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt

so Ponjev counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Johnson is looking to sweep but instead, Ponjev has passed into half guard.
Johnson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ponjev stalling.
Johnson strikes from the bottom but Ponjev passes into mount!
Ponjev sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Johnson flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Ponjev is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Ponjev's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson gets back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ponjev got a little sloppy there for a moment and Johnson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Ponjev has managed to get both his arms back between Johnson's legs - danger averted.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ponjev working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Johnson's head.

Johnson has an active guard here but Ponjev has managed to pass into half guard.
Ponjev passes to side control.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
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.
Let's hope that Ponjev has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Ponjev avoids the strikes from the bottom by Johnson.
Johnson taking punishment in the form of punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.

Ponjev looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Johnson throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Ponjev controlling from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Johnson throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Ponjev is putting a hurting on Johnson here, landing some big shots from side control.
Johnson regains half guard.
Johnson misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.
Ponjev content to control rather than advance.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ponjev lands strikes from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sam Ponjev comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Ponjev has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sam Ponjev!
During a confident post fight interview, Sam Ponjev thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.