PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nicol Bolas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Don Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has chosen Miami Vice Theme Song as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bolas
vs
Johnson

170 cm
24
195 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

186 cm
23
197 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nicol Bolas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Don Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Elvis Blanc and Gregory Folan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bolas lands a jab.

Bolas shoots in and gets a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Bolas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bolas has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Bolas keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Johnson's head.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Johnson looking for a guillotine here but Bolas defends easily.
Johnson is looking to sweep but instead, Bolas has passed into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson wants to sweep but Bolas has passed to side control!
Johnson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Bolas misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Johnson is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolas in side control, just content to control the action for now.

Bolas tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bolas has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Bolas content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Johnson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Bolas's best efforts.
Bolas landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Bolas landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Bolas thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Bolas trying to pass the guard but Johnson defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson pushes Bolas off and gets back to his feet.
Johnson fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Bolas closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Bolas lands in his opponent's guard.
Bolas keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Johnson's head.
Our spies down at at Kombat MMA inform us that Johnson has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?

Johnson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bolas can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Johnson working for a triangle but Bolas defends it easily.

Johnson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bolas stands up over Johnson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolas is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Bolas from controlling successfully.
Bolas landing with the ground and pound.
Bolas postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Bolas might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bolas stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bolas with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Bolas wants to pass the guard but Johnson is keeping the position.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Johnson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Johnson is trying to work for a kimura but Bolas is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Johnson controlling the action here.
Johnson trying to mount his opponent but Bolas defends it.
Johnson passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicol Bolas dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Bolas closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Bolas scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Johnson is looking for a sweep. Bolas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Johnson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Bolas trying to control from half guard but Johnson is working away.
Bolas is really struggling to control Johnson but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Johnson taking some punishment here, with Bolas in his half guard.
Bolas seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
Johnson is still trying to improve position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bolas moves into full mount! Johnson won't be happy about that!
Bolas looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolas tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Bolas landing strikes from the mount and Johnson is in trouble!
Bolas unloading with bombs!
Johnson is desperately trying to improve his position but Bolas has a good base and remains in mount.
Bolas scoring with strikes but Johnson is staying in there.
Nicol Bolas overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Bolas has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Johnson's face.

Johnson is rocked!
Bolas postures up and throws a big right hand. BOOM! Right on the button! Johnson is out cold - huge knockout for Bolas!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:45 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Nicol Bolas!
After winning the bout, Nicol Bolas thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
In defeat, Don Johnson stepped up to the mic, saying 'It never happens this way when I'm on TV.'.