PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martin Johnston (ranked 3438 p4p, 25034 weight class) and Montana Fifty (ranked 438 p4p, 678 weight class). Johnston comes to the cage accompanied by Dacw 'Nghariad. Martin Johnston has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Johnston
vs
Fifty

180 cm
27
212
4 - 1 - 0

196 cm
26
202
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Bondi MMA
Katman Drip Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Martin Johnston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Montana Fifty!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Decent striking displayed by Johnston there.

It looks like Montana Fifty has been cut.

Fifty clinches up against the cage.
Johnston is struggling to control the position.

Fifty breaks from the clinch.
Johnston keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Fifty drives through and clinches with Johnston against the cage.
Fifty tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johnston just stands there and leans against the cage.
Fifty is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Johnston has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Martin Johnston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Montana Fifty.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnston working hard to break the clinch.
Fifty goes for a takedown attempt but Johnston pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Johnston clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Johnston.
Fifty is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Johnston gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Fifty is trying to pull guard but Johnston has him pressed against the cage.
Johnston wants to get back to striking at distance but Fifty won't allow it.
Fifty keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnston's efforts to push away.
Fifty looking for a takedown.
Johnston wants to get back to striking at distance but Fifty won't allow it.
Johnston managing to block the knees to the body from Fifty.
Fifty is looking to take this one to the mat.
Johnston stops a takedown attempt from Fifty.
Johnston is trying to break the clinch but Fifty has him pressed against the cage.
Fifty jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnston walks away with a smile on his face. Fifty gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Fifty showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnston.
Despite the aggression on Fifty's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston misses with a few strikes there.

Johnston gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Fifty jumps guard but Johnston turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Johnston manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Johnston is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Johnston gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Fifty keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnston's efforts to push away.
Johnston tries to break the clinch but Fifty is controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Fifty pulls guard effortlessly.
Johnston wants to get up but he can't break Fifty's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Johnston is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Johnston works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Fifty trying to control here.
Johnston tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Fifty.
Fifty is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fifty is trying to stand up here but Johnston is controlling him well.
Johnston tries to stand and escape but Fifty is controlling the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnston works his way into full mount!
Johnston controlling from mount.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johnston wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Johnston dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Montana Fifty's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Johnston has managed to clinch.
Fifty keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnston's efforts to push away.
Fifty keeps control of Johnston as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Johnston stalling against the cage.
Fifty tries to pull guard but Johnston forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Fifty stalling in the clinch.
Johnston wants to break the clinch but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fifty throws a punch but it's blocked by Johnston.
Johnston has had enough of the clinch but Fifty keeps him there for the moment.
Fifty tries to pull guard but Johnston holds him up against the cage and eventually Fifty drops back down to his feet.
Fifty has Johnston pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Johnston manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Martin Johnston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Montana Fifty.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston is looking to break free of the clinch but Fifty has double underhooks.
Johnston is looking to break free of the clinch but Fifty has double underhooks.
Fifty prevents Johnston from breaking the clinch.
Johnston is looking to break free of the clinch but Fifty has double underhooks.
Johnston tries to break the clinch but Fifty is controlling the position.
Johnston pushes off an throws an elbow but Fifty leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Johnston with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Johnston dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Johnston controlling the action here for a moment.
Johnston is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Johnston.
Fifty looking to slow down the pace here.

Fifty's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sloppy strikes from Johnston. Those never looked like landing.
Johnston is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fifty can do to turn this around?
Fifty swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
As Fifty looks to move away, Johnston throws a big counter combo but Fifty just gets out of the way.
Fifty shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Johnston counters with a left and a right that stings Fifty.
Fifty fails with the takedown
and Johnston counters with a straight right hand.
Johnston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Fifty lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnston instigates a clinch.
Johnston tries to circle away but Fifty has him pinned against the cage.
Johnston tries to break free but Fifty pushes him back against the cage.
Fifty is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Johnston gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Fifty keeps control of Johnston as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Johnston stalling against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Johnston.
Johnston is looking to break free of the clinch but Fifty has double underhooks.
Johnston wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Johnston blocking some punches.
Fifty keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnston's efforts to push away.
A short left from Johnston.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fifty scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Johnston lands with a right to the head.
Johnston tries to circle away but Fifty has him pinned against the cage.
Johnston wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Fifty has him pressed against the cage.
Johnston can't break the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Johnston scores with a nice short uppercut.

Fifty breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fifty has a takedown stuffed.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Fifty tries to keep at a distance but Johnston has taken the fight into the clinch.
Johnston working hard to break the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Johnston dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Montana Fifty's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnston lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Fifty circles away quickly and effectively.
Fifty is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Fifty closes the distance and clinches.
Martin Johnston has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Fifty tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Fifty tries to pull guard but Johnston forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Fifty jumps guard but Johnston stands there with Fifty around his waist. Fifty gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Martin Johnston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Montana Fifty.
Johnston presses Fifty against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Johnston wants to break free but Fifty has control.
Fifty fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnston wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Fifty is trying to pull guard but Johnston has him pressed against the cage.
Johnston lands a hook that snaps the head of Fifty backwards.
Johnston lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Fifty is trying to pull guard but Johnston has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fifty tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnston scores with a shot to the side of Fifty's head.
Fifty being controlled against the cage.
Fifty misses with a knee to the head.
Johnston slowing the pace effectively.
Johnston stalling.
Fifty is trying to pull guard but Johnston turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Johnston gets underhooks to prevent Fifty's takedown attempt.
Fifty takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Johnston.
Fifty fails to pull guard.
Fifty misses with the head strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Johnston's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Fifty jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Johnston walks away with a smile on his face. Fifty gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Fifty misses with the combination.

Johnston pushes Fifty up against the cage in a clinch.
Fifty fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Johnston displaying some good clinch control by pressing Fifty up against the cage.
Johnston keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fifty's efforts to push away.
Fifty has Johnston pressed against the cage, preventing Johnston from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnston is struggling to control the position.
Fifty keeps control of Johnston as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Johnston has Fifty pressed against the cage.
Johnston working hard to break the clinch.
Johnston's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Johnston tries to break free but Fifty pushes him back against the cage.
Fifty has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Johnston avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Fifty tries to score a body lock takedown but Johnston shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Fifty keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnston's efforts to push away.

Fifty breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No luck for Fifty with that takedown attempt.
A punch lands to the side of Fifty 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Martin Johnston is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnston throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Johnston scores with a one two! Fifty had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Johnston gets a clinch.
Fifty tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Johnston avoids it.
Montana Fifty has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnston gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Fifty.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martin Johnston showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Johnston has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martin Johnston!
After winning the bout, Martin Johnston thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.