PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ilya Kovalchuk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tweety Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kovalchuk
vs
Johnson

184 cm
18
189 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

184 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ilya Kovalchuk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tweety Johnson!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kovalchuk has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Kovalchuk with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kovalchuk is having none of it.
Crunch! Johnson slams his shin into Kovalchuk's torso.
Johnson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Johnson closes the distance and clinches up with Kovalchuk, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes Kovalchuk against the ropes but Kovalchuk circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Kovalchuk paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson throws a body punch but Kovalchuk moves out of range.
Kovalchuk throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Johnson wants to clinch.

Kovalchuk closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Kovalchuk pushes Johnson back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Kovalchuk prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovalchuk has him pressed against the ropes.
Johnson is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Kovalchuk gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Ilya Kovalchuk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tweety Johnson.
Kovalchuk prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Kovalchuk won't allow it.
Johnson is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.
Kovalchuk wants a takedown but no success here.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but Kovalchuk saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Johnson closes the distance but Kovalchuk moves to the side

and Kovalchuk counters by moving into the clinch.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovalchuk has him pressed against the ropes.
Johnson wants to break free but Kovalchuk has control.
Kovalchuk pushes Johnson back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovalchuk has him pressed against the ropes.
Kovalchuk keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Kovalchuk keeps him there for the moment.

Kovalchuk breaks from the clinch.
Tweety Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Kovalchuk closes the distance and clinches.

Kovalchuk breaks the clinch.

Kovalchuk has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Kovalchuk pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Johnson looks gassed!

Johnson drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchuk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Kovalchuk had control of the position.
Johnson won't allow Kovalchuk to sweep him here.
Kovalchuk pulls Johnson in close to his closed guard and prevents Johnson from doing any damage or advancing position.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Kovalchuk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Kovalchuk had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Kovalchuk clinches up against the ropes.
Kovalchuk keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Kovalchuk blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Johnson is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Kovalchuk can't fight it off and eventually Johnson manages to take the fight to the floor. Kovalchuk looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Johnson wanted to stand there but Kovalchuk had control of the position.
Kovalchuk looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchuk is working hard here to advance position.

Kovalchuk wriggles free and stands up.
Johnson misses with a two punch combination.
Johnson closes the distance but Kovalchuk moves to the side

and Kovalchuk counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kovalchuk stalls.
Johnson has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kovalchuk avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kovalchuk lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Johnson looking for a takedown.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Johnson misses with a double jab
and Johnson takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tweety Johnson will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kovalchuk instigates a clinch.
Johnson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Kovalchuk won't allow it.
Johnson can't break the clinch.
Johnson is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Kovalchuk pulls him back up using the underhooks.

Kovalchuk has clasped his hands together around Johnson's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Kovalchuk looks up at the clock and then as Johnson takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Kovalchuk smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Johnson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kovalchuk is controlling him well.

Kovalchuk decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Kovalchuk dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Kovalchuk clinches with his opponent.
Johnson tries to stall but Kovalchuk uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Johnson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Kovalchuk is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the ropes.
Kovalchuk fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Kovalchuk stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalchuk is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Johnson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Kovalchuk is working for a takedown up against the ropes. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ilya Kovalchuk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson blocks an elbow strike from Kovalchuk.
Kovalchuk can't break the clinch.
Nice body punch from Johnson - that landed with a thud.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Kovalchuk has him pressed against the ropes.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Johnson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Kovalchuk counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.
Kovalchuk trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.
Johnson wants to control but Kovalchuk postures up.
Johnson is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Kovalchuk has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kovalchuk decides to stand back up.
Johnson missing with a left hand there. Kovalchuk was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kovalchuk tries to clinch up.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Kovalchuk counters with a stiff right hand.

Johnson tries to keep at a distance but Kovalchuk has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kovalchuk gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch up

and Kovalchuk counters with a single leg into guard. Johnson didn't expect that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kovalchuk gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kovalchuk won't allow Johnson to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchuk pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Johnson is keeping the position for now.
Kovalchuk preventing the sweep.

Kovalchuk gets to his feet. Johnson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

Kovalchuk moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.

Kovalchuk breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson misses with the combination.
Johnson throws a leg kick
and Kovalchuk counters with a nice uppercut.
Kovalchuk is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Kovalchuk tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnson works over Kovalchuk's head and body with a nice combination.
Johnson takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Kovalchuk counters with a nice leg kick.
Johnson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Kovalchuk counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Kovalchuk breaks from the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kovalchuk moves away

and Kovalchuk holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Kovalchuk softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
A shot in the inside from Kovalchuk.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovalchuk has him pressed against the ropes.
Kovalchuk prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Kovalchuk stalls.
Kovalchuk digs a right hand underneath Johnson's ribcage. Johnson let out a lung full of air as it connected.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson is trying to break free.

Kovalchuk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A combination from Johnson does no damage.
Jab, jab by Kovalchuk - just one landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilya Kovalchuk dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Kovalchuk tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kovalchuk tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kovalchuk moves away
and Kovalchuk connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnson has his takedown stuffed

and Kovalchuk counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kovalchuk wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.

Kovalchuk stands up and beckons Johnson to join him on the feet.
Johnson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Kovalchuk counters with a good low kick that Johnson was not able to check.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Kovalchuk pushes Johnson up against the ropes in a clinch.
Nice elbow from Kovalchuk.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kovalchuk blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Johnson trying to land knees to the body.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Kovalchuk won't allow it.
Johnson managing to block the knees to the body from Kovalchuk.
Kovalchuk wants a takedown but no success here.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kovalchuk blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Kovalchuk's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Kovalchuk blocks a leg kick.

Kovalchuk rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.

Kovalchuk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kovalchuk stuns Johnson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Kovalchuk counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Kovalchuk has taken the fight to the clinch.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Kovalchuk moves into the clinch.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Kovalchuk has him pressed against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Kovalchuk won't allow it.
Johnson tries to break the clinch but Kovalchuk is controlling the position.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Kovalchuk pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Ilya Kovalchuk has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tweety Johnson.

Kovalchuk has taken the fight to the clinch.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Kovalchuk won't allow it.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson fails with the takedown
and Kovalchuk cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Kovalchuk has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
Johnson has had enough of the clinch but Kovalchuk keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kovalchuk walks away with a smile on his face. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Kovalchuk takes the fight into the clinch.

Kovalchuk jumps guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Kovalchuk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kovalchuk working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Johnson.
Kovalchuk is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kovalchuk has a closed guard, preventing Johnson from standing up.
Johnson trying to control but Kovalchuk is working from the bottom.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.
Johnson wants to stand but Kovalchuk has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Kovalchuk lands an overhand right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Johnson tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Kovalchuk counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk breaks from the clinch.
Kovalchuk tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A low kick from Johnson misses

and Kovalchuk counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Johnson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Johnson is trying to stand.

Kovalchuk escapes and gets back to his feet.
Johnson throws a left and a right that both miss

and Kovalchuk counters by clinching up.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Kovalchuk tries for a takedown but Johnson manages to get underhooks.

Kovalchuk breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson misses with a combination

and Kovalchuk counters by clinching up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilya Kovalchuk showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kovalchuk 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 Suge Night scores the fight 29:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilya Kovalchuk!