PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gnaeus Maximilianus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niklas Johansson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gnaeus Maximilianus has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Maximilianus
vs
Johansson

170 cm
21
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gnaeus Maximilianus !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Niklas Johansson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maximilianus shoots in and drives through. Johansson sprawls well.

Maximilianus darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Johansson has hold of Maximilianus 's hands but Maximilianus slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Johansson wants to control but Maximilianus is keeping busy.
Johansson tries to roll over but Maximilianus keeps him under control.
Maximilianus wants to stand but Johansson has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Maximilianus is keen to just control but Johansson is a slippery customer.
Johansson gets full guard.
Johansson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Maximilianus wants to control from the top but Johansson keeps moving.
Johansson wants to get back to his feet but Maximilianus is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Johansson drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Johansson drops back looking for a leg! Maximilianus is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maximilianus manages to kick Johansson off! Johansson jumps back into Maximilianus 's guard.
Maximilianus is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Maximilianus is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Maximilianus throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Johansson tries to free his leg and advance position but Maximilianus is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johansson advances position into side control!
Maximilianus is trying to improve his position.
Johansson is looking to take a break and control but Maximilianus is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maximilianus can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Johansson wants to control but Maximilianus is keeping him busy.

Johansson tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Johansson has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Maximilianus is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maximilianus is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Johansson off and has taken his back!
Johansson is really stuck here.
Johansson wants to control his opponent's hands but Maximilianus gets his hands free.
Johansson rolls, trying to escape but Maximilianus keeps control of the position.
The referee is taking a good look at Johansson as he is on the wrong end of some big shots from Maximilianus !
Johansson is taking damage to the body and head.
Johansson is trapped and Maximilianus is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Maximilianus avoiding Johansson 's attempts to control his hands.
Johansson breaks Maximilianus 's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Johansson looks gassed!

Maximilianus pushes Johansson off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Maximilianus with a lazy takedown attempt

so Johansson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johansson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Maximilianus swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johansson trying to control the position from guard on top but Maximilianus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johansson wanted to stand there but Maximilianus had control of the position.
Maximilianus is trying to control the position but Johansson postures up.
Johansson wants to control from the top but Maximilianus keeps moving.
Maximilianus could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Maximilianus trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Johansson thows a big elbow that misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maximilianus gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Johansson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maximilianus 's guard now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niklas Johansson dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Johansson lands a with a good body shot.
Maximilianus has his takedown stuffed

and Johansson counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Maximilianus 's guard now.

Johansson gets to his feet - Maximilianus follows without any prompting.

Maximilianus drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Maximilianus throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Johansson is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Maximilianus 's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Johansson is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Maximilianus pulls his head out easily.
Johansson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johansson is not content to let Maximilianus control the position.
Johansson wants to improve his position but Maximilianus is controlling well.
Maximilianus has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Johansson throwing hammer fists to the chest of Maximilianus . What's that going to do exactly?
Maximilianus avoids the attempt from Johansson to control.
Johansson really wants to buck Maximilianus off and get back to his feet.
Johansson is in a horrible position here. Maximilianus smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Maximilianus trying to control but Johansson is having none of it.
A nice elbow there by Maximilianus .

Maximilianus goes for an armbar but Johansson turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Johansson.
Maximilianus keeping moving, preventing Johansson from controlling successfully.
Johansson slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Maximilianus trying to control the position.
Johansson forces his way into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johansson decides to stand and escape the position.
Johansson misses with a takedown attempt

and Maximilianus counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Maximilianus is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Maximilianus controlling the action here.
Johansson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Maximilianus 's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Maximilianus 's back!

Maximilianus is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Johansson gets his way!
Johansson struggling to keep hold of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maximilianus is trying to break free.

Johansson is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Maximilianus has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Maximilianus wants to escape the position.
Johansson tries to get the hooks in deep but Maximilianus pushed the leg off.
Maximilianus tries to roll but Johansson sticks to his back.
Maximilianus turns into Johansson and is now in his guard.
Johansson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johansson, not yet.
Maximilianus wants to stand but Johansson is controlling his posture from full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johansson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Niklas Johansson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Maximilianus with a poor takedown

and Johansson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Maximilianus !
Maximilianus tries to reverse the position but Johansson maintains control.

Johansson get's back to his feet.

Johansson scores a takedown into full mount!

Johansson has control of Maximilianus 's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Maximilianus regains control of the situation pretty easily.
You get the feeling that Maximilianus really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johansson working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Johansson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maximilianus tries to hold on but Johansson pushes him away.
Johansson pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
You get the feeling that Maximilianus really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Johansson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Maximilianus looks a forlorn figure.
Maximilianus is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Johansson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Maximilianus tries to hold on but Johansson pushes him away.
Maximilianus is in all sorts of trouble here.
Maximilianus 's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's two 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.
Maximilianus tries to reverse the position but Johansson maintains control.
Johansson wants to control the pace but Maximilianus is squirming around nicely.
Maximilianus wants to control but Johansson is having none of it.
Maximilianus throwing hammer fists to the chest of Johansson. What's that going to do exactly?

Johansson is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Maximilianus has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Maximilianus !

Johansson looking for a guillotine here but Maximilianus defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maximilianus wants to control from the top but Johansson keeps moving.
Maximilianus being controlled here momentarily.
Johansson keeping full guard, as Maximilianus tries to pass.
Maximilianus won't allow Johansson to sweep him here.
Johansson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Johansson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maximilianus shoots and misses
and Johansson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Maximilianus tries for a takedown but Johansson circles away easily

and Johansson counters with a shoot takedown. Maximilianus fights it but they end up in guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gnaeus Maximilianus . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johansson slips nicely into half guard.
Maximilianus wants to sweep but Johansson has passed to side control!
Maximilianus sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Johansson trying to control the action but Maximilianus is working from the bottom.

Johansson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gnaeus Maximilianus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maximilianus slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niklas Johansson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johansson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niklas Johansson!