PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Vanhempi Koira (ranked 5771 p4p, 263 weight class) and Leon Johnson (ranked 3762 p4p, 202 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Koira
vs
Johnson

175 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Vanhempi Koira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Leon Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Steven Brown and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koira tries to clinch up but Johnson circles away and keeps his distance.
Johnson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Koira tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Johnson looks to land a combination but Koira avoids it well.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.

Johnson pushes Koira up against the cage in a clinch.

Koira drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Koira is retaining full guard.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.

Koira is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Koira really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Johnson gets to his feet - Koira follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson moves into range and clinches up with Koira.
Johnson gets through Koira's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Koira has been working on his balance at Räkänokkien luola, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Johnson.
Johnson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Johnson lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Koira.
A head punch on the inside from Johnson fails to land.
Johnson working aggressively here.
Koira tries to pull guard but Johnson forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vanhempi Koira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson goes for a takedown attempt but Koira pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Johnson takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Johnson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Koira shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Koira's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koira uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Johnson.
Jab, jab by Koira - just one landing.
Johnson misses with a body shot.
Johnson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Koira moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Johnson dodges the punch combination from Koira.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Koira shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense.

Koira gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Johnson softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Koira shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Johnson defends it nicely.
Koira is breathing heavily.
Johnson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Koira circles away quickly and effectively.
As Johnson looks to move away, Koira throws a big counter combo but Johnson just gets out of the way.
Koira fails with the takedown.
Koira fails to land the takedown.
Johnson explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Koira shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Koira shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Johnson as he jumps to the side.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koira wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Koira is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Johnson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Koira has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Koira blocks a body shot from Johnson.
Koira trying to control the position but instead, Johnson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Koira into the cage.
Koira blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Johnson tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Johnson tries a body shot but Koira blocks it.
Johnson misses with a knee to the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Johnson.

Johnson breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Johnson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnson moves into range and clinches up with Koira.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Johnson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Johnson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Johnson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Koira tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johnson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Koira tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Johnson smiles and moves away.
Johnson looks to land a combination but Koira avoids it well.

Johnson closes the distance and clinches.
Johnson misses with a knee strike.
Koira is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Johnson to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vanhempi Koira. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Johnson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson throws the left hand but Koira avoids the punch easily.
Koira closes the distance but Johnson moves to the side
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Koira throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Johnson.
Koira misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
As Koira backs off Johnson throws a huge counter combo but Koira manages to avoid it all.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koira sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Johnson lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Koira avoids the head kick by Johnson.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Koira tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Koira somewhat.
Johnson misses with a double jab
and Koira connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Johnson closes the distance and pushes Koira back into the cage.
Koira prevents a body shot from Johnson.
Johnson lands with a left to the head.
Koira is trying to pull guard but Johnson turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koira wants a takedown but no success here.
Koira on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Koira takes an elbow to the temple.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Koira is pressed up against the cage. Johnson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Koira down to the mat. Koira avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Johnson slaps away a takedown attempt from Koira, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Koira tries for a takedown but Johnson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Johnson has taken the fight to the clinch.

Johnson breaks the clinch.

Johnson has Koira up against the cage in a clinch.
Johnson misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson slows down the pace here.
Johnson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Koira stalling in the clinch but Johnson improves position.
Johnson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Koira blocks it with crossed arms.
Koira blocks an elbow strike from Johnson.
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Koira's elbow.
Koira tries for a takedown but Johnson manages to get underhooks.
Johnson can't find room to land a body shot as Koira controls the action.

Johnson manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Koira looking to pass the guard.
Johnson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koira postures up in Johnson's guard and throws a big left but Johnson blocks it.
Koira stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Koira from controlling successfully.
Koira wants to stand but Johnson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Johnson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koira manages to get himself to full guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leon Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Koira shoots in looking for a takedown but Johnson manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Koira's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
Johnson throws a head kick but Koira moves out of range.
Koira tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Johnson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson lands with a nice combination. Koira backs away looking to recover.
Leon Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Koira shoots in but no luck this time.
Johnson connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Koira momentarily.
Some wild striking there from Johnson.
Vanhempi Koira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Koira fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Johnson gets a clinch.
Johnson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Johnson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A bit of stalling here from Johnson.
Koira blocks a body shot from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson controlling the action here for a moment.
Koira tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vanhempi Koira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Koira tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Johnson struggles to land a body shot inside as Koira controls his hands.
Koira blocking some punches.
Johnson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Koira tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Koira scores with a nice hook to the head.

Koira jumps guard and drags Johnson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Johnson stands up and waves to Koira to follow him.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Koira is defended easily by Johnson.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson has closed the distance and engaged Koira in a clinch.
Johnson gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Koira taking a breather.
Leon Johnson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Koira wants to break the clinch but can't.
Koira is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Johnson to keep the fight standing.
Koira doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Johnson misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koira trying to stall but Johnson improves his position.
Koira taking a breather.
Johnson dodges an elbow strike from Koira.
Koira fails to pull guard.
Koira has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Johnson is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Koira.
Koira is trying to drag Johnson to the mat but Johnson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Johnson works on Koira's body with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Johnson just leaning against Koira, taking a breather.
Johnson lands a nice elbow.
Koira has had enough of the clinch but Johnson keeps him there for the moment.
Johnson keeps control of Koira as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Koira is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Johnson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Vanhempi Koira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leon Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnson 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leon Johnson!