PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Johnson (ranked 2012 p4p, 2117 weight class) and Jesse Kruger (ranked 268 p4p, 281 weight class). Marcus Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Johnson
vs
Kruger

192 cm
20
190
5 - 2 - 0

181 cm
20
200
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marcus Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Jesse Kruger!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, William Peck and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kruger misses with a shot to the body
letting Johnson counter with a right hand.
Johnson throws an off balance right hand

so Kruger counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Johnson pulls Kruger in to control the position.
Kruger scoring with some ground and pound.
Kruger throws a big right hand that misses.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kruger accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Johnson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Kruger on the ground.
Johnson is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Johnson wants to stand and escape but Kruger is having none of it.
Johnson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Kruger from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kruger postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Johnson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kruger throws an elbow that misses. Johnson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Kruger's guard. Nice move by Johnson!

Kruger is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Kruger is on top in guard.

Kruger working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Johnson is controlling Kruger's posture.
Kruger looking to sit in guard and control but Johnson gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Johnson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Kruger escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johnson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Kruger is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Johnson defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Kruger is retaining full guard.

Kruger looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Kruger working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Johnson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Johnson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson sitting in guard here, content to control.

Johnson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kruger has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Johnson has managed to get both his arms back between Kruger's legs - danger averted.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Johnson gets to his feet - Kruger follows without any prompting.
Kruger drops his hands momentarily and Johnson takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Kruger does a little dance to reset his feet.
Kruger misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Kruger misses with a low kick.
It looked like Johnson was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Kruger.
Johnson looks to score with a jab to the body but Kruger is just out of range.
Johnson throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Kruger counters with a takedown into side control.
Johnson tries to bench press Kruger off him but Kruger keeps the position.
Kruger is trying to ground and pound but Johnson uses the momentary lack of control by Kruger to regain half guard.
Johnson tries to get to full guard but Kruger has control of the leg.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kruger passes to side control.
Johnson tries to improve position but can't.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jesse Kruger will probably get the nod.
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.

Johnson misses with a body shot.
And Kruger tries to counter it with a takedown but Johnson pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Kruger swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Johnson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice uppercut there from Johnson.
Johnson looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A solid leg kick lands there for Johnson.
Kruger has his takedown stuffed
and Johnson counters with a right hand to the body.
Johnson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kruger.
Jesse Kruger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kruger stuns Johnson with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Kruger lunges at Johnson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Johnson's hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson misses with a wild body shot.
Johnson looks to throw the jab but Kruger is out of range.
Johnson misses with a lunging right hand

and Kruger counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Johnson pushes Kruger off and scrambles back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kruger avoids the body shot from Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruger scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Kruger throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Kruger throws a lazy uppercut
and Johnson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Johnson throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Kruger counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Johnson!
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.

Kruger goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Johnson has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Kruger but great work by Johnson.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kruger struggling a bit here.
Kruger is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Kruger gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kruger is looking for a sweep. Johnson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Still in half guard, Johnson seems content to control.
Kruger tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
Johnson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kruger tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.

Kruger looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Kruger tries to roll over but Johnson keeps him under control.

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.
Kruger is trying to maintain the position but Johnson is very close to passing his half guard.
Kruger wants to get back to full guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Johnson is controlling the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kruger misses with a wild body shot.
Kruger is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Johnson rather than just go for the knockout.
Kruger avoids the body shot from Johnson.
A big left from Johnson misses.
Kruger misses the shot to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Johnson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Kruger misses the shot to the body.
Kruger moves out of range as Johnson strikes.
Kruger ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Kruger changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Kruger swings away with a body shot that misses
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Kruger attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
It looked like Johnson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Johnson with a jab.
Johnson ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Johnson cracks Kruger with an open hand slap.
Johnson missing with a left hand there. Kruger was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kruger cracks a nice hook into Johnson's ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kruger misses with a hook to the body
and Johnson counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kruger can do to turn this around?
Kruger ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson avoids the body shot from Kruger.
Kruger connects with a body shot.
Kruger's coach down at Combat Wombat Burrow was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Kruger's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kruger closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Jesse Kruger has got the better of the ground game so far.
Kruger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Johnson has control of Kruger's left arm, preventing Kruger from doing any damage.
Kruger postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kruger wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Kruger throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson is adopting a defensive guard.
Kruger throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Johnson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruger postures up in Johnson's guard and throws a big left but Johnson blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Johnson is on top in guard.

Johnson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Johnson trying to control but Kruger is working from the bottom.
Kruger bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Johnson's guard.

Kruger trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kruger with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Kruger throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kruger is in close to Johnson's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Kruger chips away with some ground and pound.
Johnson trying to keep a closed guard but Kruger is proving a slippery customer.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Kruger from controlling successfully.
Kruger might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Johnson haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Johnson pulls Kruger in close to his closed guard and prevents Kruger from doing any damage or advancing position.
Kruger has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Kruger throws a big elbow that misses.

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.
Kruger wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Kruger in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Johnson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Kruger looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Johnson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Kruger.
Johnson misses with a looping left.
Kruger drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Johnson defends it well.
Kruger ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kruger throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Kruger lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Johnson at a distance.
Kruger walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marcus Johnson.
I think Johnson 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 Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Johnson!
Marcus Johnson spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.