PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joe McConnell (ranked 1368 p4p, 2970 weight class) and Damien Johnson (ranked 83 p4p, 158 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

McConnell
vs
Johnson

200 cm
27
300
7 - 4 - 0

194 cm
27
280
4 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

Northern Zombie
Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joe McConnell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Damien Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McConnell clinches with his opponent.
McConnell lands a nice uppercut.
Johnson is looking for a takedown.
Johnson is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but McConnell is defending well.

Johnson turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Johnson is chipping away with strikes.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Johnson working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Johnson should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
McConnell struggling a bit here.
A control attempt from McConnell but he's now mounted!
McConnell throwing hammer fists to the chest of Johnson. What's that going to do exactly?
Johnson raining down shots from the mount!
Johnson scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Johnson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. McConnell can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson landing strikes, looking to finish!
McConnell tries to get back to half guard but can't.
McConnell on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if McConnell tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Johnson lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
The referee warns McConnell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
McConnell tries to reverse the position but Johnson maintains control.
Johnson in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Johnson lands a big elbow.
McConnell takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The referee warns McConnell that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
McConnell slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Johnson passes the guard and advances to mount!
Johnson lands a big shot there that rocks McConnell but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Johnson lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McConnell tries to lock up and control but Johnson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johnson has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of McConnell's face.
Johnson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. McConnell looks a forlorn figure.
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 cracks McConnell with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
McConnell knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
Johnson is landing with some decent strikes but McConnell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Johnson lands a nice shot to the head.
McConnell is in a horrible position here. Johnson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.

Johnson jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but McConnell manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Johnson cracks McConnell with a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands an elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson cracks McConnell with a big right hand but McConnell just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Johnson has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Johnson is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. McConnell can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Johnson lands a nice shot to the head.
Johnson connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Johnson landing strikes, looking to finish!
Johnson prevents McConnell from getting the reversal.
Johnson landing strikes, looking to finish!
Johnson landing strikes, looking to finish!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Johnson cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Johnson controlling his opponent.
Johnson lands a big elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McConnell is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Johnson is landing with some decent strikes but McConnell is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Johnson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
McConnell wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson punishing his opponent with strikes.
Johnson looking to control but McConnell is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnson looking to finish McConnell with some ground and pound. This is bad for McConnell!
Johnson trying to control but McConnell is having none of it.
Johnson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Johnson scoring with strikes but McConnell is staying in there.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Johnson dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.
Some wild striking there from McConnell.
And Johnson tries to counter it with a takedown but McConnell pushes his down on his head and steps out.
McConnell throws a right hand that Johnson ducks under and follows up with a left that Johnson also avoids with ease.
McConnell scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
McConnell tries to clinch up.

Johnson pushes McConnell up against the cage in a clinch.

McConnell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
McConnell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

McConnell moves into the clinch.
Johnson avoids the elbow strike from McConnell, against the cage.
A shot in the inside from McConnell.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson can't get the takedown.
McConnell is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Joe McConnell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damien Johnson.
McConnell is working Johnson over against the cage.
Johnson is breathing heavily.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Damien Johnson has been cut.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.
McConnell lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.
McConnell lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
McConnell lands an elbow inside.

That has opened up Damien Johnson's cut even more.

McConnell drops Johnson onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Johnson is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!

Johnson is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McConnell coils back and throws a huge elbow that knocks Johnson senseless! McConnell is going crazy celebrating with his corner! Hopefully Johnson is OK!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Elbow). Joe McConnell!
Joe McConnell took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Northern Zombie for their support in the buildup to the fight.