PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bob Schnitz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Isaiah Johnston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Schnitz
vs
Johnston

167 cm
22
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bob Schnitz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Isaiah Johnston!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Johnston rushes Schnitz and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Johnston with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Schnitz looking for a takedown.

Johnston pulls guard effortlessly.
Schnitz might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Johnston is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnston really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Schnitz. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Schnitz passes Johnston's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Schnitz seems to be looking for submissions.
Schnitz stalling.

Schnitz is looking for a kimura but Johnston is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Schnitz to get the leverage.
Johnston has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Schnitz is working away from the top position though.
Johnston is looking for a sweep. Schnitz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Schnitz is looking for a kimura but Johnston is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Schnitz to get the leverage.

Johnston looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Johnston kicks Schnitz off and gets back to his feet.
Johnston looks gassed!
Schnitz shoots in for a double leg but Johnston sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Johnston clinches.
Schnitz tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johnston just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Schnitz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnston stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Schnitz.

Johnston breaks from the clinch.
Johnston slaps away a takedown attempt from Schnitz, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Schnitz shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Johnston is trying to defend but Schnitz finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Johnston is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Schnitz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnston keeps working.

Schnitz is working for a submission of some sort.

Schnitz is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schnitz trying to control from half guard but Johnston is working away.
Johnston is looking for a sweep. Schnitz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Schnitz wants to pass to mount but Johnston is defending the position.

Schnitz looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Johnston is looking to improve his position.

Schnitz is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Johnston doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Schnitz.
Schnitz trying to mount his opponent but Johnston defends it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bob Schnitz will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Schnitz takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Schnitz shoots in and bounces Johnston off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Schnitz tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnston is retaining full guard.

Schnitz postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Johnston is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Schnitz, into his guard.
Schnitz looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Schnitz has his foot on Johnston's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnston works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Schnitz working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnston stopping the sweep attempt from Schnitz.
Johnston wants to control from the top but Schnitz keeps moving.
Schnitz has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Schnitz trying to keep a closed guard but Johnston is proving a slippery customer.

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

and Schnitz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Schnitz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johnston keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnston trying to control from the bottom.
Schnitz tries to pass the half guard into mount. Johnston knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Johnston trying to hold on to Schnitz's head to control him but Schnitz postures up.

Johnston is defending against the submission attempts here by Schnitz.

Schnitz is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Johnston doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Schnitz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Schnitz is looking for a kimura but Johnston is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Schnitz to get the leverage.
Johnston is looking to get back to full guard here but Schnitz has managed to pass to side control instead.
Schnitz trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Schnitz jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Johnston is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Johnston and Schnitz has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Schnitz goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Johnston rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Schnitz's guard! Nice work there by Johnston!
Schnitz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnston throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Schnitz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Schnitz keeping moving, preventing Johnston from controlling successfully.
Johnston stopping the sweep attempt from Schnitz.
Schnitz has his hands on Johnston's head, controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Schnitz dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnston feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Schnitz has a closed guard, preventing Johnston from standing up.

Schnitz is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Johnston has his hands clasped together but Schnitz extends an breaks Johnston's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Schnitz.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Bob Schnitz!