PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Markus Johansson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Junk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johansson comes to the cage accompanied by All These Things That I've Done. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johansson
vs
Junk

160 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Big heart

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Solid 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Markus Johansson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jack Junk!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johansson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Junk changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johansson tries to avoid it but Junk manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johansson to the ground. Johansson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Johansson is looking to clinch.
Johansson tries to clinch but Junk moves out of range.

Junk clinches up with Johansson and pushes him back against the cage.
Johansson lands a knee to the head.
Johansson lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Jack Junk has been cut.
Johansson using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Junk has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Johansson tries a knee to the head but Junk blocks it.
Junk fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Johansson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A knee to the head by Johansson.
A knee to the head by Johansson.
Johansson is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Johansson with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Johansson misses with a knee to the head.
Johansson missing with knees to the body.
Johansson scores with a knee to the head.
Johansson connects with a nasty looking knee right to Junk's face.
Johansson with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Junk takes a knee right on the jaw!
Johansson is breathing heavily.
Johansson working Junk over with knees to the body.
Johansson putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Junk in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Johansson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Junk blocks it with crossed arms.
Johansson throws a knee to the head but misses.
Johansson tries a knee to the head but Junk blocks it.
Junk blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Junk pushes Johansson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Junk tries to pull guard but Johansson holds him up against the cage and eventually Junk drops back down to his feet.
Markus Johansson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Junk.
Junk tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Johansson just stands there and leans against the cage.
Junk tries to pull guard but Johansson won't allow it.
Junk tries to pull guard but Johansson won't allow it.
Johansson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Junk blocks it with crossed arms.
Junk managing to block the knees to the body from Johansson.

Junk drags the fight down to the ground.
Junk has Johansson pulled in close to control his posture.
Johansson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johansson looking to sit in guard and control but Junk gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Junk controls from within his opponent's guard.
Junk works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Junk is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Johansson defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johansson wants to get back to his feet.
Junk controlling the pace.
Junk trying to control from half guard but Johansson is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Junk is trying to work for a kimura but Johansson is defending well.
Johansson is looking for a sweep. Junk is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Johansson is trying to maintain the position but Junk is very close to passing his half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Johansson drives through and clinches with Junk against the cage.
Johansson scores a nice knee to the body.
Junk taking a breather.
Johansson throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Junk blocks it with crossed arms.
Junk fails to pull guard.
Johansson looking to throw knees to the head but Junk is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Johansson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jack Junk's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Johansson clinches but Junk breaks the clinch

and Junk counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Junk.
Johansson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Junk is one step ahead there.
Junk showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Junk pushes down on Johansson's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Johansson wants to control but Junk is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Junk is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johansson wants to get back to his feet.
Junk thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Johansson holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Junk is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Johansson tries to kick Junk off but Junk keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Junk stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Johansson to get to his feet.

Junk tries to keep at a distance but Johansson has taken the fight into the clinch.

Junk pulls guard successfully.
Johansson trying to control but Junk is working from the bottom.
Johansson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Junk is proving hard to escape from.

Junk has his foot on Johansson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johansson works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johansson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Johansson wants to stand but Junk has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Johansson is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

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.
Junk looking to control.
Junk might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Johansson kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Junk lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Johansson!

Junk is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Junk showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jack Junk's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Johansson tries to clinch up

and Junk counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johansson's guard now.
Junk postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Johansson wants to get back to his feet but Junk is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Junk wants to pass the guard but Johansson is keeping the position.
Junk won't allow Johansson to get back to his feet.

Junk is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Johansson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Junk is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Junk drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Junk jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Johansson trying to control the position here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Johansson clinches but Junk breaks the clinch

and Junk counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johansson pulls Junk in close to his closed guard and prevents Junk from doing any damage or advancing position.
Junk trying to control the position from guard on top but Johansson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johansson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Junk is controlling him.
Junk passes into half guard.
Johansson tries to kick Junk off but Junk keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Johansson wants to improve his position but Junk is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junk looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Junk moves nicely into side control.

Junk goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Johansson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Junk's guard! Nice work there by Johansson!
Junk keeping full guard, as Johansson tries to pass.

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.
Junk trying to control the position.
Junk has a closed guard, preventing Johansson from standing up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Junk is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Junk comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Junk has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Junk!