PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jim Johnsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Housimar Palhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Palhares comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Buena Vista Social Club - Hasta Siempre Commandante kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Johnsson
vs
Palhares

175 cm
26
183 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

173 cm
26
182 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Basic striking
Powerful

Fight Club Clothing Helsinki™

Demons

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jim Johnsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Housimar Palhares!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Thiago Cunha and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Palhares with that takedown attempt.
Johnsson misses with the combination.
Johnsson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnsson fails to land with a series of punches.
Jim Johnsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Palhares shoots for a takedown but Johnsson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Johnsson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Palhares moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Johnsson throws a nice looking combination but Palhares bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Palhares takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Johnsson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Palhares shoots in but no luck this time.
Jim Johnsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Housimar Palhares.
Johnsson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Johnsson misses the shot to the body.
Johnsson throws an overhand right that lands on Palhares's shoulder, as Palhares tries to avoid the shot.
Palhares closes this distance looking for a takedown but Johnsson circles away.
Johnsson missing with a left hand there. Palhares was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Johnsson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Palhares shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Palhares was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnsson tries to hold on but Palhares postures up.
Johnsson tries to reverse the position but Palhares maintains control.
Johnsson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Palhares sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Palhares has hold of Johnsson's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Johnsson manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.

Palhares looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Palhares takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Palhares trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Palhares thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares thowing shots but they're missing.
Johnsson is working to get back to half guard.
Johnsson tries to hold on but Palhares pushes him away.

Palhares swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Johnsson is now in Palhares's guard. A big mistake from Palhares there, giving up the dominant position!
Palhares being controlled here, momentarily.
Johnsson landing some decent shots from guard.
Johnsson postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Palhares is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Palhares had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Johnsson defends it easily.
Johnsson throws a strike but Palhares rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Johnsson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johnsson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Palhares trying to control but Johnsson is working from the bottom.
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 Jim Johnsson will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Palhares shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnsson sprawls well. Johnsson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Palhares gets slowly back to his feet.
Palhares misses with a jab to the body
and Johnsson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Palhares moves into the clinch.
Johnsson makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Johnsson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Nice body punch from Johnsson.
Johnsson lands with a light punch inside.
Johnsson lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnsson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Johnsson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Palhares tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Johnsson smiles and moves away.
Johnsson lands with an overhand left.
Johnsson thows a body shot but no joy.
Johnsson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnsson takes a swing at Palhares's ribcage but misses.
Johnsson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Palhares throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Palhares looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Johnsson trying to hold on to Palhares's head to control him but Palhares postures up.
Johnsson is looking for a sweep. Palhares is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Palhares wants to take a breather but Johnsson is having none of it.

Johnsson looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Palhares in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnsson actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Palhares is trying to work for a kimura but Johnsson is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnsson wants to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Palhares uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnsson.
Johnsson tries to bum rush Palhares with a series of wild strikes but Palhares uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Palhares fails with the takedown
and Johnsson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Jim Johnsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Housimar Palhares.
Palhares blocks a jab.
A jab from Johnsson finds it's way through Palhares's defenses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson throws out a powerful jab.
Horrible takedown by Palhares or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnsson which made him look bad.
Johnsson throws a shot from downtown. Palhares moves away and avoids it.
Palhares with a lazy takedown attempt
and Johnsson counters with a series of strikes. Palhares will be more careful next time no doubt.
Jim Johnsson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Palhares steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Johnsson.
Palhares takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A combination from Johnsson does no damage.
Palhares throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Palhares scores a takedown into full mount!

Palhares is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Johnsson has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Palhares wants to control the pace but Johnsson is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

Palhares with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Johnsson sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Johnsson looking for submissions off his back.
Johnsson is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jim Johnsson dominated that second round.
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!

Johnsson misses with a wild body shot.
Johnsson misses with a few strikes there.
Palhares staying out of range there.
Palhares blocks a jab.
Johnsson lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Palhares backs up against the cage.
Palhares staying out of range there.
Palhares shoots for a takedown but Johnsson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Palhares showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Johnsson.

Palhares decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Palhares works his way into full mount!
Palhares tries to control but Johnsson wriggling away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnsson is desperately trying to improve his position but Palhares has a good base and remains in mount.
Johnsson tries to lock up and control but Palhares gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Palhares trying to control but Johnsson is having none of it.
Johnsson is trying desperately to improve position.

Palhares goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Johnsson turns into him and now he's in Palhares's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Johnsson tries to free his leg and advance position but Palhares is retaining full guard.
Palhares is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Johnsson wants to stand and escape but instead Palhares has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Johnsson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnsson, not yet.
Palhares content to stall in guard here.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Palhares trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnsson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnsson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Palhares's guard.
Palhares trying to control the position here.
Palhares wants to improve his position but instead Johnsson has moved into half guard.
Johnsson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Palhares defending well though.
Jim Johnsson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnsson trying to control the action but Palhares is working from the bottom.
Housimar Palhares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnsson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Palhares is looking to control Johnsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Palhares avoid being mounted?

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Palhares keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Nice takedown defense from Johnsson. No joy for Palhares on that attempt.
Johnsson lands a jab.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Johnsson tries to bum rush Palhares with a series of wild strikes but Palhares uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jim Johnsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Palhares takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Palhares throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

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 Jim Johnsson.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johnsson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jim Johnsson!