PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Timu Puruunen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Johnson
vs
Puruunen

185 cm
28
175 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

180 cm
26
185 lbs
2 - 4 - 1

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ryan Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Timu Puruunen!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Puruunen forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
Puruunen lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.

It looks like Ryan Johnson has been cut.
Johnson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Johnson is trying to push Puruunen away but Puruunen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Puruunen lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.
Johnson wants to break free but Puruunen has control.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Puruunen jumps into guard, dragging Johnson to the mat.

Puruunen is working an open guard so Johnson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Johnson misses with a series of wild punches.
Johnson swats away the attempt to clinch by Puruunen.
Puruunen tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.

Puruunen pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

Puruunen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ryan Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Puruunen circles away quickly and effectively.
Johnson lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Puruunen backs up against the cage.

It looks like Timu Puruunen has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Danga de danga de dang - Johnson scores with a four punch combination!

Puruunen is rocked!
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Puruunen. Puruunen gets slowly back to his feet.
Puruunen is still on wobbly legs! Can Johnson finish him?
Puruunen shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnson sprawls well. He's pushed Puruunen's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Puruunen seems to have recovered his senses.
Puruunen wants to clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Puruunen moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Puruunen.

Puruunen moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Puruunen.
Puruunen throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Puruunen is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Puruunen creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow.
Puruunen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Puruunen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnson's face.

Puruunen breaks the clinch.
Puruunen looks gassed!
Johnson looks to land a combination but Puruunen avoids it well.

Puruunen has Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.

Puruunen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Puruunen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Nice defenses there by Puruunen.
Johnson scores with a nice right hand.

Puruunen moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Puruunen has him pressed against the cage.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Puruunen is controlling him.
Johnson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Puruunen has him pressed against the cage.
Puruunen scores a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Puruunen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Johnson is defending well for now.
Puruunen has Johnson pressed against the cage, preventing Johnson from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Puruunen pulls guard successfully.
Puruunen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Johnson manages to get himself to full guard.

Puruunen stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Puruunen clinches with his opponent.
Johnson misses with the head strike.
Come on Puruunen - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Johnson takes an elbow to the forehead.
Puruunen is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Puruunen lands an elbow that stopped Johnson in his tracks for a moment.

Puruunen manages to break the clinch.

Puruunen clinches with his opponent.
Puruunen lands an elbow that stopped Johnson in his tracks for a moment.
Puruunen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Puruunen lands a damaging elbow.

Puruunen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Puruunen moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
A knee to the head by Puruunen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puruunen stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Johnson working hard to break the clinch.
Puruunen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Johnson's defenses.
Puruunen landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Puruunen lands a right hand.
Puruunen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Johnson takes a knee right on the jaw!

Puruunen pulls guard.
Puruunen looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Puruunen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Johnson controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Johnson has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Johnson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Puruunen's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puruunen manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Puruunen controlling from the full mount.
Johnson wants to hold on but Puruunen pushes him away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Puruunen controlling from mount.
Puruunen trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timu Puruunen dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

Puruunen moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Puruunen has double underhooks.
Puruunen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The referee calls for Puruunen to work.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Puruunen connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnson's face.
Puruunen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
Johnson takes an elbow to the temple.
Puruunen lands a damaging elbow.
Puruunen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Nice elbow from Puruunen.
Puruunen lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Puruunen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Johnson's defenses.
Puruunen putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Johnson in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Puruunen gets control of Johnson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Puruunen will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Puruunen kicks Johnson off and gets to his feet.

Puruunen drives through and clinches with Johnson against the cage.

Puruunen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Puruunen closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Puruunen pulls guard effortlessly.

Puruunen uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Puruunen closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.

Puruunen manages to break the clinch.

Puruunen takes the fight into the clinch.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Puruunen lands an elbow just above Johnson 's eye.
Timu Puruunen seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Johnson wants to break free but Puruunen has control.
Puruunen trying to stall but Johnson improves his position.

Puruunen drags the fight down to the ground.
Johnson trying to stand up but can't free himself from Puruunen's guard.
Johnson throws a strike but Puruunen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Puruunen stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Puruunen counters with a head kick.
Puruunen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Johnson circles away.

Puruunen forces Johnson back against the cage and clinches.
Puruunen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Johnson's defenses.
Johnson lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Puruunen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Puruunen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Puruunen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nice elbow from Puruunen.
Puruunen prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Puruunen scores a nice knee to the body.
Puruunen is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Johnson gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Puruunen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
A nice left hand lands by Puruunen.
Puruunen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
Johnson wants to break free but Puruunen has control.
Puruunen with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Johnson wants to get back to striking at distance but Puruunen won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puruunen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Puruunen tries to land knees in the clinch but Johnson avoids the damage to the body.
Puruunen utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Johnson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Puruunen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Puruunen is controlling him.
Puruunen tries to land a knee to the head but Johnson blocks with his arms.
Johnson wants to break the clinch but can't.
Puruunen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Puruunen looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Puruunen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Puruunen creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Johnson's defenses.
Puruunen lands a damaging elbow.
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Puruunen's elbow.
Johnson looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Puruunen gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Puruunen lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.

Puruunen jumps into guard, dragging Johnson to the mat.
Puruunen keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson stops Puruunen from standing up.

That's four 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.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Puruunen keeps moving.

Puruunen has his feet on Johnson's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Puruunen takes the fight into the clinch.
Nice elbow from Puruunen.
Puruunen holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Puruunen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
No joy there for Johnson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Puruunen has taken the fight to the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Puruunen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson circles away from the clinch attempt.

Puruunen moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson working aggressively here.
Puruunen is stalling here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Timu Puruunen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Johnson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Johnson drives through and clinches with Puruunen against the cage.
Johnson takes a knee to the side of the body.
Johnson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Puruunen breaks the clinch.

Puruunen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
Puruunen works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Puruunen has double underhooks.
Puruunen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

Puruunen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Puruunen feints a jab promting Johnson to slip. Puruunen then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Johnson slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Johnson tries to clinch but Puruunen is having none of it.
Puruunen lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Puruunen shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Puruunen doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Johnson stuffs the takedown attempt from Puruunen. Puruunen gets slowly back to his feet.
Puruunen fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ryan Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Johnson rushes Puruunen and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Puruunen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Johnson.

Johnson has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Puruunen uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puruunen trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.

Puruunen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!

Puruunen moves into the clinch.
Puruunen slows down the pace here.
Puruunen is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Johnson is keeping busy.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Puruunen won't allow it.
Puruunen lands an elbow inside.
Puruunen unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Puruunen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Johnson's efforts to push away.
Nice elbow from Puruunen.
Puruunen scores a nice knee to the body.
Puruunen pushes off an throws an elbow but Johnson leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Puruunen breaks from the clinch.

Puruunen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Puruunen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Puruunen lands a damaging elbow.
Puruunen misses with some punches.
Puruunen lands an elbow just above Johnson 's eye.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Puruunen.
Johnson is trying to push Puruunen away but Puruunen has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Johnson wants to break free but Puruunen has control.
Johnson takes a knee to the side of the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Puruunen.
Johnson is looking to break free of the clinch but Puruunen has double underhooks.

Puruunen manages to break the clinch.

Puruunen gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Puruunen landing knees to the body.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Puruunen holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Puruunen lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Puruunen pushes Johnson back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson can't get the takedown.
Puruunen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Puruunen breaks the clinch.
Puruunen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Johnson darts in trying to clinch

and Puruunen counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Puruunen.
Johnson tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Puruunen smiles and moves away.
Ryan Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch up
and Puruunen counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Puruunen rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.

Puruunen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Puruunen scores with a one two! Johnson had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Puruunen fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Puruunen.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Puruunen lands a nice elbow.
Puruunen prevents Johnson from breaking the clinch.
Johnson wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Puruunen has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Johnson clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
Puruunen biding his time, controlling Johnson.
Timu Puruunen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Puruunen's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Timu Puruunen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Puruunen controlling well, preventing Johnson from escaping the position.
Puruunen is not going to allow Johnson to sit and survive in this position.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Johnson holding both Puruunen 's hands and preventing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Timu Puruunen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Puruunen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Timu Puruunen!