PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vladimir Arlovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rock Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Arlovski kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Machine Head-Now I Lay Thee Down. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Arlovski
vs
Johnson

190 cm
26
255 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

196 cm
31
273 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vladimir Arlovski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rock Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Arlovski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Johnson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Johnson scores with a nice head shot.

Arlovski shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Johnson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.
Johnson is looking to reverse the position.
Johnson is letting Arlovski control him for a moment.
Johnson tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Arlovski wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Arlovski lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Johnson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson trying to control from the bottom.
Arlovski passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Johnson!
Johnson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Arlovski with shots to the head and body - Johnson looks very uncomfortable down there.

Arlovski looking for a guillotine from mount but Johnson is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arlovski wants to control the pace but Johnson is squirming around nicely.
Arlovski scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Johnson is in a horrible position here. Arlovski smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Johnson manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Johnson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Arlovski.

Johnson actively working from the bottom here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Arlovski sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Arlovski is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Johnson looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski wants to take a breather but Johnson is having none of it.
Arlovski is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Johnson is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Arlovski uses his free foot to push down on Johnson's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Johnson.
Arlovski with a couple of short strikes.
Arlovski controlling the pace for now.
Arlovski tries to control but Johnson wriggling away.
Johnson is in a horrible position here. Arlovski smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Johnson tries to hold on but Arlovski postures up.
Johnson holds of for dear life.
Arlovski has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Arlovski raining down shots from the mount!
Arlovski putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Johnson is desperately trying to improve his position but Arlovski has a good base and remains in mount.
Arlovski with the ground and pound from mount.
Arlovski avoids the attempt from Johnson to control.
Arlovski can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnson is looking to escape.
BOOM! Arlovski connects with a massive shot to the dome!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arlovski pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Johnson is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Johnson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Johnson can't escape the position.
Johnson tries to hold on but Arlovski pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arlovski trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Johnson is desperately trying to improve his position but Arlovski has a good base and remains in mount.
Arlovski breaks from Johnson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Arlovski landing punches.

Johnson is rocked!
Johnson tries to hold on but Arlovski postures up.
Johnson is still in real trouble! Can Arlovski finish him?
Arlovski landing punches.
Arlovski postures up and throws a big right hand. BOOM! Right on the button! Johnson is out cold - huge knockout for Arlovski!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Vladimir Arlovski!