PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joni Johnsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Randy Faulkner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Johnsson
vs
Faulkner

185 cm
31
220 lbs
12 - 13 - 0

194 cm
25
224 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joni Johnsson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Randy Faulkner!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnsson checks the leg kick.
Johnsson misses with a right hand
and Faulkner counters with a leg kick.
Faulkner jabs Johnsson to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Faulkner shoots in and gets a takedown into Johnsson's guard.
Faulkner wants to pass the guard but Johnsson is keeping the position.
Faulkner engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Faulkner trying to control but Johnsson is working from the bottom.
Johnsson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Johnsson tries to get out of the position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnsson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Faulkner trying to control but Johnsson is working from the bottom.
Faulkner throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faulkner's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Randy Faulkner wasn't active enough on the ground.
Johnsson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Faulkner moves away.
Joni Johnsson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnsson misses with a leg kick
and Faulkner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Faulkner fails with the takedown.
Johnsson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Faulkner was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnsson.
Johnsson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnsson rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Faulkner counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Johnsson thinking.
Faulkner shoots for a double leg takedown but Johnsson sprawls well. He's pushed Faulkner's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Johnsson throws a nice head kick!
A big right from Johnsson misses.
Faulkner drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Faulkner fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Joni Johnsson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Randy Faulkner.
Johnsson misses with a leg kick.
Johnsson throws an off balance right hand
and Faulkner counters with a stiff right hand.
Johnsson misses with a leg kick.
Faulkner uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Johnsson.

Faulkner gets a takedown into half guard.
Johnsson is trying to get back to full guard.
Faulkner passes to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faulkner lands with some strikes.
Johnsson is looking to get to half guard.
Johnsson wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Faulkner.
Faulkner can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Johnsson is looking to escape.
Faulkner looking to finish with strikes here!
Faulkner throws some wild stikes that Johnsson manages to avoid easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson wants to control but Faulkner is having none of it.
Faulkner trying to control but Johnsson is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Faulkner is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Johnsson has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Johnsson!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Faulkner looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Randy Faulkner dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

A low kick from Johnsson is predictable there

and Faulkner counters with a single leg into guard. Johnsson didn't expect that.
Johnsson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Faulkner is one step ahead there.
Faulkner seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Johnsson is trying to keep Faulkner in close.
Faulkner's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Johnsson trying to keep a closed guard but Faulkner is proving a slippery customer.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Joni Johnsson wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A jab from Johnsson misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faulkner scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Faulkner scores with a body shot.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Johnsson lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Faulkner has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Faulkner and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Johnsson throws a shot from downtown. Faulkner moves away and avoids it.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Johnsson lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Faulkner has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Faulkner and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Johnsson throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Faulkner connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Johnsson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johnsson on the wrong end of a nice jab.

It looks like Joni Johnsson has been cut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Johnsson thuds a left hand into Faulkner's body.
Faulkner keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Johnsson misses with a shot to the body
and Faulkner counters with a nice uppercut.
Faulkner lands a jab to Johnsson's midsection.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faulkner shoots in but no luck this time.

Faulkner drives through with a takedown into guard.
Johnsson looking to control but Faulkner passes into half guard.
Faulkner is looking to advance position but Johnsson won't allow it.
Faulkner missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Faulkner is keen to just control but Johnsson is a slippery customer.
Johnsson trying to control from the bottom.
Johnsson is looking to improve his position.
Faulkner trying to control from half guard but Johnsson is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson blocking the ground and pound attempt from Faulkner.
Randy Faulkner has got the better of the ground game so far.
Faulkner throwing shots but Johnsson is blocking nicely.
Faulkner throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Johnsson is trying to control but can't.
Johnsson tries to get to full guard but Faulkner has control of the leg.
Faulkner seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Faulkner has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Johnsson walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Joni Johnsson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson looks to score with a jab to the body but Faulkner is just out of range.
Johnsson misses with a few strikes there.
A head kick misses from Johnsson.
Faulkner looks to land a combination. Johnsson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnsson throws an off balance right hand
and Faulkner counters with an outside leg kick.
Johnsson misses with a left hand
and Faulkner counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Faulkner has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Faulkner lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Johnsson slaps away a takedown attempt from Faulkner, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Faulkner thuds a left hand into Johnsson's body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Faulkner dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Faulkner is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Johnsson rather than just go for the knockout.
Faulkner shoots in but Johnsson avoids the takedown attempt easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Randy Faulkner comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Faulkner has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 18:20
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 18:20
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 18:20

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Randy Faulkner!
Randy Faulkner took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Reaper Combatwear for their support in the buildup to the fight.