PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Zeus Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kitsune Tsuki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes into the arena with Because I got high blaring out of the sound system. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Johnson
vs
Tsuki

180 cm
22
168 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

175 cm
27
160 lbs
10 - 12 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Zeus Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 12 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kitsune Tsuki!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Ivan Kurochkin and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Tsuki wants to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Tsuki on that attempt.
Johnson with a body punch. A glancing blow.

Johnson gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Tsuki to score an easy takedown into full guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tsuki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Johnson trying to control the position here.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tsuki accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tsuki controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
Johnson trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Tsuki stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

We're going to have a standup here because Zeus Johnson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Johnson throws a nice looking combination but Tsuki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Tsuki tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Kitsune Tsuki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki tries to score a power double leg takedown but Johnson sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Tsuki somewhat.
Johnson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tsuki defends it nicely.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Zeus Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Tsuki on that attempt.
Johnson shoots in but no luck this time.
Tsuki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johnson tries to bum rush Tsuki with a series of wild strikes but Tsuki uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Johnson cracks Tsuki with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Tsuki closes the distance looking to clinch
and Johnson counters with a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson dives in and grabs Tsuki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tsuki pushes down on Johnson's head and hops out.
Johnson shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Tsuki eats them both and turns towards Johnson to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Tsuki scores with a one two! Johnson had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Johnson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tsuki was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnson.

Tsuki shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tsuki was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Johnson is looking to get to half guard.
Tsuki looking to control and managing it successfully.
Johnson tries to hold on but Tsuki postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tsuki swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Johnson is now in Tsuki's guard. A big mistake from Tsuki there, giving up the dominant position!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Tsuki looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
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!

Tsuki is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Tsuki throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tsuki is controlling Johnson's posture.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson is looking to work some ground and pound but Tsuki has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kitsune Tsuki dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tsuki shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Johnson napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Tsuki working away.
Johnson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson defending against the ground and pound.
Tsuki advances nicely into full mount.
Johnson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Johnson tries to lock up and control but Tsuki gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Tsuki goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Johnson turns into him and now he's in Tsuki's guard.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson works over Tsuki with some ground and pound from guard.
Johnson landing with the ground and pound.
Johnson throws a strike but Tsuki rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Tsuki thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Tsuki 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.
Johnson wants to sweep here but Tsuki controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Johnson has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Tsuki off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Johnson takes a swing at Tsuki's ribcage but misses.

Tsuki darts in and clinches Johnson up against the cage.
Johnson lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Johnson is trying to push Tsuki away but Tsuki has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Johnson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tsuki lands an elbow inside that Johnson shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Johnson pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Johnson prevents Tsuki from breaking the clinch.
Johnson looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Tsuki is looking for a takedown.
Still in the clinch, Johnson scores with a nice short uppercut.
Johnson stalls.
Tsuki tries to pull guard but Johnson holds him up against the cage and eventually Tsuki drops back down to his feet.
Zeus Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kitsune Tsuki.
Tsuki 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki avoiding damage as Johnson throws knees to the body.
Johnson is trying to drag Tsuki to the mat but Tsuki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Tsuki looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Johnson taking a breather.
Tsuki goes for a takedown in the clinch but Johnson prevents it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Tsuki pulls guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Zeus Johnson will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Tsuki tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Johnson misses with a hook.
Tsuki tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tsuki drops his hands momentarily and Johnson takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Tsuki tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Johnson swivels and escapes.

Johnson clinches.
Johnson misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Johnson is trying to break the clinch but Tsuki is controlling him.
Johnson is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tsuki is defending well for now.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Johnson sizes up Tsuki with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Tsuki scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Johnson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Johnson tries to get out of the position.

Tsuki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Johnson avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Tsuki.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.

Tsuki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Johnson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson struggling a bit here.
Tsuki working the head with strikes.
Johnson knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tsuki on the ground.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson pushes Tsuki away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Tsuki gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Tsuki is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Johnson knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Johnson can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tsuki passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Johnson!
Johnson wants to hold on but Tsuki pushes him away.
Tsuki looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

Tsuki is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Johnson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Tsuki is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Johnson has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Johnson!
Tsuki preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Johnson throws a big elbow that misses.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Kitsune Tsuki has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tsuki's head.
Johnson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tsuki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Johnson postures up and lands a big shot to Tsuki's brow.
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!

Tsuki looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Johnson stands up over Tsuki, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.
Tsuki manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson tries to hold on but Tsuki postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kitsune Tsuki.
I think Tsuki 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!