PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Nieminen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rasmus Johansson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nieminen comes to the ring accompanied by Scream, Aim, Fire!. Johansson has chosen Diablo - The Preacher as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Nieminen
vs
Johansson

174 cm
22
154 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

167 cm
18
148 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Thomas Nieminen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rasmus Johansson!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nieminen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Johansson is looking to regain half guard here but Nieminen keeps moving and retains side control.
Johansson struggling a bit here.
Nieminen happy to just control the position for now.

Nieminen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Nieminen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Johansson is trying to improve his position.
Johansson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nieminen's best efforts.
Nieminen prevents Johansson from standing back up.
Nieminen wants to get back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Johansson can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Nieminen is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Johansson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Nieminen.
Johansson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nieminen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Johansson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are battling for position here. Johansson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Johansson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Nieminen is pushing down on Johansson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Johansson is fighting to maintain full guard but Nieminen has managed to sneak the leg through.
Johansson tries to get to full guard but Nieminen has control of the leg.
Johansson trying to get back to full guard but Nieminen takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Nieminen goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Johansson is on top in guard.

Nieminen is looking for a triangle but Johansson pushes his legs off easily.
Nieminen trying to keep a closed guard but Johansson is proving a slippery customer.
Johansson advances position into side control!
Nieminen is trying to improve his position.
Nieminen wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen is looking for a sweep.
Nieminen manages to work his way to half guard, despite Johansson's best efforts.

Johansson wants to work for an arm triangle but Nieminen is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Johansson looks gassed!
Nieminen trying to control but Johansson postures up.
Nieminen is looking for a sweep. Johansson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Nieminen trying to control from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nieminen tries to clinch but Johansson moves out of range.
Nieminen misses with a takedown attempt - Johansson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Nieminen lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Nieminen shoots in and drives through. Johansson sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Johansson closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Johansson lands in his opponent's guard.
Johansson makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Johansson being controlled here momentarily.
Nieminen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Nieminen controls Johansson momentarily but Johansson frees himself.
Johansson advances to half guard.
Johansson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Nieminen looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rasmus Johansson will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nieminen misses with a takedown

and Johansson counters with a nice double leg into side control. Nieminen won't be happy with that.
Nieminen misses with a strike from the bottom.
Johansson controls the position.
Nieminen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Johansson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Johansson lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Nieminen actively working from the bottom here.
Johansson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Johansson prevents Nieminen from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen trying to control from the bottom.
Johansson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nieminen keeps working.

Nieminen looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Johansson slips a nice elbow through Nieminen's hands, connecting with Nieminen's forehead.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Nieminen fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Johansson.
Nieminen scores with a leg kick.
Nieminen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Nieminen fails with the takedown

and Johansson counters with a shoot takedown. Nieminen fights it but they end up in guard.
Nieminen wants to get back to his feet but Johansson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Johansson manages to get himself to full guard.
Nieminen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Nieminen won't allow Johansson to sweep him here.
Nieminen passes Johansson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Nieminen wants to control but Johansson is keeping him busy.

Nieminen is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Johansson has managed to free his arm - good work.
Johansson tries to roll over but Nieminen keeps him under control.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Nieminen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Johansson is looking to control Nieminen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johansson avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johansson tries to roll over but Nieminen keeps him under control.
Nieminen tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Johansson.
Johansson trying to control here.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nieminen with a poor takedown

and Johansson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Nieminen!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thomas Nieminen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johansson tries to control but Nieminen wriggling away.
Johansson lands a nice shot to the head.
Nieminen regains half guard.
Johansson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen is trying to maintain the position but Johansson is very close to passing his half guard.

Johansson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Nieminen defends it well.
Johansson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Nieminen pushes Johansson off looking to stand but Johansson dives back in and keeps control.
Nieminen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Nieminen is staying active underneath Johansson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johansson prevents Nieminen from standing back up.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nieminen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Johansson shoots in for a takedown but Nieminen shows good takedown defense.
Nieminen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Johansson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rasmus Johansson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Nieminen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nieminen lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Rasmus Johansson has been cut.
Thomas Nieminen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nieminen lands a two punch combo.

Johansson gets caught flat footed, as Nieminen shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Nieminen wants to stand but Johansson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Johansson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nieminen is one step ahead there.
Johansson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Nieminen!

Johansson working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Nieminen tries to hold on but Johansson postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nieminen is in all sorts of trouble here.
Johansson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Nieminen is looking to escape.
Nieminen is looking to get to half guard.
Johansson fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Johansson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Johansson avoids the attempt from Nieminen to control.
Nieminen can't escape the position.
Johansson lands with some strikes.
Nieminen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rasmus Johansson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nieminen is in a horrible position here. Johansson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Nieminen tries to lock up and control but Johansson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Johansson breaks from Nieminen's wrist control and lands an elbow.

Johansson working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Nieminen in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Nieminen wants to hold on but Johansson pushes him away.
Nieminen is looking to improve his position but Johansson isn't that keen on the idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johansson tries to control but Nieminen wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen is trying to escape the mount.
Johansson landing strikes, looking to finish!
Johansson raining down shots from the mount!
Johansson landing shots from mount.
Nieminen tries to lock up and control but Johansson gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Nieminen really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Nieminen flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Johansson working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Johansson cracks Nieminen with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Nieminen regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nieminen won't allow Johansson to pass to mount.
Nieminen is looking for a sweep. Johansson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Johansson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Johansson wants to control but Nieminen is keeping him busy.
Nieminen makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Nieminen.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Johansson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Thomas Nieminen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nieminen is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Johansson tries to free his leg and advance position but Nieminen is retaining full guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Nieminen throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Johansson throws a body punch but Nieminen moves out of range.

Johansson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rasmus Johansson.
I've got Johansson 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rasmus Johansson!