PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jerome Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergei Kruzov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Johnson
vs
Kruzov

180 cm
21
180 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

175 cm
23
175 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jerome Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sergei Kruzov!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Anthony Taglia and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kruzov throws a head kick that misses.
Kruzov slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jerome Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruzov circles away.
Kruzov looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Kruzov counters with a single leg into guard. Johnson didn't expect that.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Kruzov stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Kruzov closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but Kruzov turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Kruzov breaks the clinch.
Johnson is looking to clinch.

Kruzov clinches up with Johnson and pushes him back against the cage.

Kruzov breaks from the clinch.
Johnson stalks Kruzov and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Kruzov's face. Kruzov staggers backwards, shaken.
Kruzov throws a head kick that misses.
Kruzov plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruzov throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Johnson.
Kruzov throws a head kick but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kruzov has time to react.
Johnson shoots and misses

and Kruzov counters by clinching up.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerome Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Kruzov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

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

Kruzov gets control of Johnson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kruzov will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson passes Kruzov's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Johnson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kruzov keeps working.
Kruzov on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but Kruzov defending well.
Kruzov really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Johnson. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Kruzov blocking the ground and pound attempt from Johnson.

Johnson is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Kruzov is looking to escape.
Kruzov looks winded!
Kruzov is staying active underneath Johnson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kruzov is just riding it out for now. Johnson eventually gives up the hold.
Johnson trying to control from half guard but Kruzov is working away.
Johnson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kruzov defending well though.
Kruzov is looking to escape.

Kruzov is defending against the submission attempts here by Johnson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kruzov is just riding it out for now. Johnson eventually gives up the hold.
Johnson moves nicely into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jerome 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.

Kruzov tries to land a front kick but Johnson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

Kruzov closes the distance and clinches.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but Kruzov has him pressed against the cage.

Kruzov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kruzov sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kruzov lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Jerome Johnson has been cut.
Kruzov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson misses with a two punch combination.
Kruzov slaps away a takedown attempt from Johnson, before circling back to the center of the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerome Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Johnson fails with the takedown

and Kruzov counters by clinching up.
Kruzov lands a knee to the head.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Kruzov holds him up against the cage and eventually Johnson drops back down to his feet.

Kruzov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Johnson misses with a takedown

and Kruzov moves into the clinch.

Kruzov breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kruzov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Kruzov forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Kruzov unloads a knee to the mid-section. Johnson lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kruzov is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kruzov scores a nice knee to the body.
Kruzov using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Kruzov utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Kruzov breaks the clinch.
Kruzov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Sergei Kruzov is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Johnson avoids the head kick by Kruzov.
Johnson wants to clinch up but Kruzov keeps it at a distance.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Kruzov moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Kruzov just stands there and leans against the cage.

Kruzov breaks from the clinch.
Kruzov lands with a slapping head kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kruzov takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Kruzov clinches.

Kruzov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kruzov keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Johnson changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Kruzov tries to avoid it but Johnson manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Kruzov to the ground. Kruzov escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Kruzov lands a head kick. Johnson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Johnson wants to clinch.
Kruzov scores with a head kick.
Johnson shoots in and drives through. Kruzov sprawls well.

Kruzov fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Johnson, pushing him back against the cage.
Sergei Kruzov seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Johnson jumps guard but Kruzov turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Johnson is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kruzov to keep the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson jumps guard but Kruzov stands there with Johnson around his waist. Johnson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Kruzov escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kruzov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kruzov throws a head kick that misses.
Nice sprawl there from Kruzov as Johnson shoots in.
Kruzov keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Kruzov clinches up against the cage.

Kruzov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson avoids the head kick by Kruzov.

Kruzov moves into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Kruzov obliges.
Kruzov tries to work over Johnson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Johnson tries to pull guard but Kruzov forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Kruzov breaks from the clinch.
Johnson connects with a nice looking jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kruzov attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kruzov pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Kruzov swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but Kruzov saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A head kick from Kruzov lands but Johnson takes it in his stride.
Kruzov throws a leg kick but Johnson moved away.
Horrible takedown by Johnson or perhaps it was just good defense by Kruzov which made him look bad.
Sergei Kruzov is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Johnson slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Kruzov moves into the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Kruzov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kruzov fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sergei Kruzov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Johnson avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Johnson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergei Kruzov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jerome Johnson's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Johnson scores with a three punch combo!
Kruzov pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Johnson is looking to clinch but Kruzov is avoiding it.
Kruzov lands a head kick. Johnson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Johnson shoots in but Kruzov avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruzov circles away.
Johnson moves in looking to clinch but Kruzov pushes him off.
Johnson doesn't manage to clinch there - Kruzov circles away.

Kruzov rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Kruzov breaks from the clinch.
Johnson tries to clinch but Kruzov moves out of range.
Johnson tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Kruzov counters with a thumping low kick.

Kruzov closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.
Johnson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Kruzov walks away with a smile on his face. Johnson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kruzov stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Kruzov wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerome Johnson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kruzov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Kruzov closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kruzov connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnson's face.
Knees to the body from Kruzov.

Kruzov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Kruzov throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson lands with a hook. Kruzov tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Johnson looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Johnson is looking for a kimura but Kruzov is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Johnson to get the leverage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is pressing down on Kruzov's thigh, looking to free his foot. Kruzov is holding on for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Johnson slips a nice elbow through Kruzov's hands, connecting with Kruzov's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kruzov is defending against the submission attempts here by Johnson.
Johnson wants to control but Kruzov is keeping him busy.
Johnson trying to control from Kruzov's half guard. Kruzov has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Johnson trying to control but Kruzov is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson wants to pass the guard but Kruzov is keeping the position.
Johnson works over Kruzov with some ground and pound from guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Johnson jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Kruzov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kruzov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson trying to control but Kruzov is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jerome Johnson showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jerome Johnson!
A very excited looking Jerome Johnson made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.