PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sreenivasa Raghavendra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thedit Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Raghavendra
vs
Johnson

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sreenivasa Raghavendra!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thedit Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Lou da Vinci and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Raghavendra closes the distance and clinches up with Johnson, looking for a takedown. Raghavendra pushes Johnson against the cage but Johnson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Johnson dives in and scores a takedown into Raghavendra's guard.
Johnson connects with a couple of short punches.
Raghavendra pulls Johnson in close to prevent any damage.
Johnson lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Raghavendra looking to hit a scissor sweep but Johnson is one step ahead there.
Raghavendra utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Johnson looking to sit in guard and control but Raghavendra gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson controls Raghavendra momentarily but Raghavendra frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Raghavendra from controlling successfully.
Raghavendra controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Raghavendra takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Johnson should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Johnson wants to control but Raghavendra passes easily into half guard.
Raghavendra passes into side control, despite Johnson's attempt to control the position.
Raghavendra takes a little break here. Johnson wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Johnson is trying to control Raghavendra's posture but Raghavendra avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but Raghavendra drags him back down.
Johnson trying to control but Raghavendra flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Johnson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Raghavendra. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Johnson is really stuck here.
Johnson is keeping busy.
Raghavendra throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Raghavendra is not going to allow Johnson to sit and survive in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to stand back up.

Johnson fending off the submission attempt from Raghavendra.
Raghavendra is not going to allow Johnson to sit and survive in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raghavendra tries to keep control of the position but Johnson is staying busy.
Johnson trying to control but not successfully.
Johnson looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

Raghavendra looking for the choke from the back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johnson looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Raghavendra misses with a punch to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thedit Johnson dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Raghavendra tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.

Johnson looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Raghavendra!
Johnson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Johnson trying to control the action but Raghavendra is working from the bottom.
Raghavendra wants to control but Johnson postures up.
Raghavendra tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Johnson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Raghavendra pushes Johnson away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Johnson gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Johnson trying to control the position but Raghavendra is working away.
Johnson in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson wants to stand but Raghavendra is controlling his arm.
Raghavendra regains half guard there - taking advantage of Johnson's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Raghavendra gets back to full guard.
Johnson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson landing some decent shots from guard.
Johnson throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Johnson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Raghavendra manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Johnson manages to get himself to full guard.
Raghavendra stands and throws Johnson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Raghavendra looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Johnson is avoiding damage well.
Thedit Johnson has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Raghavendra decides to stand up, so the ref orders Johnson to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Raghavendra looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Raghavendra tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson looks up at the clock and then as Raghavendra takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Johnson smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Johnson landing strikes.
Raghavendra struggling a bit here.
Johnson trying to control the action but Raghavendra is working from the bottom.
Johnson in side control lands a decent elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Raghavendra is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Check out the look on Johnson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raghavendra regains half guard.
Raghavendra trying to control here.
Raghavendra 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thedit Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Raghavendra's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Raghavendra tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
No luck for Johnson with that takedown attempt.
Raghavendra shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Johnson pinned against the cage. Johnson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No luck for Raghavendra with that takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Raghavendra or perhaps it was just good defense by Johnson which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sreenivasa Raghavendra. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Johnson lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Raghavendra is trying to control the position but Johnson postures up.
Johnson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Johnson keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Raghavendra's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Raghavendra's head.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Raghavendra keeps moving.
Johnson wants to stand but Raghavendra is controlling his posture from full guard.
Raghavendra has Johnson pulled in close to control his posture.
Raghavendra wants to sweep here but Johnson controlling him for the moment.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Raghavendra keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Johnson bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Raghavendra taking punishment in the form of punches.
Raghavendra is looking for a sweep.
Johnson lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Raghavendra down.
Raghavendra prevents Johnson from moving into mount.
Check out the look on Johnson's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Raghavendra is letting Johnson control him for a moment.
Johnson working the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson trying to control the position but Raghavendra is working away.
Johnson working the ground and pound.
Johnson lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

Raghavendra is rocked!
Raghavendra tries to buck Johnson off but Johnson is having none of it.
Oh Raghavendra is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Raghavendra is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Johnson cracks Raghavendra with a big elbow. Oh, he's hurt! Johnson immediately mounts and start dropping bombs! Raghavendra is done! The referee jumps in and saves him from any more punishment - a quick and decisive finish by Johnson!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:52 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Thedit Johnson!