PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kevin Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pavel Kozlov (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.

Johnson
vs
Kozlov

190 cm
23
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
19
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
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 Helsinki, Kevin Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Pavel Kozlov!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Kozlov dives in and grabs Johnson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes down on Kozlov's head and hops out.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kozlov paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Kozlov has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.

Kozlov gets control of Johnson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Kozlov will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Johnson stays in close to Kozlov's body and controls the position.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.
Kozlov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Kozlov keeping moving, preventing Johnson from controlling successfully.
Johnson slips nicely into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to control the action in half guard but Kozlov is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Johnson sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Kozlov manages to get to full guard.
Kozlov pulls Johnson in close to prevent any damage.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Kozlov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Kozlov is working an open guard so Johnson takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Johnson takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.

It looks like Pavel Kozlov has been cut.
Kozlov fails to land the takedown.
Kozlov looks for a takedown but Johnson sprawls well.
Kevin Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pavel Kozlov.
Nice takedown defense from Johnson. No joy for Kozlov on that attempt.
Kozlov tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Johnson defends well and Kozlov ends up having to push Johnson into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Kozlov as he avoids it easily.
As Johnson backs off Kozlov throws a huge counter combo but Johnson manages to avoid it all.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kozlov leaves Johnson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Kozlov closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Johnson quickly recovers to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kozlov looks winded!
Johnson pushes Kozlov off looking to stand but Kozlov dives back in and keeps control.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Kozlov is thwarting Johnson's attempts to control the position.
Johnson controlling the position for now.
Johnson wants to improve his position but Kozlov is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kozlov seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Johnson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Johnson throws a combination. Kozlov tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Johnson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kozlov defends well.
Kozlov prevents Johnson from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Johnson dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pavel Kozlov's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Johnson has managed to clinch.

Kozlov has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Johnson uses from the top position.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Kozlov is retaining full guard.
Johnson trying to control but Kozlov is working from the bottom.
Kozlov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kozlov is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Johnson will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Johnson engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kozlov is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Johnson looking to pass the guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Kozlov gets caught napping as Johnson dives in and scores a takedown. Kozlov manages to retain guard.
Kozlov trying to control the position.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Kozlov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Kozlov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Johnson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Kozlov wants to control the position but Johnson says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Johnson wants to control but Kozlov is keeping him busy.
Johnson not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Johnson is looking to take a break and control but Kozlov is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Kozlov looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kozlov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kozlov is trying to stand up here but Johnson is controlling him well.
Johnson controlling the action here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Johnson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Johnson throws a nice head kick!
Johnson cracks Kozlov with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Kozlov throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kozlov can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson takes the fight into the clinch.
Kozlov has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Johnson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Kozlov is breathing heavily.
Kozlov blocks the elbow strike.
Kozlov takes a knee to the side of the body.
Johnson is trying to maintain a safe position but Kozlov gets an underhook and turns Johnson into the cage.
Johnson blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Johnson gets underhooks to prevent Kozlov's takedown attempt.
A head punch on the inside from Kozlov fails to land.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Johnson manages to break the clinch.
Johnson will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Kozlov changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Johnson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kevin Johnson dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pavel Kozlov's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Kozlov.
Johnson's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Johnson duly obliges.

Kozlov looking to score a takedown here. Johnson is defending well but Kozlov drives through and ends up in Johnson's guard.

Johnson wriggles free and stands up.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown but Kozlov shows good takedown defense.

Kozlov closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Kozlov lands in his opponent's guard.
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!
Kozlov sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looking to control.
Kozlov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Kozlov is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but Kozlov pushes his legs off easily.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Pavel Kozlov has got the better of the ground game so far.

Johnson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Kozlov doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Kozlov manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

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.

Kozlov looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kozlov not doing much here.
Johnson trying to control here.
Still in half guard, Kozlov seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Kozlov is looking to advance position but Johnson won't allow it.
Kozlov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Kozlov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kevin Johnson is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Johnson clinches up against the cage.
Johnson with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Kozlov goes for a takedown attempt but Johnson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Kozlov scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Johnson tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Johnson is trying to stand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kozlov tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Kevin Johnson.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Johnson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight for Kevin Johnson!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Kevin Johnson!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Kevin Johnson!

Kevin Johnson wins by unanimous decision!