PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dirk Miller (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nathan Johnson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Dirk Miller's chin.

Miller
vs
Johnson

225 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
195 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dirk Miller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nathan Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Miller pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Miller lands with a light punch inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Miller really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Johnson lands a hook to the side of the head.
Miller with a knee to the head.

Miller breaks the clinch.

Miller gets in close and instigates a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Miller works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Miller with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Johnson swings wildly with an uppercut but Miller uses good head movement to avoid it.
Miller is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson trying to stall but Miller improves his position.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Johnson struggles to land a body shot inside as Miller controls his hands.
Johnson tries to stall but Miller uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
A hook to the body from Miller.
Johnson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Johnson throws a punch but it's blocked by Miller.
Johnson throws a head punch that misses.
Johnson misses with a short punch on the inside.
Miller blocking some punches.
Johnson tries to throw a body punch but Miller avoids it by throwing Johnson back against the cage.
Miller connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnson's face.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Miller breaks from the clinch.
Miller slips a jab and a cross from Johnson.

Miller clinches with his opponent.
Johnson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Miller 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 stops Miller from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Miller is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Johnson is controlling him.

Johnson 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.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Miller wants to stand but Johnson is controlling the position.

Miller uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Johnson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Miller as he avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Miller moves into the clinch.
Johnson misses with a body punch.
Miller lands an elbow that stopped Johnson in his tracks for a moment.
Johnson wants a takedown.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Miller.
Miller lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Miller with a knee to the head.
Miller prevents a body shot from Johnson.
A knee to the head by Miller.
Miller lands with a light punch inside.
Johnson tries to work over Miller's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Miller prevents a body shot from Johnson.
Johnson struggles to land a body shot inside as Miller controls his hands.
Johnson is working Miller over against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson struggles to land a body shot inside as Miller controls his hands.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Johnson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Miller holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Johnson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Johnson misses with a punch on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A right hook to the body lands for Johnson.
Johnson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Miller unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Miller's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dirk Miller dominated that round.
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.

Miller darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Miller drives through with a takedown into guard.

Johnson manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Dirk Miller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson with a poor takedown

and Miller counters by moving into the clinch.
Johnson has a couple of punches blocked by Miller.
Johnson misses with a hook from the clinch.
Miller tries a body shot but Johnson blocks it.

Miller escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Miller tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
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!

Miller moves into range and clinches up with Johnson.
Miller blocking some punches.
Miller manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Miller landing knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Miller scores a nice knee to the body.
Miller connects with a nasty looking knee right to Johnson's face.
Johnson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Miller is keeping busy.
Johnson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Miller landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Miller lands a nice knee to the body.

Miller manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Miller is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Miller wriggles free and stands up.
Johnson throws a jab but it's blocked by Miller.
A head kick misses from Miller.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson throws a series of punches but Miller moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Miller was well out of range. Poor timing from Johnson.
Miller moves to clinch but Johnson breaks away
and Johnson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Dirk Miller has been cut.
Johnson lands a really nice looking cross but Miller seems unphased.
Miller looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
Miller tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Johnson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Johnson slips under a jab from Miller.
Miller avoids the body shot from Johnson.

Miller looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Johnson!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Johnson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Miller pulls his head out easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Miller postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Johnson to stand up.

Miller shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Miller showed some decent athleticism there.
Miller tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Johnson.
Johnson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Miller tries to stand and escape but Johnson is controlling the position.
Johnson works his way to full guard. Good work.

Johnson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Dirk Miller overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Miller wants to stand but Johnson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Miller will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to control.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Miller defends well.

Johnson has his foot on Miller's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Miller works his way back into a safe position though.
Miller wants to get up but he can't break Johnson's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Miller is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Johnson can do to turn this around?
Johnson keeps trying to improve his position.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Miller gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
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!

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Miller gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
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 Dirk Miller will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Dirk Miller's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Miller clinches.
Johnson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Miller is keeping busy.

Miller 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.
Miller wants to get back to his feet but Johnson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Miller is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson passes easily into side control. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Miller sneaks out the side door and pushes Johnson away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Miller has closed the distance and engaged Johnson in a clinch.
Come on Johnson - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Miller.
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Miller's elbow.

Miller jumps guard and drags Johnson to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Miller is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Johnson passes into half guard.

Johnson is working for a kimura but Miller is defending it quite comfortably.
Miller is trying to stand back up but Johnson is controlling him
Johnson is nestled in close to Miller, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Miller is looking to escape.
Johnson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Miller wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Miller keeps working.
Miller wants to get back to his feet.
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Johnson stops Miller from getting back to his feet.
Miller keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Miller defends it well.
Miller knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

Johnson is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Miller doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Johnson.
Miller looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
Johnson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Miller defending well though.
Johnson stops Miller from getting back to his feet.

Johnson is looking for a kimura here.

Johnson is trying for a kimura here. Miller looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Johnson wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Nathan Johnson!
Nathan Johnson seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.