PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gunnar Johnsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Maul (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Maul is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Johnsson
vs
Maul

180 cm
28
178 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

180 cm
31
182 lbs
22 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Dauntless

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gunnar Johnsson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Maul!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Eddie Farnsworth and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maul jabs Johnsson right on the nose. Johnsson blinks but takes it well.
Maul fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Johnsson manages to avoid it.
Johnsson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnsson goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Maul swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Maul uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Johnsson slips a jab from Maul.
Johnsson jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Maul swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A head kick by Maul misses
and Johnsson makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Maul really felt that one!
Johnsson moves out of range as Maul strikes.
Johnsson comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Johnsson blocks a jab.
Maul throws a sloppy head kick and Johnsson moves out of range easily.
Johnsson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maul misses with a hook. Johnsson ducked under it nicely.
Maul scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnsson throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Maul.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Maul.
Maul lands with a straight right. Johnsson didn't see that one coming.
Maul is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Jab, jab by Johnsson - just one landing.
Johnsson just misses with a punch to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maul. Johnsson does a little dance to reset his feet.
It looked like Johnsson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
No joy there for Maul, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Maul looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A little feinted left hand from Johnsson on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maul is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johnsson.
Maul misses with a hook to the body
and Johnsson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maul swinging wildly here.
Maul throws the left hand but Johnsson avoids the punch easily.
A nice inside leg kick there by Johnsson. That's going to slow Maul down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maul misses with an uppercut.
Maul throws a shot from downtown. Johnsson moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maul moves away.
Maul throws an overhand right that lands on Johnsson's shoulder, as Johnsson tries to avoid the shot.
A head kick misses from Maul.
We've been told by Johnsson's head coaches at Hunter MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Maul lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnsson circles away quickly and effectively.

Johnsson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Maul is trying to break free.

Johnsson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Johnsson fails with an attempt to clinch.
Maul throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A little feinted left hand from Johnsson on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Maul misses with an attempted mid kick.
Donk. Maul catches Johnsson right on the button with a cross.
Johnsson ducks under a wild hook from Maul.
As Maul backs away, Johnsson returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Maul swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnsson.
Maul lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maul scores with a jab. Johnsson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Maul misses with a low kick.
Johnsson lands a leg kick that knocks Maul off balance momentarily.
Maul swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Johnsson counters with a straight right hand.
Johnsson walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Maul checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
As Johnsson backs off Maul throws a huge counter combo but Johnsson manages to avoid it all.
Johnsson misses with a straight right.
Maul now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Johnsson misses with a straight left.
Johnsson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Johnsson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maul.
Maul misses with a shot to the body
and Johnsson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A big left from Maul misses.
Johnsson throws a leg kick which misses Maul's front leg but catches the back leg as Maul tries to avoid it.
Maul steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Johnsson.
Maul throws a left and a right that both miss
and Johnsson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson loads up on a big right hand but Maul slips the punch.
Maul connects with a single shot there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maul looks to land a left hand but Johnsson moved out of range nicely.
Maul misses with a left hand
and Johnsson counters with a good low kick that Maul was not able to check.
Maul throws a head kick but Johnsson moves out of range.
Johnsson avoids the body shot from Maul.
An attempted straight right counter from Johnsson misses the target.
Johnsson fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Maul tries to keep at a distance but Johnsson has taken the fight into the clinch.
Johnsson misses with some punches.

Johnsson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Paul Maul seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnsson wants to clinch up but Maul keeps it at a distance.
Maul keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Maul misses with a left hand
and Johnsson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Maul connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Maul throws a lazy right hand but Johnsson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Paul Maul will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maul misses with a right hand
and Johnsson counters with a leg kick.
A head kick by Maul misses
and Johnsson counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A head kick misses from Maul.
Johnsson is looking to counter punch.
Maul misses the body punch
and Johnsson counters with a one-two to the body.
Johnsson lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnsson. Maul does a little dance to reset his feet.
A shot to the liver by Johnsson. Beautiful body shot.
Maul misses with an uppercut
and Johnsson makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Maul waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Johnsson.
Maul throws a body punch but Johnsson moves out of range.
A jab from Johnsson misses.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnsson jabs Maul to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Maul listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Maul lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnsson circles away quickly and effectively.
Maul jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnsson throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Maul looks to land a right hand but Johnsson moved out of range.
Johnsson moves out of range of the strikes.
Maul misses with a right hand
and Johnsson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnsson fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Maul checks it well.
Maul throws a big shot that misses.
Maul throws a body shot but no joy.
Johnsson tests Maul's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Johnsson blocks a jab.
Maul bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Johnsson's head backwards.
Maul lands a head shot.
Maul misses with a lunging right hand
and Johnsson counters with a low kick, right behind Maul 's knee.
Gunnar Johnsson is winning the standup battle so far.
Johnsson throws out a powerful jab.
Maul scores with a hook to the body. Johnsson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A swing and a miss from Maul.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maul throws a left and a right that both miss
and Johnsson counters with a low kick, right behind Maul 's knee.
Maul throws an overhand right that lands on Johnsson's shoulder, as Johnsson tries to avoid the shot.
A big left from Johnsson misses.
Maul slips under a jab.
Johnsson walks into a left hand.
Johnsson lands with an uppercut that bounces Maul off the cage and back into range.
Maul just misses with a punch to the body.
It looked like Johnsson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Johnsson slips under a jab.
Maul throws a shot from downtown. Johnsson moves away and avoids it.
Maul moves out of range of the body kick from Johnsson.
Maul lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Johnsson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Johnsson half committed to a counter leg kick.
Maul throws a body punch but Johnsson moves out of range.
Johnsson feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Maul misses with a jab to the body
and Johnsson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maul throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maul darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Maul connects with a nice looking jab.
A shot to the body from Maul misses
and Johnsson counters with a leg kick.
Maul misses with a hook
and Johnsson counters with a two punch combo.
Maul takes one to the side of the head.
Johnsson throws a jab when Maul was well out of range.
Maul jabbing away but nothing is landing.
It looked like Johnsson was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Maul.
Johnsson misses the shot to the body.
Maul lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnsson throws a low kick but it's checked well by Maul.
Maul misses with a lunging right hand
and Maul takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Maul throws a right and a left that Johnsson avoids nicely.
Johnsson throws a body kick that misses.
Johnsson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maul misses the shot to the body.
Johnsson was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Maul misses with an uppercut. Johnsson saw that one coming.
Johnsson throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maul throws an overhand right that lands on Johnsson's shoulder, as Johnsson tries to avoid the shot.
Maul takes a kick to the side of the head.
Maul throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Johnsson on the side of the head.
Maul on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Maul swings widly with a right hand
letting Johnsson counter with a right hand.
Maul takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Maul's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Maul scores with a nice right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maul throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
It appears Johnsson was looking to counter with a kick there.
Maul tries a head kick but it misses.
Maul scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Maul looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
As Maul backs away, Johnsson returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Johnsson dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Maul ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Johnsson moves away.
Maul lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Maul missing with a left hand there. Johnsson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Johnsson quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Maul misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnsson.
Maul throws a shot from downtown. Johnsson moves away and avoids it.
Maul misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnsson.
Johnsson lands a nice shot that snaps Maul's head back.
Johnsson takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Johnsson throws a body kick that misses.
Johnsson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maul.
As Maul backs away, Johnsson returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnsson on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Johnsson blocks a jab.
Johnsson throwing a counter right hand but Maul manages to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Johnsson.
Johnsson throws a sloppy head kick and Maul moves out of range easily.
Maul throws a jab when Johnsson was well out of range.
It looked like Johnsson wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maul misses with a right hand
and Johnsson counters with a good low kick that Maul was not able to check.
Maul darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Maul misses with a hook. Johnsson ducked under it nicely.
Maul stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Maul shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Johnsson eats them both and turns towards Maul to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Maul dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Maul throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Johnsson fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Johnsson throws a big shot that misses.
Maul just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnsson throws a hook but Maul avoids it easily.
Johnsson throws out a loose jab but Maul uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maul misses with a right hand
and Maul takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maul swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Johnsson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maul misses with a left hand
and Johnsson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Maul takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A punch combination from Maul misses.
Johnsson looks to score with a jab to the body but Maul is just out of range.
Johnsson takes a jab right on the kisser.
Maul takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Johnsson clinches with his opponent.
Maul is trying to force a seperation but Johnsson has the dominant position.

Johnsson breaks the clinch.
Johnsson throws a big shot that misses.
Maul looks to land a left hand but Johnsson moved out of range nicely.
Maul is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Maul goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Johnsson feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Maul dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Maul walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Maul.
Johnsson tried to counter with a leg kick but Maul avoided it.
A jab from Maul does it's job there.
Johnsson takes a swing at Maul's ribcage but misses.
A little jabbing left from Maul on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Maul is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Maul swinging wildly here.
Johnsson lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Maul throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maul misses with a body shot
and Johnsson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maul swings for the body but Johnsson moves out of range.
Johnsson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Maul manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnsson takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Johnsson scores with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Maul.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A big left from Johnsson misses.
Maul throws out a counter right but Johnsson avoids it with no problem.
Maul has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Maul throws a big shot that misses.
Maul looks to score with a jab to the body but Johnsson is just out of range.
Jab by Maul.
Maul throws an off balance right hand
and Johnsson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maul misses with an uppercut
enabling Johnsson to counter with a crisp jab.
Maul fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Johnsson manages to avoid it.
Johnsson swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Maul swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Johnsson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Maul thinking.
Maul throws a sloppy body shot
and Johnsson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Maul is rocked!
Maul pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Johnsson tries to clinch there but Maul circles away.
Despite the aggression on Maul's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Maul throws a poor cross that misses
letting Johnsson counter with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but Gunnar Johnsson did the better work so I'd imagine he'll take it.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A big right from Maul misses.
Johnsson on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Johnsson showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Maul.
Johnsson lands a glancing blow to the side of Maul's head.
Johnsson tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Maul is able to avoid easily.
Maul walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Maul throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Maul misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Johnsson lands a big uppercut and Maul crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Maul looks OK. Johnsson waves Maul back to his feet!
Maul is still on wobbly legs! Can Johnsson finish him?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maul misses with a shot to the body
and Johnsson counters with a big right hand! Oh Maul is in trouble here! Johnsson follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:53 of round 4, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gunnar Johnsson!
Gunnar Johnsson retains his welterweight title!