PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Danny Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gunnar Johnsson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnsson has chosen Kashmir - Led Zeppelin as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Harper
vs
Johnsson

179 cm
21
169 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

180 cm
24
180 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Danny Harper!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Gunnar Johnsson!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Andrew Berry and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper shoots in but no luck this time.
Harper tries to clinch there but Johnsson circles away.
Harper shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnsson tries to sprawl out of it but Harper keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnsson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A clash of legs there as Johnsson blocks the low kick.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnsson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Harper wants to clinch.
Johnsson moves away from the strike by Harper.
Johnsson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Harper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harper scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch up but Johnsson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Johnsson misses with a straight left.
Harper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Harper looks for a takedown but Johnsson sprawls well.
Harper takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Johnsson.
Danny Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Johnsson changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Harper looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
You can see the frustration on Harper's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johnsson scoring with punches and elbows.
Harper dodges the ground and pound from Johnsson.
Johnsson blocks the strikes from Harper.
Harper is trying to work for a sweep but Johnsson has mounted him!
Johnsson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Harper is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson controlling from the full mount.
Harper is wriggling around trying to escape.
Johnsson takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Johnsson blocks Harper's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Johnsson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Harper can't escape the position.
Johnsson breaks from Harper's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Johnsson controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson wants to control the pace but Harper is squirming around nicely.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Harper tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Harper swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Johnsson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Johnsson looking to control but Harper is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Johnsson controlling from the full mount.
Johnsson working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Johnsson trying to control but Harper is having none of it.
Harper wants to get back to his feet.
Harper tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Harper is working hard here to advance position.
Johnsson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Harper is looking to escape.
Harper slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Johnsson dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Johnsson keeps the fight on the outside.
Harper tries to clinch up.
Johnsson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Harper sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Harper tries to close the distance and clinch but Johnsson swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Harper tries to clinch but Johnsson is having none of it.
Harper shoots and misses

and Johnsson counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Harper!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Harper is wriggling around trying to escape.
Harper is squirming around, avoiding Johnsson's attempts to control the action.
Harper keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Johnsson content just to control the position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Johnsson landing punches.
Harper is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Johnsson content just to control the position here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Gunnar Johnsson just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Harper throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Johnsson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Harper scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Johnsson looks to land a left hand but Harper moved out of range nicely.
Harper has his takedown stuffed

and Johnsson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Harper's guard.
Harper looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Harper working a defensive guard here.
Johnsson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Johnsson 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.
Harper controls Johnsson momentarily but Johnsson frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper wants to stand but Johnsson is controlling the position.
Harper looking for a sweep. Not yet Harper, not yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Harper fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Johnsson tries to land a leg kick but Harper saw it coming and moves away.
Johnsson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Harper misses with a jab to the body
and Johnsson counters with a stiff right hand.
Harper throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Johnsson sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Johnsson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Harper's guard.
Harper thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson prevents Harper from getting back to his feet.
Johnsson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Johnsson seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Johnsson stopping the sweep attempt from Harper.
Johnsson stops Harper from standing up.
Harper keeping moving, preventing Johnsson from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Harper clinches but Johnsson breaks the clinch

and Johnsson counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Johnsson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Johnsson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Harper wants to clinch but Johnsson slips to the side

and Johnsson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Johnsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Harper does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Harper is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Johnsson jumps into side control!
Harper is trying to get back to half guard.
Harper is not content to let Johnsson control the position.
Harper is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Johnsson asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Harper is working to avoid the ground and pound but Johnsson connects with a decent elbow.
Harper is looking to reverse the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper tries to strike but it doesn't land.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Harper darts in trying to clinch
and Johnsson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Harper swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Johnsson counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johnsson pushing down on Harper's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Johnsson wants to control but Harper is keeping him busy.
Harper looks like he's trying to stand up.
Johnsson is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Johnsson lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Gunnar Johnsson has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harper gets full guard.
Johnsson trying to control but Harper is working from the bottom.
Harper trying to keep a closed guard but Johnsson is proving a slippery customer.
Johnsson is stalling in the full guard.
Harper looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Johnsson trying to control but Harper is working from the bottom.
Johnsson slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Johnsson advances to half guard.
Johnsson wants to take a breather but Harper is having none of it.
Johnsson is pressing down on Harper's thigh, looking to free his foot. Harper is holding on for now.
Harper trying to control but Johnsson postures up.
Johnsson takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Harper pushes Johnsson off looking to stand but Johnsson dives back in and keeps control.
Harper throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Harper is looking to control Johnsson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Harper avoid being mounted?

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnsson displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Harper throws out the jab.
Harper misses with a combination

and Johnsson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Harper's guard.
Johnsson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Harper's head.
Harper preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Johnsson wants to control from the top but Harper keeps moving.
Johnsson chips away with some ground and pound.
Johnsson's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Johnsson really dominated that round.
That's time! Harper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Johnsson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Johnsson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Harper sprawls well initially but Johnsson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Well, if Johnsson is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Johnsson is trying to control the action in half guard but Harper is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Harper wants to get back to full guard but Johnsson has passed into side control.
Harper flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Johnsson blocks Harper's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Johnsson won't let Harper get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Johnsson trying to control but Harper is having none of it.
Harper is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnsson controlling the position easily from mount.
Johnsson raining down shots from the mount!
Johnsson landing strikes from the mount and Harper is in trouble!
Harper is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Johnsson can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Harper is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Johnsson won't let Harper get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Harper can't escape the position.
Johnsson lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Harper hang on?
Harper is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Harper is in all sorts of trouble here.
Johnsson looking to control but Harper is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Harper trying desperately to get to his feet.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnsson landing strikes from the mount.
Harper can't escape the position.
Johnsson with the ground and pound from mount.
Johnsson content just to control the position here.
Harper keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Harper is in a horrible position here. Johnsson smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Johnsson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Johnsson tries to control but Harper wriggling away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper wants to hold on but Johnsson pushes him away.
Harper is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Johnsson cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Johnsson unloading with bombs!
Harper tries to hold on but Johnsson pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Harper keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Johnsson trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gunnar Johnsson dominated that fourth round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnsson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Harper looks to clinch
and Johnsson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnsson listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Harper blocks a jab.
Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnsson slips a straight right by Harper.
Harper moves out of range as Johnsson strikes.
Johnsson fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Johnsson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Harper tries to clinch
and Johnsson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harper looks to land a left hand but Johnsson moved out of range nicely.
Harper just misses with a punch to the body.
Johnsson throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Harper on the side of the head.
Harper with a poor takedown

and Johnsson counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Johnsson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harper pushes Johnsson off looking to stand but Johnsson dives back in and keeps control.
Johnsson controlling the action here.

Harper looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both of our modern day gladiators look out of it here - an gruelling 5 rounds of action taking it's toll on them, no doubt.
Johnsson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Harper does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Harper on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Harper looking for submissions off his back.
Harper has hold of Johnsson's hands but Johnsson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Johnsson trying to control from half guard but Harper is working away.
Johnsson keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Harper missing with punches from the bottom.
Harper looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper tries to roll over but Johnsson keeps him under control.
Johnsson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Gunnar Johnsson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Let's hope that Johnsson has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Despite being in the dominant position, Gunnar Johnsson just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Harper shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Johnsson's guard.
Johnsson seems keen to control Harper's posture.
Harper is looking to work some ground and pound but Johnsson has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper passes Johnsson's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Johnsson manages to get to full guard.
Harper has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Johnsson is proving hard to escape from.
Harper preventing the sweep.
Johnsson keeping moving, preventing Harper from controlling successfully.
Danny Harper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Harper drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Harper jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gunnar Johnsson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Johnsson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 45:50
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 45:50
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 45:50

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gunnar Johnsson!
Gunnar Johnsson is the new welterweight champion!