PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ben Johnson (ranked 20136 p4p, 297 weight class) and Petr Kotrc (ranked 8036 p4p, 267 weight class). Johnson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Clash - This Is England. Ben Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Johnson
vs
Kotrc

150 cm
28
136 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

178 cm
25
134 lbs
4 - 7 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ben Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Petr Kotrc!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kotrc looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Johnson is fending him off so far but Kotrc persists. Nope, Johnson circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
Kotrc closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Johnson paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Nice defenses there by Kotrc.

Johnson throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Kotrc tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Johnson is in Kotrc's guard.

Kotrc uses the cage to get back to his feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johnson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Johnson scores with a hook to the body. Kotrc takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Kotrc slips a jab and a cross from Johnson.
Kotrc doesn't manage to clinch there - Johnson circles away.
A slow jab from Johnson misses its intended target.
Kotrc ducks under a wild hook from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a straight left.
Kotrc changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Johnson tries to avoid it but Kotrc manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Johnson to the ground. Johnson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Johnson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
Kotrc avoids the head kick by Johnson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jab by Johnson.
Johnson throws a combination that misses
and Kotrc counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Kotrc shoots in and gets a takedown into Johnson's guard.
Johnson wants to stand up but Kotrc is controlling him.
Kotrc trying to control the position from guard on top but Johnson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Johnson wants to stand up but Kotrc is controlling him.

Johnson uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Johnson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Kotrc to the ground. Johnson is now in Kotrc's guard.

Kotrc scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johnson misses the jab.
Johnson lands an overhand right.
Johnson misses with a hook
enabling Kotrc to counter with a crisp jab.
Kotrc takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Kotrc moves out of range of the strikes.
Kotrc is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Kotrc avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Johnson throws a lazy right hand but Kotrc sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Kotrc dives in and grabs Johnson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Johnson pushes down on Kotrc's head and hops out.
Ben Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Petr Kotrc.

Johnson gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Johnson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Kotrc trying to control the position but instead, Johnson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kotrc into the cage.
Johnson lands a right hand.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Kotrc shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Johnson manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Johnson wants to stand and escape but Kotrc is having none of it.
Kotrc must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kotrc loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Kotrc from controlling successfully.
Johnson preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kotrc stops Johnson from standing up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Kotrc fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Johnson to the ground. Kotrc is now in Johnson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kotrc working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Kotrc works over Johnson with some ground and pound from guard.
Johnson wants to stand up but Kotrc is controlling him.

Johnson is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Kotrc presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Kotrc looking to stall.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Kotrc drops his hands momentarily and Johnson takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Nice jab there from Johnson.
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!
Kotrc moves away from the strike by Johnson.
Kotrc slips under a jab from Johnson.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kotrc dodges the punch combination from Johnson.
Nice sprawl there from Johnson as Kotrc shoots in.
No luck for Kotrc with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Johnson dominated that round.
That's time! Johnson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Johnson misses with a straight left.

Kotrc changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Johnson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Johnson wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Kotrc in side control lands a decent elbow.
Kotrc cracks Johnson with a big elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Kotrc is controlling him well.

Kotrc tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Johnson bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good exchange - Johnson coming out on top.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kotrc can do to turn this around?
Nice straight punches there by Johnson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Johnson.
Johnson lands with a cross.
Johnson throws a lazy right hand but Kotrc sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Johnson sets himself, and Kotrc steps forward looking for the clinch! Johnson avoids it this time.

Kotrc looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Kotrc throws a sloppy strike and Johnson has hooked up an armbar on the loose arm! He's turned and extended fully! Kotrc is forced to tap! Great BJJ from Johnson!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ben Johnson!