PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thomas Bolleke (ranked 2587 p4p, 3778 weight class) and Don Johns (ranked 340 p4p, 493 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Bolleke
vs
Johns

195 cm
36
205
29 - 17 - 2

191 cm
40
220
18 - 17 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Very quick

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Powerful

Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 17 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thomas Bolleke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 17 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Don Johns!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, George Francis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bolleke circles away from the clinch attempt.
Johns steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Bolleke.
Nice body punch from Johns.
Johns takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Johns connects with a body shot.
Johns throws a nice head kick!
Bolleke seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Johns tries to clinch but Bolleke moves out of range.
Johns gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Johns throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johns looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
It looked like Bolleke was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Johns.
Johns walks into a jab.
Nice shot by Bolleke.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Johns misses the jab.
Bolleke staying out of range there.
Bolleke swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Johns fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bolleke manages to avoid it.
Bolleke was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Bolleke shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bolleke avoids the head kick by Johns.
Bolleke keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Bolleke misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Bolleke misses.
A swing and a miss from Bolleke.
Johns throws a lazy uppercut
and Bolleke cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johns looks to score with a jab to the body but Bolleke is just out of range.
Jab by Bolleke.
Bolleke swings widly with a right hand
and Johns counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Johns misses the body punch
and Bolleke counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johns throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Johns uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Bolleke.
Johns throws a fast counter high kick but Bolleke manages to duck under it in time.
Johns throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bolleke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
It looked like Bolleke was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Johns.
Johns tries to clinch up but Bolleke circles away and keeps his distance.

Johns rushes Bolleke and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Bolleke changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Johns fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Bolleke pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bolleke moves out of range of the strikes.
Bolleke is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Johns.
Bolleke looks to land a left hand but Johns moved out of range nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!

Johns gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Johns fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Johns controlling the action here for a moment.
A short body shot lands from Bolleke as the two fighters clinch.

Bolleke turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Johns tries to buck Bolleke off but Bolleke is having none of it.
Johns is trying to buck Bolleke off.
Bolleke is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Bolleke lands a nice forearm strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke wants to lay and pray for a moment but Johns keeps working.
Bolleke tries to advance to mount but can't.
Bolleke trying to control the action but Johns is working from the bottom.
Johns is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Johns can't do much from the bottom here.

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.
Bolleke lands a nice forearm strike.
Bolleke has knee on belly momentarily but Johns bucks him off and regains half guard.

Bolleke is working for a submission of some sort.

Johns has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Bolleke is on him like a limpet, forcing Johns back against the cage.
Johns misses with a punch to the body.
Johns can't get the takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Thomas Bolleke will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bolleke avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Johns has taken the fight to the clinch.

Johns breaks the clinch.
Jab by Johns.

Johns darts in and clinches Bolleke up against the cage.

Bolleke is fighting off a takedown attempt but Johns is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Bolleke to the mat. Bolleke regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Bolleke throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Bolleke tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johns trying to control but Bolleke is working from the bottom.

Bolleke escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johns gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bolleke trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bolleke tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Bolleke is working hard here to advance position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Johns sitting in guard here, content to control.
Bolleke is trying to control the position from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Bolleke is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Bolleke is trying to keep Johns in close.
Johns scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Bolleke controls Johns momentarily but Johns frees himself.

Bolleke escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Johns gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Bolleke wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Johns moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Bolleke is pushing down on Johns's leg trying to pass to half guard. Johns is fighting to maintain full guard but Bolleke has managed to sneak the leg through.
Bolleke seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Johns is looking to control Bolleke's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Johns avoid being mounted?
Bolleke seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Johns is trying to get back to full guard.
Bolleke sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Johns defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke is trying to control. Johns wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Johns is looking to improve his position.

Johns looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Bolleke seems to be working for a kimura but Johns defends the submission attempt.
Thomas Bolleke overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johns tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Bolleke manages to move to mount!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Johns is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Don Johns will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Bolleke's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Bolleke lands with a hook. Johns tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Johns tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bolleke paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bolleke appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Johns tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bolleke thows a left - swing and a miss!
As Bolleke backs off Johns throws a huge counter combo but Bolleke manages to avoid it all.
Bolleke throws a looping overhand right but Johns ducks down to avoid it.
Don Johns seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bolleke swings for the body but Johns moves out of range.
Bolleke lunges at Johns with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Johns's hand.
Johns slips a jab from Bolleke.
Bolleke ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

Johns clinches up with Bolleke and pushes him back against the cage.
Bolleke looking for a takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johns is pressed up against the cage. Bolleke has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Johns down to the mat. Johns avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Johns wants to clinch up but Bolleke keeps it at a distance.
A swing and a miss from Bolleke.
Bolleke looks to land a left hand but Johns moved out of range nicely.
Bolleke slips a jab from Johns.
It looked like Bolleke wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johns moves in looking to clinch but Bolleke pushes him off.
Bolleke swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Johns fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bolleke missing with a left hand there. Johns was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Bolleke checks a leg kick.
Bolleke has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Bolleke misses the jab.
Johns tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bolleke was well out of range. Poor timing from Johns.
Bolleke throws the left hand but Johns avoids the punch easily.
Bolleke looks to land a left hand but Johns moved out of range nicely.
Bolleke takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Bolleke looks to score with a jab to the body but Johns is just out of range.
Bolleke connects with a body shot.
Johns throws a lazy uppercut
and Bolleke counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Bolleke on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Johns misses with a jab to the body
and Bolleke cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A shot to the body from Johns misses
and Bolleke counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Johns tests Bolleke's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Johns looks to land a right hand but Bolleke moved out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke throws a hook but Johns blocks it.

Johns has taken the fight to the clinch.

Bolleke breaks the clinch.
Bolleke avoids the body shot from Johns.
Johns is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bolleke scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Bolleke uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Johns has time to react.
Johns jabs Bolleke to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Johns tries to land a front kick but Bolleke steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Johns is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Bolleke rather than just go for the knockout.
Bolleke swings for the body but Johns moves out of range.
Johns takes a swing at Bolleke's ribcage but misses.
Johns tries to clinch but Bolleke moves out of range.
Bolleke displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Johns throws out the jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johns ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Bolleke moves away.
Bolleke throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Johns misses with an uppercut. Bolleke saw that one coming.
Bolleke throwing a counter right hand but Johns manages to avoid it.
Bolleke steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Johns.
Bolleke with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Bolleke throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Johns lands with a slapping head kick.
Bolleke fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Johns on the side of the head.
Bolleke lands with a shot to the body.
Johns staying out of range there.
A shot to the body from Johns misses
and Bolleke counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bolleke looks to throw the jab but Johns is out of range.
Thomas Bolleke is winning the standup battle so far.
Johns throws the left hand but Bolleke avoids the punch easily.
Bolleke lands a body shot.
Bolleke misses with a lunging right hand
and Johns makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bolleke connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolleke swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bolleke catches Johns with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Bolleke tests Johns's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Bolleke misses with an uppercut. Johns saw that one coming.
Bolleke lands a right hook to the body.
Nice uppercut lands for Bolleke. That snapped Johns's head back.
Johns scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Johns tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bolleke paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Bolleke dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Johns throws a push kick but Bolleke slaps the foot to one side.
Bolleke blocks a head kick by Johns.
Johns's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Bolleke connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Johns scrambles back to his feet.
Johns ducks under a wild hook from Bolleke.
Johns ducks under a wild hook from Bolleke.
Bolleke looks to land a left hand but Johns moved out of range nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Johns throws a low kick, looking for Bolleke's leg but Bolleke calmly moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Bolleke showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Bolleke has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Thomas Bolleke!
Thomas Bolleke thanked the fans post fight for their support.