PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Raminus Polus (ranked 380 p4p, 213 weight class) and Kareem Johnson (ranked 64 p4p, 33 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Polus
vs
Johnson

183 cm
26
185
17 - 6 - 0

186 cm
25
185
13 - 4 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Brooklyn Apothecary
Brooklyn Threads

Paddy's Enhancing Drugs (160Q)
New Standard

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 17 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Raminus Polus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kareem Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Phil Schofield and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson catches Polus with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A low kick from Polus misses
and Johnson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson looks to land a body kick but Polus moved away.
Johnson slaps away a takedown attempt from Polus, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Johnson lands a slapping body shot.
Johnson tries to bum rush Polus with a series of wild strikes but Polus uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Polus half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Johnson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Johnson misses with a body kick.
As Johnson backs away, Polus returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson tries a head kick but it misses.
Johnson misses with a hook. Polus ducked under it nicely.
Johnson throws a leg kick

and Polus decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Johnson's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polus working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Johnson seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Johnson controls Polus momentarily but Polus frees himself.
Johnson utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Polus throws a big elbow that misses.
Polus stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Polus throws a strike but Johnson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Johnson controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Polus is keeping the position for now.
Polus tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Polus throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Polus looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Polus tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Polus throws his legs up looking for a submission but Johnson uses it to pass to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Polus tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Johnson presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Polus tries to reverse the position but Johnson maintains control.
Johnson sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Johnson prevents Polus from getting the reversal.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Polus is working hard here to advance position.
Polus bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Polus with a flurry of punches that miss.
Polus tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kareem Johnson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Polus lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Polus ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Johnson misses with a straight right.
Polus keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Johnson.
Polus takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

It looks like Raminus Polus has been cut.
Johnson takes one to the chin there.
Polus scores with a jab.

It looks like Kareem Johnson has been cut.
Polus takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson connects with the punch.
Johnson looks to throw the jab but Polus is out of range.
Kareem Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Polus defending well as Johnson loads up on a big left hand.
Polus walks into a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Polus connects with the punch.
Johnson misses with a low kick.
Kareem Johnson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice straight punches there by Polus. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Polus.
Johnson lands a nice looking body shot.
Johnson lunges at Polus with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Polus's hand.
An inside leg kick lands from Johnson.
Johnson misses with a hook.
Polus appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Polus looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Polus throws a big right hand that misses.
Polus stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Johnson swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Polus drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Johnson manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Polus has Johnson in his guard.

The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Polus looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Johnson has picked Polus up and slammed him! Polus can't keep hold of the triangle and Johnson manages to pass to side control!
Johnson takes advantage of some sloppy striking from Polus to pass into mount.
Polus is looking to improve his position but Johnson isn't that keen on the idea.
Polus is trying to reverse the position but instead Johnson has taken his back - oops!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeps control of the position as Polus tries to break free.
Polus is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Polus tries to escape but Johnson has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

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.
Johnson has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Polus's body.
Polus tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Polus is looking to improve his position but Johnson isn't that keen on the idea.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Kareem Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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 hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A head kick misses from Johnson.
Johnson throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Johnson loads up on a big right hand but Polus slips the punch.

Johnson lands a big head kick that sends Polus tumbling to the mat! Johnson takes a step backwards and waves Polus back to his feet - he wants the finish!
Polus uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Johnson.
Johnson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Polus throws a nice outside leg kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Polus finds it's way round the side to connect with Johnson's head.
Johnson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Polus throws a body punch but Johnson moves out of range.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses.
Johnson misses with a right hand
and Polus counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Johnson.
Johnson fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Polus is out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Johnson. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Johnson.

Raminus Polus's cut is getting worse.
Polus shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Johnson pinned against the cage. Johnson gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Johnson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Polus checks a leg kick.
Polus drops down looking for a counter takedown but Johnson sprawls and moves away.
Johnson misses with a hook. Polus ducked under it nicely.
Johnson tries to land a leg kick but Polus saw it coming and moves away.
Polus drops down looking for a counter takedown but Johnson sprawls and moves away.
Polus moves out of range of the strikes.
Polus takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Raminus Polus has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Polus misses the shot to the body.

Polus shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Johnson's guard.
Johnson is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Polus throwing strikes from guard but Johnson blocks nicely.
Johnson keeping full guard, as Polus tries to pass.
Johnson has Polus pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Polus has gone for a leg lock! Johnson slips out almost immediately though and dives into Polus's guard.

Polus 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.
Kareem Johnson is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Johnson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Polus is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Polus has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Johnson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Johnson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Polus has his foot on Johnson's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Johnson works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kareem Johnson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Johnson winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kareem Johnson!
Our winner, Kareem Johnson, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.