PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nick Barkley (ranked 23 p4p, 60 weight class) and Kareem Johnson (ranked 4 p4p, 7 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Barkley
vs
Johnson

185 cm
31
186
22 - 11 - 0

186 cm
30
191
21 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Fast

Bondi MMA 🏝️
Conquer

Hoarse Pills
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Barkley!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kareem Johnson!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Andrew Berry and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Johnson misses.
Johnson lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Barkley backs up against the cage.
Johnson jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barkley looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Barkley looks to land a right hand but Johnson moved out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson misses with a left hand
and Barkley counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Kareem Johnson has been cut.
Barkley tries to clinch but Johnson is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Barkley counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Johnson thinking.
Johnson throws an off balance right hand
and Barkley counters with a nice leg kick.
A jab from Johnson misses.
Barkley throws a low kick but it's checked well by Johnson.
Johnson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A jab lands there for Johnson.

Barkley has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Barkley tries a body shot but Johnson blocks it.
Barkley lands a hook that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Barkley swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Barkley lands a right hand.
Johnson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Barkley doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Johnson.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Barkley blocks an uppercut.
Johnson throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Barkley.
Johnson tries to work over Barkley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Johnson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Barkley lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Johnson backwards.
Johnson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Johnson managing to block the knees to the body from Barkley.

Johnson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Barkley moves forwards but Johnson connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barkley throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Johnson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Johnson looks to land a left hand but Barkley moved out of range nicely.
Barkley blocks a jab.
Barkley throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Barkley counters with a straight right hand.
Barkley uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Johnson.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Barkley tries to land a front kick but Johnson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Barkley looks to throw a body kick
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Barkley tries to clinch there but Johnson circles away.
Johnson misses with a body shot.
Johnson takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Johnson throws a sloppy head kick and Barkley moves out of range easily.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kareem Johnson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Kareem Johnson's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Barkley keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Johnson.
Johnson throws a lazy uppercut
and Barkley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Johnson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Barkley has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Johnson finds it's way round the side to connect with Barkley's head.

Barkley is rocked!
Johnson fails to land with a series of punches.
Barkley is looking to counter with head kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barkley looks to land a body kick but Johnson moved away.
Johnson misses with a lunging right hand
and Barkley makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Barkley wants to clinch up but Johnson keeps it at a distance.
Johnson fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Barkley to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Barkley looks to clinch but Johnson throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Barkley taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:16 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Kareem Johnson!
Kareem Johnson is the new middleweight champion!
Kareem Johnson thanked the fans post fight for their support.