PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Haruki Johnson (ranked 60 p4p, 123 weight class) and Yar Bol (ranked 9 p4p, 17 weight class). Johnson kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Shooting Stars ft. Toro y moi (Flume Cover). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Johnson
vs
Bol

190 cm
28
211
18 - 6 - 0

188 cm
34
205
26 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hoarse Pills
Conviction

Conquer
Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Haruki Johnson!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Yar Bol!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Nard Betker and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bol connects with a leg kick.

Bol rushes Johnson and presses him up against the cage.
Stalling in the clinch from Johnson.
A nice right hand lands inside from Johnson.
Johnson is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Johnson tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bol's elbow.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Johnson goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Johnson cracks Bol with a nice body shot.
Bol is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Johnson is defending well for now.
Bol misses with an elbow over the top.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Bol.
Bol is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bol misses with a hook from the clinch.
I was talking to Johnson's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Bol displaying some good clinch control by pressing Johnson up against the cage.
Bol lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Haruki Johnson has been cut.
Bol has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Johnson seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Bol can turn it around.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Johnson tries to throw a body punch but Bol avoids it by throwing Johnson back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Bol's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Johnson blocks an uppercut.
Johnson misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Johnson on the inside.
Bol throws a head punch that misses.
Bol misses with a knee to the head.
Bol prevents a body shot from Johnson.
The referee calls for Bol to work.
Bol blocks an uppercut.
Bol has Johnson pressed against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Bol misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bol misses with a short punch on the inside.
Johnson lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bol misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Johnson.
A right hook to the body lands for Johnson.
Johnson can't find room to land a body shot as Bol controls the action.
Bol blocks a body shot from Johnson.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Johnson.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bol blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bol has a couple of punches blocked by Johnson.
Johnson scores with a nice hook to the head.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Johnson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Bol fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bol swings wildly with an uppercut but Johnson uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bol misses with an elbow over the top.
Bol has Johnson pushed against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Johnson.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
A head punch on the inside from Bol fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bol lands with a short shot to the head.
Johnson lands a left hand that snaps the head of Bol backwards.
Johnson dodges an elbow strike from Bol.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Johnson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short right from Johnson.
Bol wants to stall.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Johnson as Bol tries to tie him up.
Still in the clinch, Johnson scores with a nice short uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Johnson fails to land.
Bol tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bol slowing the pace effectively.
Johnson misses with some punches.
Johnson misses with some punches.
Bol lands a shoulder strike.
Bol misses with some punches.
Johnson misses with a punch to the body.
Bol misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bol takes a shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bol lands a nice uppercut.
Bol is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Johnson is keeping busy.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Johnson as Bol tries to tie him up.
Johnson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Johnson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Bol swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bol has a couple of punches blocked by Johnson.
Bol blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Johnson leaning his opponent against the cage.
Johnson's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Johnson stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A short uppercut from Bol.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Bol fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bol throws a head punch that misses.
A short right from Johnson.
Bol misses with a hook from the clinch.
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 Haruki Johnson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Haruki Johnson's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Bol looks to throw the jab but Johnson is out of range.
Johnson throws a series of strikes that have Bol backpedaling.

It looks like Yar Bol has been cut.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Bol pushes Johnson up against the cage in a clinch.
Bol swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Johnson blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Bol blocking some punches.
Johnson tries a body shot but Bol blocks it.
Johnson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Bol creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Johnson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Haruki Johnson has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Johnson lands with a right to the head.
Bol misses with a hook from the clinch.
Bol throws a punch but it's blocked by Johnson.
Johnson lands a body shot.
Johnson stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Bol is breathing heavily.
Johnson lands a body punch.
Johnson works on Bol's body with a couple of short punches.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Johnson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Bol misses with the head strike.
Bol looking to slow down the pace here.
Johnson lands a right hand that snaps the head of Bol backwards.
Johnson digs a right hand underneath Bol's ribcage. Bol let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Johnson lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Johnson lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Johnson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bol can do to turn this around?
Bol misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Johnson.
Nice body punch from Johnson.
Bol stalling in the clinch but Johnson improves position.
Johnson lands with a light punch inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Johnson.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A bit of stalling here from Johnson.
Bol misses with the head strike.
Johnson misses with some punches.
Johnson cracks Bol with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands a hook that snaps the head of Bol backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Johnson fails to land.
Johnson lands an uppercut.
A short body shot lands from Johnson as the two fighters clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Johnson takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Johnson takes a knee right on the jaw!
Johnson lands a shoulder strike.
Johnson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
A short body shot lands from Johnson as the two fighters clinch.
Johnson blocking some punches.
Johnson misses with a punch to the body.
Bol throws an elbow that misses.
A shot in the inside from Johnson.
Bol blocks a body shot from Johnson.
Bol working aggressively here.
Johnson lands a hook to the side of the head.
Johnson scores with a shot to the side of Bol's head.

Bol is rocked!
Johnson lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Bol backwards.
Bol is still on wobbly legs! Can Johnson finish him?
Johnson lands a body punch in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands with a left to the head.
Johnson creates some distance for himself and unleashes a massive uppercut that sends Bol's eyes rolling into the back of his head! Bol drops to his knees and Johnson pours it on with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:12 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Haruki Johnson!
Haruki Johnson retains his light heavyweight title!
Haruki Johnson seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.