PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tarmo Kink (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and EJ Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson has chosen Game: South Side as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. EJ Johnson has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kink
vs
Johnson

175 cm
20
150 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

173 cm
22
153 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tarmo Kink!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, EJ Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Anni Minnemäki and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson is looking to clinch.

Kink scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Kink prevents Johnson from escaping the position.
Kink looks up at the clock and then as Johnson takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Kink smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Johnson tries to buck Kink off but Kink is having none of it.
Kink working the body and head with strikes.
Johnson manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Johnson is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Johnson is looking for a kimura but Kink is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Johnson to get the leverage.
Johnson tries to pass to full mount but Kink defends it.
Kink moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kink preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Kink avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Kink seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson is pushing down on Kink's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kink is fighting to maintain full guard but Johnson has managed to sneak the leg through.

Kink kicks off Johnson and gets to his feet.

Kink feints and as Johnson raises his hands in defense, Kink changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Johnson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kink defends well.
Johnson looks gassed!

Kink gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Kink moves out of range.
Kink shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Johnson sprawls well. Johnson wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Kink gets slowly back to his feet.

Kink shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Kink was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Johnson wants to hold on but Kink pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kink breaks from Johnson's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kink working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kink scoring with strikes but Johnson is staying in there.
Johnson sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Kink is trying to control the action in half guard but Johnson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Johnson gets full guard.
Johnson is trying to keep Kink in close.
Kink trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Johnson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kink is aware though and is defending well.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Kink works over Johnson with some ground and pound from guard.
Kink wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Kink postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Kink has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Good work by Kink as he checks the leg kick.

Kink 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 throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Johnson tries to bench press Kink off him but Kink keeps the position.
Kink trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.

Kink thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Johnson is looking to regain half guard here but Kink keeps moving and retains side control.
Johnson manages to work his way to half guard, despite Kink's best efforts.
Johnson wants to control but Kink is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Johnson is trying to control but Kink manages to pass to mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson can't escape the position.
Johnson sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Johnson gets full guard.

Johnson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kink showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kink stopping the sweep attempt from Johnson.
Kink landing some decent shots from guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kink scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Kink loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Johnson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Johnson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Johnson wants to control but Kink is keeping him busy.

Kink looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Johnson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Johnson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kink keeps working.
Johnson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Kink knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Kink trying to hold on to Johnson's head to control him but Johnson postures up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Johnson winds up and cracks Kink with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Johnson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kink misses with a takedown

and Johnson counters with a takedown into side control.
Kink is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Johnson is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kink knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
A lull in the action here as Johnson stalls from top position.
Kink on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Kink tries to get out of the position.
Kink sneaks back into half guard.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
Kink trying to hold on to Johnson's head to control him but Johnson postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kink keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Kink is looking to escape.
Johnson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kink defending well though.

Johnson is looking for a kimura here.
Johnson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kink does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kink is pressing down on Johnson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Johnson wants to control from the top but Kink keeps moving.
Johnson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Kink closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Johnson to the mat! Johnson manages to get full guard.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kink works over Johnson with some ground and pound from guard.
Kink is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kink is one step ahead there.
Johnson is trying to keep Kink in close.
Kink working some strikes from top position.
Kink working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Johnson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Kink gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Kink looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson wants to sweep but no luck.
Johnson controls Kink momentarily but Kink frees himself.
Kink postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Johnson doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Kink content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

EJ Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnson gets caught flat footed, as Kink shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Kink wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Johnson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Tarmo Kink overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Johnson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Johnson is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Johnson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Johnson is keen to just control but Kink is a slippery customer.
Kink pushes Johnson off looking to stand but Johnson dives back in and keeps control.

Johnson is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Kink defends it well.
Johnson working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Kink's thigh. Kink counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kink throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to free his leg and advance position but Kink is retaining full guard.
Kink is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kink keeps the fight on the outside.
Johnson misses with a wild combination.

Kink feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

Johnson isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Kink stacks Johnson on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Kink!
Johnson is trying to get back to half guard.
Kink lands some shots froms side control.
Kink working the head and body with strikes.
Kink trying to control the action but Johnson is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is trying to control Kink's posture but Kink avoids it.
Johnson regains half guard.
Johnson tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Kink darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Johnson avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Kink.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
Johnson on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
Kink lands with a punch from half guard.
Johnson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kink is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kink is one step ahead there.
Kink postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Kink trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Johnson is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Johnson fails with an attempt to clinch.

Kink bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Johnson wants to control but Kink postures up.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Kink tries to move into full mount but can't pass Johnson's legs.
Kink lands a decent elbow from side control.
Johnson is looking for a sweep.
Kink trying to control the position but Johnson is working away.
Johnson is trying to control Kink's posture but Kink avoids it.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kink shoots for a takedown but Johnson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Johnson tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kink misses with a takedown
and Johnson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tarmo Kink showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kink 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tarmo Kink!