PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between eita poha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tez Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Johnson's choice of entrance music: Eminem - Difficult. Tez Johnson has the eye of the tiger tonight.

poha
vs
Johnson

195 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, eita poha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tez Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson tries for a takedown but poha sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

poha moves into the clinch successfully.
Johnson tries for a takedown. No joy.

poha's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
poha with a lazy takedown attempt

so Johnson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

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

Johnson drops back, looking for a kneebar! poha looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. poha looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from poha!

poha is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Johnson has escaped the position, nice work there.
poha advances nicely into full mount.
Johnson regains half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Johnson wants to improve his position but poha is controlling well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson looks like he's trying to stand up.
poha scoring with strikes to the body and head.
poha working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The fighters are battling for position here. Johnson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Johnson is looking for a triangle but poha pushes his legs off easily.
Johnson looks gassed!
poha's corner is telling him to maintain position.
poha makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
poha tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Johnson looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
poha is pushing down on Johnson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Johnson is fighting to maintain full guard but poha has managed to sneak the leg through.
poha stops Johnson from getting back to his feet.

poha decides to stand and escape the position.

poha shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
poha looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Johnson with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

poha escapes and gets back to his feet.

poha rushes Johnson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

poha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
poha really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and poha holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
eita poha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tez Johnson.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

poha escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Johnson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and poha counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Johnson thinking.
poha shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Johnson as he avoids it easily.
Johnson with a poor takedown

and poha counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Johnson 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.
poha works over Johnson with some ground and pound from guard.
Johnson looking for a sweep. Not yet Johnson, not yet.
poha controls from within his opponent's guard.
poha postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
poha wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.
Johnson 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.
Johnson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst poha is controlling him.
Johnson is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and poha dives into side control.

poha looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Johnson is looking to reverse the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

eita poha dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

poha lands a front kick.
Johnson shoots in for a double leg but poha sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
poha keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Johnson gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and poha counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Johnson!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
poha in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Johnson is desperately trying to improve his position but poha has a good base and remains in mount.
poha lands a big elbow.
poha connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
poha looking to control and managing it successfully.
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.
BOOM! poha connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
poha raining down shots from the mount!
poha dominating with strikes here.
poha working the ground and pound effectively.
Johnson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
poha lands a heavy elbow.
Johnson is desperately trying to improve his position but poha has a good base and remains in mount.
poha with shots to the head and body - Johnson looks very uncomfortable down there.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.

poha wants to finish this one by submission but Johnson is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from poha.
eita poha overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
poha looking to control but Johnson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
poha working Johnson over with strikes here.
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.
A nice elbow there by poha.
Johnson is looking to get to half guard.
poha working the ground and pound effectively.
poha is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Johnson can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A nice elbow there by poha.
poha with a couple of short strikes.
Johnson working to try and regain half guard.

poha is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Johnson has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Johnson!
poha is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of poha's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take poha's back!
poha rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Johnson is working for a submission of some sort.
poha looks like he's trying to stand up.
poha tries to get to full guard but Johnson has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

eita poha dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Johnson tries for a takedown but poha circles away easily
and poha counters with a nice body kick.
Johnson misses with a takedown attempt
and poha counters with a left and a right that stings Johnson.

poha scores with a takedown into Johnson's guard.
poha stands up over Johnson, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Johnson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. poha manages to get himself to full guard.

Johnson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but poha manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Johnson has poha in his guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
poha controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson pushes poha off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Johnson with a lazy takedown attempt

and poha counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
eita poha has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tez Johnson.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. poha lands a nice short elbow.
poha seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Johnson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Johnson is trying to stand up here but poha is controlling him well.
poha lands with a punch from half guard.
poha lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is refusing to be controlled, as poha sits in half guard.
Johnson is looking to improve his position.
poha wants to pass to mount but Johnson is defending the position.
Johnson works his way to full guard. Good work.
poha won't allow Johnson to sweep him here.
poha trying to control but Johnson is working from the bottom.
poha advances to half guard.
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
poha perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet.
poha is controlling the pace.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

poha looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
poha trying to pass the guard but Johnson defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Johnson is not content to let poha control the position.
Johnson makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Johnson.
Johnson wants to sweep here but poha controlling him for the moment.
Johnson wants to get back to his feet but poha passes into half guard.
Johnson works his way to full guard. Good work.
Johnson looking to hit a scissor sweep but poha is one step ahead there.
Tez Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
eita poha is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Johnson thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
eita poha showed his dominance in that final round.
Well poha has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... eita poha!