PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Evgeniy Sharma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christian Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Sharma
vs
Johnson

190 cm
22
280 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Evgeniy Sharma!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Christian Johnson!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Lou da Vinci and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson tries to land a front kick but Sharma steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Sharma throws a body punch but Johnson moves out of range.
Sharma misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson tries to score a power double leg takedown but Sharma sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Johnson somewhat.
Sharma lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Johnson circles away quickly and effectively.
Sharma throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sharma misses the shot to the body.
Some wild striking there from Johnson.

Johnson looking to score a takedown here. Sharma is defending well but Johnson drives through and ends up in Sharma's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Johnson passes Sharma's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Sharma keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Johnson thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Johnson postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Sharma to stand up.
Johnson fails with a takedown attempt.
Johnson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sharma takes a swing at Johnson's ribcage but misses.
Johnson swings away with a body shot that misses
and Sharma counters with a three punch combo that has Johnson backing up. Johnson nods at Sharma to acknowledge the strikes.
Johnson tries to clinch
and Sharma makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Johnson looks gassed!
Johnson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sharma lands a leg kick that knocks Johnson off balance momentarily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sharma.
Evgeniy Sharma seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Johnson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Sharma.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sharma with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sharma looks to land a combination but Johnson avoids it well.
Sharma lands an overhand right.
Sharma misses with a wild combination.
Sharma throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sharma misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nice body punch from Sharma.
Sharma thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Johnson if he has to take too many more of those.
Sharma fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Johnson.
Sharma comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Sharma misses with a double jab.
Sharma swats away the attempt to clinch by Johnson.
Sharma tries to land a front kick but Johnson steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
No joy there for Sharma, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Sharma misses with a jab, cross combination.
Johnson takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Sharma keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Sharma misses with the combination.
Johnson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sharma swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Johnson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Sharma was covering up waiting for the punch and Johnson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Johnson trying to control the position from guard on top but Sharma is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Johnson is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Johnson with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeniy Sharma dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Johnson walks into a left hand.
Sharma throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Johnson counters with a left and a right that stings Sharma.
Johnson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Sharma cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Sharma throws a combination that misses
and Johnson counters with a right hand to the body.
Sharma throws a wild body kick that Johnson sees coming a mile off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sharma avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Some wild striking there from Sharma.
Sharma is looking to wear down Johnson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
A low kick from Sharma misses

and Johnson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Johnson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sharma knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Johnson on the ground.

Johnson stands up out of the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sharma manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Johnson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Sharma moves away.
Sharma avoids the body shot from Johnson.
Johnson digs a good body shot into Sharma's ribs.
Sharma stuffs the takedown.
Sharma sizes up Johnson with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Evgeniy Sharma is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sharma throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Johnson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Sharma throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A looping hook to the body misses from Johnson. Sharma does a little dance to reset his feet.
Evgeniy Sharma is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Johnson fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sharma to the ground. Johnson is now in Sharma's guard.
Johnson advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Johnson tries for a kimura but Sharma is defending well.
Sharma is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Johnson asserts his dominance and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson tries to move into full mount but can't pass Sharma's legs.

Johnson decides to take the fight back to the feet.

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.
Sharma misses with a double jab
and Johnson counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sharma misses with a combination
and Johnson counters with a straight right hand.
Sharma throws a combination that misses
and Johnson counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Johnson throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Nice sprawl there from Sharma as Johnson shoots in.
Evgeniy Sharma is winning the standup battle so far.
Sharma goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Johnson looks to clinch
and Sharma counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Johnson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sharma swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Johnson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Johnson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Johnson throws a body punch but Sharma moves out of range.
A left and a right from Sharma both land. Nice combination.
Sharma looks to land a left hand but Johnson moved out of range nicely.
Sharma tries to score with a low kick but Johnson moves his leg out of the way.
Sharma misses the shot to the body.
Sharma uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Johnson.
Sharma looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sharma scores with a three punch combo!
Danga de danga de dang - Johnson scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Evgeniy Sharma has been cut.
Johnson fails to land the takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sharma does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Johnson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sharma throws a left and a right that both miss
and Johnson counters with a two punch combo.
Johnson shoots for a takedown but Sharma saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Sharma swings for the body but Johnson moves out of range.
Sharma tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Johnson shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sharma defends it nicely.
Evgeniy Sharma has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Christian Johnson.
Sharma misses with a double jab
and Johnson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sharma thinking.
Johnson tries a head kick but it misses.
Sharma thumps Johnson with a low kick.
Sharma buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sharma throws a nice looking combination but Johnson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Sharma misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sharma scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Sharma takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson lands a slapping body shot.
Johnson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Johnson swinging wildly here.
Sharma tries to work over Johnson's front leg with a kick but Johnson checks it.
Sharma moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Johnson fails with the takedown.
Sharma throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sharma lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A shot to the liver by Johnson. Beautiful body shot.
Sharma lands a jab to the head.
Sharma blocks the body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sharma stalks Johnson and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Johnson's face. Johnson staggers backwards, shaken.
Johnson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Sharma. Sharma obviously looking to wear him down.
Sharma misses with a low kick as Johnson jumps back.
Sharma swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sharma swings widly with a right hand
and Johnson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Sharma takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Johnson takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Sharma moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Sharma blocks a head kick by Johnson.
Nice shot lands for Sharma.
Sharma tried to score with a low kick but Johnson checks it.
Sharma throws a left and a right that both miss
and Sharma takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Johnson throws a predictable looking body shot
and Sharma counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

Johnson moves into range and clinches up with Sharma.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Johnson. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sharma keeps control of Johnson as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Johnson wants a takedown but no success here.

Johnson breaks the clinch.
Sharma swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Johnson rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sharma moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sharma goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Johnson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sharma with a hook.
Sharma misses with a lunging right hand
and Johnson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Sharma misses with a combination
and Johnson counters with a nice body shot.
Sharma displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Johnson.
Sharma cracks the inside of Johnson's front leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Christian Johnson.
I think Johnson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christian Johnson!