Jordan Johnson had lofty expectations placed on him coming into PFL 3 2019, but now he has his work cut out for him after a loss to Maxim Grishin.
Maxim Grishin will be looking for a similar experience to his run last year in PFL, with a better ending though. “Maximus” earned 11 of a possible 12 points in the regular season, getting the second seed in the light heavyweight bracket. The Russian was unfortunately eliminated as a result of a majority draw in the first round of the playoffs against Smealinho Rama. Grishin is 28-7-1 with 14 knockouts in his career and is currently on a 16-1-1 run.
Jordan Johnson was once seen as a future prospect in the UFC’s light heavyweight division, amassing a 4-0 record in the Octagon. However, he and the UFC did not see eye to eye regarding his worth, and Johnson became a free agent. This bout at PFL 3 will be Johnson’s first since September of last year. The Division 1 All-American wrestler is 10-0 in his career with six stoppages.
Jordan Johnson caught a leg kick and knocked Grishin down with a right hand. Johnson escaped a triangle attempt from Grishin, but was not able to hold his opponent down. Grishin landed a high kick, but Johnson circled and landed a punch into a double-leg attempt. It was unsuccessful, but Johnson was keeping the pressure on.
Early in the second round, Maxim Grishin landed a kick that went low, pausing the action. Grishin went high with a kick after action resumed, forcing Johnson to shoot for a takedown. The Russian defended and hit a combination, but Johnson went right back to the clinch. After the fighters separated, Grishin landed a nice leg kick. Johnson was struggling to find his rhythm, as Grishin’s kicks were keeping him at bay. This time, the wrestler snuck a shot through and got Grishin to his knees with about a minute left. Again, he couldn’t keep it there long. The Russian landed a combination and a hard straight punch to end the round.
Johnson lifted the leg of Grishin when attempting a takedown, but Grishin kept his balance. Johnson finally completed a shot against the cage, but Grishin’s back was still not touching the canvas. Slowly, Grishin worked his way up, went for a head kick, but found himself against the cage again. After they left the cage, Grishin turned the tables with a shot of his own, but Johnson countered with a headlock and knee to the head. Johnson was then knocked down late in the fight, but popped back up to end the round on his feet.
Maxim Grishin def. Jordan Johnson by Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)
Check out the rest of the results from PFL 3 2019 here!
