PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Jones (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stefan Salvatore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Stefan Salvatore has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Jones
vs
Salvatore

175 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Xavier Jones!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Stefan Salvatore!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Hugh Johnson and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown by Salvatore or perhaps it was just good defense by Jones which made him look bad.
Salvatore fails with a takedown attempt.
Jones throws a series of punches but Salvatore avoids them all with ease.
Salvatore throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Salvatore slips a jab and a cross from Jones.
Salvatore tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jones sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salvatore somewhat.
Xavier Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stefan Salvatore.
Salvatore fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Jones avoids it really well and circles away.
Jones throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Salvatore counters with a big head kick but Jones shrugs it off.
Salvatore fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Jones misses with the combination.
Jones moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

It looks like Stefan Salvatore has been cut.
Xavier Jones seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jones shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Salvatore but Salvatore pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvatore wants to clinch up but Jones keeps it at a distance.
Jones throws a one two combo.
Jones shoots for a takedown but Salvatore saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jones shoots in but Salvatore avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Jones throws a series of punches but Salvatore moves out of range.
Jones will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Salvatore wants to clinch up but Jones keeps it at a distance.
Salvatore tries for a takedown but Jones circles away easily

and Jones counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Salvatore!
Salvatore is looking to improve his position but Jones isn't that keen on the idea.
Salvatore looks gassed!
Jones takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salvatore wants to hold on but Jones pushes him away.
Jones sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Salvatore is trying desperately to improve position.
Salvatore throwing hammer fists to the chest of Jones. What's that going to do exactly?
Salvatore is trying to escape the mount.
Jones controlling the pace for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones throws some wild stikes that Salvatore manages to avoid easily.
Salvatore tries to hold on but Jones pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jones controlling from mount.
Salvatore is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Jones controlling the pace for now.
Jones lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Salvatore hang on?
Salvatore tries to reverse the position but Jones maintains control.
Jones controlling from the full mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salvatore swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Jones dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stefan Salvatore's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Salvatore shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Jones pinned against the cage. Jones gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Horrible takedown by Jones or perhaps it was just good defense by Salvatore which made him look bad.
Salvatore showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jones.
Salvatore swings for the body but Jones moves out of range.
Salvatore wants to clinch.

Jones gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salvatore looking to stall.
Salvatore tries for a takedown but Jones manages to get underhooks.
Salvatore is trying to force a seperation but Jones has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvatore stalling in the clinch but Jones improves position.
Salvatore is trying to break the clinch but Jones has him pressed against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Jones's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Salvatore jumps guard but Jones stands there with Salvatore around his waist. Salvatore gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Xavier Jones has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Stefan Salvatore.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Salvatore obliges.
Salvatore keeps control of Jones as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Jones prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jones has had enough of the clinch but Salvatore keeps him there for the moment.
Salvatore goes for a takedown in the clinch but Jones prevents it.
Jones tries to circle away but Salvatore has him pinned against the cage.

That's two 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.
Salvatore tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Salvatore is looking to control Jones's arms but Jones gets an underhook and turns him. Now Salvatore has his back to the cage.
Salvatore looking for a takedown.
Salvatore is breathing heavily.
Salvatore drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Jones gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Jones stops a takedown attempt from Salvatore.
A frustrated look appears on Jones's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Jones escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Jones throws a left and a right that both miss
and Salvatore counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Jones is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Jones throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Salvatore was covering up waiting for the punch and Jones finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones thows a big elbow that misses.
Salvatore is trying to hold Jones in close to prevent damage but Jones has managed to pass into half guard.

Jones decides to stand up.
Jones shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Salvatore sprawls well. Salvatore wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jones gets slowly back to his feet.
Salvatore showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Jones.

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.
Salvatore throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Jones counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Salvatore!
Jones looking to finish with strikes here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salvatore is trying to escape the mount.
Jones controlling the position easily from mount.
Jones sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Xavier Jones dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Stefan Salvatore's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Jones closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Jones fails with a takedown attempt.
Salvatore slips a jab from Jones.
Jones misses with a double jab
and Salvatore counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Jones lands the left hand.
Jones has a takedown stuffed.
Salvatore tries to close the distance and clinch but Jones swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jones scores with a nice right hand.

Jones scores with a takedown into Salvatore's guard.
Salvatore 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvatore is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Salvatore wants to stand and escape but Jones is having none of it.
Jones preventing the sweep.
Salvatore is trying to hold Jones in close to prevent damage but Jones has managed to pass into half guard.
Jones sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Jones's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Salvatore keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Jones prevents Salvatore from improving his position.
Jones wants to pass the guard but Salvatore is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jones scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Salvatore gets back to full guard.
Jones controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Salvatore looking for a guillotine here but Jones defends easily.
Jones throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Salvatore not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jones controlling from the top position.
Salvatore preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Xavier Jones showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Jones 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Xavier Jones!