PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mikey Russo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jet Salazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salazar has chosen Burn In my Light By Mercy Drive as his entrance music. Russo has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Russo
vs
Salazar

183 cm
18
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

206 cm
21
201 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light 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, Mikey Russo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jet Salazar!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Russell Pearce and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jab, jab by Salazar - just one landing.
Salazar circles away from the clinch attempt

and Salazar counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Russo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Salazar is trying to break the clinch but Russo is controlling him.
Russo is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Salazar is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Russo tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Salazar avoids it.

Salazar breaks from the clinch.
Salazar scores with a body shot.
Russo is breathing heavily.
Russo keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Russo avoids the head kick by Salazar.

Salazar looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Salazar decides to stand and escape the position.
Salazar tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Russo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar doesn't manage to clinch there - Russo circles away.
Salazar shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Russo sprawls well. Russo wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Salazar gets slowly back to his feet.
Horrible takedown by Salazar or perhaps it was just good defense by Russo which made him look bad.
Mikey Russo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jet Salazar.
Salazar stalks Russo and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Russo's face. Russo staggers backwards, shaken.
Russo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salazar.

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

Salazar stands and steps away. Russo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salazar works over Russo's head and body with a nice combination.
Salazar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar tries to clinch but Russo is having none of it.

Salazar instigates a clinch.

Salazar breaks from the clinch.
Salazar tries to clinch up but Russo circles away and keeps his distance.
Russo takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.

Salazar fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Russo, pushing him back against the cage.

Salazar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salazar shoots in for a takedown but Russo shows good takedown defense.

Salazar closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Russo quickly recovers to half guard.
Russo looks like he's trying to stand up.
Russo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Russo tries to get out of the position.
Russo is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salazar decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Salazar pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Salazar lands with a slapping head kick.

Russo tries to sprawl but Salazar drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Russo is controlling Salazar's trapped leg to prevent Salazar from advancing to side control.
Russo wants to stand back up but Salazar manages to pass into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Russo is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
Russo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Salazar stands up and beckons Russo to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jet Salazar dominated that round.
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.

Russo takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Russo leaves Salazar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Salazar.
Salazar lands with a kick to the temple. Russo shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Salazar keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Salazar fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mikey Russo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jet Salazar.
Salazar fails to land the takedown.
Russo tries to clinch up

and Salazar holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salazar breaks the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Salazar.

Salazar has closed the distance and engaged Russo in a clinch.

Salazar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Salazar is defended easily by Russo.
Russo shoots for a double leg takedown but Salazar sprawls well. He's pushed Russo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A jab lands there for Salazar.
Salazar fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar has a takedown stuffed.
Salazar shoots in but no luck this time.
Salazar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Russo is fending him off so far but Salazar persists. Nope, Russo circles away and we're back to standing.
Salazar throws a front kick that sends Russo stumbling back into the cage.
Russo swinging wildly here.
Salazar tries to clinch but Russo is having none of it.
Salazar fails to land the takedown.
Salazar scores with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar tries to score a power double leg takedown but Russo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salazar somewhat.
Russo misses with a kick to the body
and Salazar counters with a nice body kick.
Russo on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Salazar. Salazar obviously looking to wear him down.
Salazar will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Salazar shoots in for a takedown but Russo shows good takedown defense.

Salazar moves into the clinch.
Russo tries to break free but Salazar pushes him back against the cage.
Russo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Salazar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salazar looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Russo is fending him off so far but Salazar persists. Nope, Russo circles away and we're back to standing.
Salazar defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Russo.
Salazar looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is looking to clinch but Russo is avoiding it.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Salazar enables Russo to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Salazar manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Salazar is trying to keep Russo in close.
Salazar is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Salazar pushes Russo off and gets back to his feet.
Salazar shoots in but Russo avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Russo shoots in and drives through. Salazar sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jet Salazar will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Russo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Russo steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Salazar. That one must have hurt.
Salazar is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Salazar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salazar fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mikey Russo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Salazar fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Russo has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Salazar is looking to clinch.
Salazar circles away from the clinch attempt
and Salazar counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Russo is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Salazar.
Russo chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Salazar can pounce on him.
Jet Salazar seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar shoots in looking for a takedown but Russo manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Salazar's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Mikey Russo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jet Salazar.
Russo shoots for a double leg takedown but Salazar sprawls well. He's pushed Russo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Russo stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Russo wants it to stay on the feet.
Russo tries to clinch but Salazar moves away
and Salazar makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Horrible takedown by Salazar or perhaps it was just good defense by Russo which made him look bad.
Russo has a takedown stuffed.

Russo tries to keep at a distance but Salazar has taken the fight into the clinch.

Salazar breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Salazar shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Russo pinned against the cage. Russo gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Russo blocks a head kick by Salazar.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salazar. Russo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Russo avoids the head kick by Salazar.
Russo tries to clinch but Salazar moves away
and Salazar counters with a nice uppercut.
Horrible takedown by Salazar or perhaps it was just good defense by Russo which made him look bad.
The fight stays on the outside here - Russo looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Salazar throws a head kick that misses.
A head kick misses from Salazar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Russo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Salazar sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Russo somewhat.
Salazar throws a head kick that half lands.
Salazar tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Russo swivels and escapes.
Salazar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Salazar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Russo as he jumps to the side.
Russo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salazar.
Russo moves in looking to clinch but Salazar pushes him off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salazar tries to clinch up.
A lazy left from Salazar finds it's target.
A solid leg kick lands there for Salazar.
Salazar looks for a takedown but Russo sprawls well.

Salazar has Russo up against the cage in a clinch.
Salazar tries to circle away but Russo has him pinned against the cage.

Salazar's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salazar has his takedown stuffed

and Russo counters with a shoot takedown. Salazar fights it but they end up in guard.
Russo showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Salazar is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Mikey Russo.
Well Salazar has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Jet Salazar!