PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sami Saalistaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Back Off (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Saalistaja
vs
Off

175 cm
25
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
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, Sami Saalistaja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Back Off!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saalistaja closes the distance and pushes Off back into the cage.
Saalistaja displaying some good clinch control by pressing Off up against the cage.

Saalistaja breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Off moves in looking to clinch but Saalistaja pushes him off.

Saalistaja scores with a takedown into Off's guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Saalistaja controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Saalistaja stands and throws Off's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saalistaja connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Off some visible discomfort.
Off looks to move to half guard but instead Saalistaja has passed into mount! Damn!
Off wants to hold on but Saalistaja pushes him away.
Saalistaja has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Off takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Off can do anything to dispel that myth.
Saalistaja lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Off is in a horrible position here. Saalistaja smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Off is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saalistaja with shots to the head and body - Off looks very uncomfortable down there.

Off is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Off is wriggling around trying to escape.
Saalistaja putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Off is still in real trouble! Can Saalistaja finish him?
Saalistaja unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Off wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Saalistaja celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sami Saalistaja!