PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Badr Hari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Salo Gonalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Badr Hari has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hari
vs
Gonalez

186 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

177 cm
26
159 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Badr Hari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Salo Gonalez!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hari wants to clinch.
Gonalez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gonalez is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Hari misses with a two punch combination.
Gonalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gonalez looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Hari gets a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hari wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gonalez has him pressed against the cage.
A left hand lands to the body for Gonalez.
Hari drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Gonalez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gonalez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hari trying to control but Gonalez is working from the bottom.
Gonalez is adopting a defensive guard.
Hari throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gonalez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Gonalez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Gonalez trying to pass the guard but Hari defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hari tries to get to full guard but Gonalez has control of the leg.
Hari trying to hold on to Gonalez's head to control him but Gonalez postures up.
Hari is trying to stand up here but Gonalez is controlling him well.

Gonalez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hari has managed to free his arm - good work.
Gonalez uses his free foot to push down on Hari's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Hari.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez throwing strikes here but Hari is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Hari tries to hold on but Gonalez postures up.
Gonalez throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Gonalez has hold of Hari's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Hari manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Hari gets back to half guard.
Hari has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gonalez is working away from the top position though.
Hari really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez controlling the pace.

Gonalez is trying to work for a kimura but Hari is defending well.
Gonalez tries to pass to full mount but Hari defends it.
Hari wants to control but Gonalez is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hari is breathing heavily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hari is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gonalez sitting and controlling from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salo Gonalez 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.

Gonalez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hari, pushing him back against the cage.
Hari can't get the takedown.
Gonalez leaning against his opponent.
Gonalez stalling against the cage.
Gonalez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Gonalez's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Gonalez jumps guard.
Hari won't allow Gonalez to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hari wants to control from the top but Gonalez keeps moving.
Hari loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Gonalez has his foot on Hari's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hari works his way back into a safe position though.
Hari looking to sit in guard and control but Gonalez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Gonalez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hari is keeping the position for now.
Gonalez passes Hari's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gonalez is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hari is looking to control Gonalez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hari avoid being mounted?

Gonalez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Gonalez stalling.
Gonalez works his way into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Gonalez with shots to the head and body - Hari looks very uncomfortable down there.
Gonalez throws some wild stikes that Hari manages to avoid easily.
Gonalez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gonalez prevents Hari from getting the reversal.
Salo Gonalez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gonalez looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hari tries to reverse the position but Gonalez maintains control.
Hari is working hard here to advance position.

Gonalez is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Hari to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hari shrugs it off.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Poor strikes thrown by Gonalez there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salo Gonalez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Gonalez throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gonalez is defended easily by Hari.
Hari stuffs the takedown.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gonalez.
Badr Hari has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Salo Gonalez.
No luck for Hari with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gonalez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gonalez avoids the head kick by Hari.
Hari misses with a takedown attempt
and Gonalez counters with a three punch combo that has Hari backing up. Hari nods at Gonalez to acknowledge the strikes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gonalez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hari defends well and Gonalez ends up having to push Hari into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gonalez fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hari avoids it really well and circles away.

Gonalez clinches.
Hari goes for a takedown in the clinch but Gonalez prevents it.
Gonalez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Gonalez keeps control of Hari as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Gonalez drags the fight down to the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gonalez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Gonalez is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Hari presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Hari wants to get back to striking at distance but Gonalez won't allow it.
Gonalez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hari gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Gonalez wants to take the fight to the mat but Hari manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Hari blocks an elbow strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez avoiding damage as Hari throws knees to the body.
Gonalez pushes off an throws an elbow but Hari leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hari prevents the takedown attempt.

Gonalez has clasped his hands together around Hari's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Gonalez working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Gonalez is continuing to stall.
Gonalez working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gonalez decides to stand back up. Gonalez steps back and let's Hari get back to his feet.
Badr Hari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gonalez shoots in but Hari avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Gonalez fails to land the takedown.
Gonalez darts in looking for a takedown but Hari gets double underhooks and turns Gonalez into the cage.

Hari gets tackled into the cage by Gonalez. Gonalez maintains the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hari breaks the clinch.
Gonalez shoots in for a double leg but Hari sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Badr Hari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salo Gonalez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Gonalez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Hari defends well and Gonalez ends up having to push Hari into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Salo Gonalez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Gonalez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 26:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salo Gonalez!