PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Herman Morrow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aki Salo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Morrow
vs
Salo

202 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
150 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Herman Morrow!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Aki Salo!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Marco Blurström and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salo connects with a solid leg kick.
Morrow really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Salo shoots in for a takedown but Morrow shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Salo misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Salo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Morrow avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A low kick from Salo misses

and Morrow counters with a nice double leg into side control. Salo won't be happy with that.

Salo sneaks out the side door and pushes Morrow away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Morrow tries to clinch but Salo is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salo rushes Morrow and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Salo breaks the clinch.
Salo closes the distance and clinches up with Morrow, looking for a takedown. Salo pushes Morrow against the cage but Morrow circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Herman Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aki Salo.
No luck for Salo with that takedown attempt.
Morrow drops down looking for a counter takedown but Salo sprawls and moves away.
Salo scores with a push kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Morrow scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Salo wants to get back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Morrow seems content to control.
Salo is pressing down on Morrow's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Salo preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Morrow seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Morrow throws a big right hand that misses.
Morrow 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 three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Morrow working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Salo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Salo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Morrow tries to avoid it but Salo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Morrow to the ground. Morrow escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Salo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Salo throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salo fails to land with a series of punches.
Salo misses with a jab, cross combination.
It looked like Morrow was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Salo.
Morrow fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Morrow throws a head kick that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Morrow throws a nice looking combination but Salo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Salo unleashes a big counter combination but Morrow bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Morrow fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aki Salo dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Morrow moves in looking to clinch but Salo pushes him off.
A little jabbing left from Salo on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Salo throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Salo fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Morrow avoids it really well and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Morrow shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Morrow showed some decent athleticism there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Morrow.
Morrow not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Morrow looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salo controlling the position for now.
Morrow trying to control the pace.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Morrow throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Salo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Morrow counters with a takedown into side control.
Morrow will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Morrow sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Salo is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Morrow'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.
Morrow seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Salo for as long as he can get away with.
Salo is pushing Morrow's head away, looking to escape. Morrow manages to hold on to the position though.

Morrow looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Morrow taking a breather here.
Salo parries the strikes from Morrow easily there. Morrow is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Salo to escape.

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.
Morrow controls the position from side control.
Salo is looking to regain half guard here but Morrow keeps moving and retains side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morrow is looking to take a break and control but Salo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Morrow just content to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Herman Morrow dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Morrow doesn't manage to clinch there - Salo circles away.
Salo throws a right and a left that Morrow avoids nicely.
Morrow stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Morrow wants it to stay on the feet.
Morrow appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Salo swings for the body but Morrow moves out of range.
Morrow keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Morrow tries to counter with a takedown but Salo is quick to defend against it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salo misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Morrow rushes Salo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Salo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Morrow walks away with a smile on his face. Salo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Herman Morrow has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Aki Salo.
Salo lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Salo.
Morrow moves in looking to clinch but Salo pushes him off.

Salo gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Morrow lands a couple of elbows.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Morrow sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Morrow is in close to Salo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Salo being controlled here, momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Further stalling from Morrow.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Salo lands a high kick!

Salo clinches.
Salo jumps guard but Morrow stands there with Salo around his waist. Salo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Salo crunches a lovely knee into Morrow's ribcage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salo manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Salo controls Morrow momentarily but Morrow frees himself.
Morrow working some strikes from top position.
Morrow throwing strikes but missing.
Salo being controlled here, momentarily.
Morrow postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Morrow is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aki Salo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Salo has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Aki Salo!