PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Antonio Salieri (ranked 1953 p4p, 230 weight class) and Freddy White (ranked 1537 p4p, 194 weight class). Salieri kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is DMX - Ain’t No Sunshine. Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Salieri
vs
White

179 cm
26
162 lbs
11 - 11 - 0

177 cm
39
164 lbs
35 - 23 - 4

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 11 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Antonio Salieri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 35 - 23 - 4, fighting out of Hilo, Freddy White!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Salieri misses.
Salieri fakes high and swings low for a body shot but White manages to avoid it.
Salieri misses with a looping right.

Salieri shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Salieri postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

White pushes Salieri off and gets back to his feet.
White will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Salieri half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Salieri lands a nice leg kick that just misses White's sensitive parts.
White scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salieri looks to land a left hand but White moved out of range nicely.
White lands with an overhand left.
Antonio Salieri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salieri misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from White.
Salieri fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but White is out of range.
White tries a quick counter leg kick but Salieri is wise to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salieri takes a swing at White's ribcage but misses.
White ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Salieri moves away.
A low kick from White is predictable there
and Salieri counters with a left to the body.
Salieri misses with a looping left.
White gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Salieri tries to bum rush White with a series of wild strikes but White uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
White cracks the inside of Salieri's front leg.
Salieri closes the distance and clinches up with White, looking for a takedown. Salieri pushes White against the cage but White circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Salieri blocks a leg kick.
Salieri listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Salieri misses with a looping left.
White misses the jab.
Salieri checks a leg kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as White checks a leg kick.
Salieri moves out of range of the leg kick from White.
We've been told by Salieri's head coaches at Mello MMA that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salieri throws a body shot but no joy.

Salieri closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming White to the mat! White manages to get full guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salieri throwing strikes but missing.
Salieri content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Salieri postures up in White's guard and throws a big left but White blocks it.
Salieri trying to control the position from guard on top but White is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
White is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Salieri is controlling him.
Salieri wants to control from the top but White keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salieri with a flurry of punches that miss.
Salieri throws a big right hand that misses.
Salieri missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Salieri loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Salieri trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Salieri postures up in White's guard and throws a big left but White blocks it.
Salieri stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. White swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Salieri jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Salieri.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salieri scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
White buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
White thows a leg kick but Salieri checks it
and Salieri counters with a nice body shot.
White takes one to the chin there.
White takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
White has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Salieri.
White misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Salieri is looking for a counter combo.
Salieri slips a straight right by White.
White lands with a hook. Salieri tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Freddy White is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Nice jab there from Salieri.
White slips a straight right by Salieri.
Salieri tries to work over White's front leg with a kick but White checks it.
White thuds his right hand into Salieri's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Salieri avoids the body shot from White.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Salieri dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Salieri misses with a takedown attempt - White sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Salieri shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Salieri lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Salieri lands with a punch from half guard.
Salieri throwing shots but White is blocking nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
White avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Salieri.
Salieri not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
White avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Salieri.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Salieri lands a nice short elbow.
Salieri is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Salieri 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.
Salieri is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Salieri not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
White blocking the ground and pound attempt from Salieri.
Salieri landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Antonio Salieri overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Salieri wants to pass the guard but White is defending well.
Salieri throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salieri trying to control the action but White is working from the bottom.
Salieri sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. White defending well though.
White is looking to escape.
Salieri thows a huge punch but White dodges it nicely.
Salieri throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Salieri throwing shots but White is blocking nicely.
Salieri throwing shots but White is blocking nicely.
Salieri not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salieri working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
White avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Salieri.
Salieri throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Salieri thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed White's head.
Salieri wants to lay and pray for a moment but White keeps working.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Salieri is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that White can do to turn this around?
Salieri avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Salieri with a hook.
White scores with a three punch combo!
Salieri throws a hook but White blocks it.
White misses with a straight right.
Salieri throws a leg kick which misses White's front leg but catches the back leg as White tries to avoid it.
Salieri throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck White on the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
White darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Salieri dodges the punch combination from White.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salieri throws a combination but it was largely blocked by White.
Salieri tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but White was well out of range. Poor timing from Salieri.
Salieri needs to keep his hands up - White had a free shot at his head there.
Salieri throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
White misses with a head kick.
Salieri throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
White is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Salieri connects with a crisp jab.
Salieri bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A quick step to the side and Salieri tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Salieri changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Salieri ducks down and throws a hook to the body but White moves away.
White is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Salieri looks to land a right hand but White moved out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antonio Salieri dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Salieri takes one to the chin there.
White throws a sloppy head kick and Salieri moves out of range easily.
Freddy White is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Salieri scores with a jab to the jaw.
Salieri uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by White.
Salieri misses with a lunging right hand
and White counters with a slapping leg kick.
White checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
White throws out a counter right but Salieri avoids it with no problem.
White is looking to score with low kicks.
Salieri misses with a looping left.
Salieri with a jab.
Salieri scoring well with a low kick there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
White moves out of range of the leg kick from Salieri.
Salieri looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
White throws a lazy head kick
and Salieri makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. White really felt that one!
Salieri scores with a jab to the jaw.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salieri throws the left hand but White avoids the punch easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salieri throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
White throws a counter combo.
Antonio Salieri is winning the standup battle so far.
Salieri chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Salieri throws the left hand but White avoids the punch easily.
White throws the left hand but Salieri avoids the punch easily.
Salieri pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Salieri wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
White throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Salieri displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as White throws out the jab.
The fighters circling - White throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
White misses the shot to the body.
White throws a low kick but Salieri avoids it.
A chopping leg kick lands by Salieri.
Salieri looks to land a combination but White avoids it well.
Salieri throws a combination. White tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salieri misses with a body shot.
White throws a hook but Salieri avoids it easily.
Salieri fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and White has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
White connects with a crisp jab.
White is looking to score with low kicks.
Salieri misses the jab.
Salieri misses with a hook.
Freddy White has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salieri ducks down and throws a hook to the body but White moves away.

Salieri drives through with a takedown into guard.
White is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
White avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salieri chips away with some ground and pound.
White keeping moving, preventing Salieri from controlling successfully.
White is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
White utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Salieri working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of White's head.
Salieri throws a big elbow that misses.

White wriggles free and stands up.
White fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Salieri is out of range.
Antonio Salieri is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salieri connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Salieri misses with a low kick.
Salieri throws an uppercut from half a mile away. White sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from White on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
White throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
White's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and White duly obliges.
Salieri throws a combination that misses
and White counters with a leg kick.
White lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
White takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Salieri with a nice cross.
Salieri is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Salieri looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Salieri connects with a single shot there.
White on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

And that's the end of the fight!
Antonio Salieri showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Salieri 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antonio Salieri!
A victorious Antonio Salieri thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
Freddy White was interviewed post fight and said 'Back to the drawing board '.