PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Diogene Salafia (ranked 5086 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bily Kidd (ranked 24854 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Salafia
vs
Kidd

177 cm
25
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 Las Vegas, Diogene Salafia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bily Kidd!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.
Salafia cracks the inside of Kidd's front leg.
Bily Kidd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salafia tries for a takedown but Kidd sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kidd is looking to clinch.
Kidd wants to clinch.
Salafia dives in for a single leg takedown but Kidd sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.
Kidd is looking to clinch.

Kidd gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Kidd looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Salafia is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Kidd is pressed up against the cage. Salafia has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kidd down to the mat. Kidd avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diogene Salafia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kidd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Kidd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kidd is looking to clinch but Salafia is avoiding it.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salafia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia is having none of it.

Kidd drives through and clinches with Salafia against the cage.
Kidd looking to throw knees to the head but Salafia is blocking nicely.
Salafia blocks an elbow strike from Kidd.
Kidd prevents a takedown attempt there.
Kidd lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Diogene Salafia has been cut.
Kidd tries a knee to the head but Salafia blocks it.
Kidd tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Salafia has Kidd pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Kidd manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kidd pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Salafia breaks from the clinch.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.
Salafia fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kidd wants to clinch.
Salafia misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia moves out of range.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia is having none of it.
Salafia thinks about countering with a body kick.
Kidd is looking to clinch.
Kidd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kidd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Salafia tries for a takedown but Kidd sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Salafia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salafia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salafia swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Salafia drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Kidd is looking to stand up but Salafia isn't so interested in that idea.
Salafia is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salafia won't allow Kidd to get back to his feet.
Salafia's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Salafia is pushing down on Kidd's leg trying to pass to half guard. Kidd is fighting to maintain full guard but Salafia has managed to sneak the leg through.
Kidd is trying to stand back up but Salafia is controlling him
Salafia content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Kidd looks like he's trying to stand up.
Salafia is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Kidd is trying to stand.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Salafia is working for a kimura but Kidd is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kidd looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Salafia with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Salafia'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.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Kidd rushes Salafia and presses him up against the cage.
Kidd pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kidd throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Salafia is stalling here.
Kidd tries to land a knee to the head but Salafia blocks with his arms.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Diogene Salafia will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Diogene Salafia's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Salafia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Salafia swats away the attempt to clinch by Kidd.
Salafia wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kidd tries to clinch there but Salafia circles away.
Salafia swats away the attempt to clinch by Kidd.
Kidd is looking to clinch but Salafia is avoiding it.
Kidd wants to clinch.
Salafia shoots in looking for a takedown. Kidd tries to sprawl out of it but Salafia keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Kidd manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Salafia closes the distance and pushes Kidd back into the cage.
Salafia blocks the elbow strike.

Salafia's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia moves out of range.
Kidd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kidd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Salafia tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Kidd manages to circle out of the way.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia is having none of it.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Salafia paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Salafia is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kidd can do to turn this around?
Kidd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Salafia is looking for a counter combo.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch but Salafia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Kidd wants to clinch.
Salafia throws a head kick that Kidd semi-blocks.
Kidd wants to clinch up but Salafia keeps it at a distance.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.
Kidd tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bily Kidd is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Kidd wants to clinch.
Salafia goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.
Kidd wants to clinch but Salafia slips to the side
and Salafia counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Salafia closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salafia with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salafia stands up from half guard.
Salafia swats away the attempt to clinch by Kidd.
Salafia throws a big counter combination but Kidd scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Kidd tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salafia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kidd tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salafia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.
Salafia half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kidd has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Salafia.
Salafia keeps the fight on the outside.
Salafia throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.
Salafia dives in for a single leg takedown but Kidd sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.
Salafia misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diogene Salafia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.
Kidd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Diogene Salafia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kidd wants to clinch.
Kidd wants to clinch up but Salafia keeps it at a distance.
It looked like Salafia was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Salafia circles away from the clinch attempt
and Salafia counters with a low kick, right behind Kidd 's knee.
Kidd is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salafia lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Kidd fails in his attempt to clinch.
Salafia half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salafia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diogene Salafia dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Diogene Salafia's cut.
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!

Kidd pushes Salafia up against the cage in a clinch.

Salafia breaks the clinch.
Kidd is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salafia shoots in but no luck this time.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Salafia.

Salafia looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Kidd is looking to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kidd is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salafia wants to pass to mount but Kidd is defending the position.
Salafia stops Kidd from getting back to his feet.
Salafia slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kidd is looking to clinch but Salafia is avoiding it.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia is having none of it.
Kidd tries to clinch up but Salafia circles away and keeps his distance.

Kidd tries to sprawl but Salafia drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Salafia perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Kidd wants to get back to his feet.
Salafia with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Diogene Salafia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Salafia stops Kidd from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Salafia in particular looking to stall.
Salafia throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Kidd wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Salafia fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diogene Salafia. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kidd tries to clinch up.
Kidd is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salafia wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Kidd tries to clinch but Salafia is having none of it.
Kidd tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salafia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salafia dives in for a single leg takedown but Kidd sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
As Salafia backs off Kidd throws a huge counter combo but Salafia manages to avoid it all.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salafia moves into the clinch.
Kidd's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Salafia lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Kidd misses with an elbow strike.
Salafia lands a knee to the body.

Salafia tightens his grip and picks Kidd up, before dumping him to the ground. Kidd manages to land in guard.
Kidd is wriggling around but Salafia manages to pass to half guard.

Kidd tries to kick Salafia off in order to stand up. Salafia Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Salafia controls the position.
Kidd is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Salafia has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Salafia decides to stand back up. Salafia steps back and let's Kidd get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Kidd fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kidd doesn't manage to clinch there - Salafia circles away.
Kidd moves in looking to clinch but Salafia pushes him off.
Kidd displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salafia.
The fight stays on the outside here - Kidd looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Salafia throws a counter high kick but Kidd was just alert enough to avoid it.

Salafia moves into the clinch.
Salafia blocks an elbow strike from Kidd.
Salafia lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Salafia taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Kidd misses with a knee strike.
Kidd misses with a knee strike.
Bily Kidd has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Diogene Salafia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Salafia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kidd avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diogene Salafia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Salafia, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Diogene Salafia!