PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Osama Akharraz (ranked 2114 p4p, 4296 weight class) and Eerikki Salmi (ranked 276 p4p, 510 weight class). Salmi is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Korpiklaani - Ievan Polkka . Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Akharraz
vs
Salmi

225 cm
41
215
32 - 37 - 0

190 cm
32
220
12 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Altitude Clothing

Iraqi Steroids, Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 32 - 37 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Osama Akharraz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eerikki Salmi!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Patrick Alders and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akharraz stuffs the takedown.
A little feinted left hand from Akharraz on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Akharraz throws a right and a left that Salmi avoids nicely.
Akharraz cracks Salmi with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Osama Akharraz seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salmi avoids the head kick by Akharraz.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Salmi has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Akharraz lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Akharraz fails with an attempt to clinch.
Akharraz really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Salmi shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Salmi blocks the body kick.
Akharraz tries to clinch up but Salmi circles away and keeps his distance.
Akharraz throws a body shot but no joy.
Akharraz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

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

Akharraz sneaks out the side door and pushes Salmi away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Akharraz enables Salmi to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Akharraz manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Akharraz is wriggling around but Salmi manages to pass to half guard.

Salmi seems to be looking for submissions.
Salmi stops Akharraz from getting back to his feet.
Salmi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Akharraz keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salmi tries to pass to full mount but Akharraz defends it.
Akharraz wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salmi wants to free his trapped foot but Akharraz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Salmi is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Akharraz is trying to stand up here but Salmi is controlling him well.

Salmi looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Salmi is working for a kimura but Akharraz is defending it quite comfortably.

Akharraz makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Salmi tries to keep at a distance but Akharraz has taken the fight into the clinch.
Salmi tries to throw a body punch but Akharraz avoids it by throwing Salmi back against the cage.
Akharraz misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Salmi fails to land.
Akharraz looking to stall.
I was talking to Akharraz's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Akharraz misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Akharraz tries to work over Salmi's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Akharraz misses with some punches.
Akharraz pushes off an throws an elbow but Salmi leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Akharraz taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Akharraz cracks Salmi with a nice body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Salmi fails to land.
Akharraz missing with knees to the body.
Akharraz stalling in the clinch but Salmi improves position.
A head punch on the inside from Salmi fails to land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akharraz throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Salmi throws a head punch that misses.
Salmi swings wildly with an uppercut but Akharraz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Salmi lands a right hand.
Akharraz gets through Salmi's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Salmi lands with a light punch inside.
Salmi working aggressively here.
Akharraz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Akharraz tries a body shot but Salmi blocks it.
Salmi misses with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Salmi.
Akharraz lands an elbow inside that Salmi shrugs off.

It looks like Eerikki Salmi has been cut.
Akharraz lands a nice shot to the body.
Akharraz blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Akharraz misses with a body punch.
Akharraz tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Salmi misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Akharraz fails to land.
Salmi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Salmi misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salmi blocks a body shot from Akharraz.
Akharraz blocks an uppercut.
Salmi has a couple of punches blocked by Akharraz.
Akharraz digs a right hand into Salmi's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Salmi's gas tank.
Salmi working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Akharraz working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Salmi lands a left hand.
Akharraz struggles to land a body shot inside as Salmi controls his hands.
A short uppercut from Akharraz.
Akharraz misses with a hook to the ribs.
Salmi can't find room to land a body shot as Akharraz controls the action.
Salmi makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Akharraz with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Akharraz pressing his opponent against the cage.
Salmi misses with some punches.
Akharraz blocks an uppercut.
A nice right hand lands inside from Salmi.
Akharraz misses with a short punch on the inside.
Salmi lands with a light punch inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Osama Akharraz will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Eerikki Salmi's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Akharraz's corner calls for a 1-2. Akharraz obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Akharraz lands with a nice body punch.
Akharraz tries to close the distance and clinch but Salmi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Akharraz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Akharraz tries to clinch up.
Akharraz tries to clinch up.
Salmi darts in looking for a takedown but Akharraz gets double underhooks and turns Salmi into the cage.
Salmi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Akharraz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Salmi can do to turn this around?
Akharraz throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Salmi on the side of the head.
Akharraz throws a head kick but Salmi moves out of range.
Salmi tries to score a power double leg takedown but Akharraz sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salmi somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Salmi closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Salmi lands in his opponent's guard.
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!
Akharraz wants to stand up but Salmi is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salmi trying to control but Akharraz is working from the bottom.
Salmi prevents Akharraz from getting back to his feet.
Akharraz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Osama Akharraz is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice body kick there by Akharraz.
Salmi avoids the body shot from Akharraz.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Akharraz throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Akharraz misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Salmi lands with a shot to the body.
Akharraz misses with an uppercut. Salmi saw that one coming.

Salmi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Akharraz sprawls well initially but Salmi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Salmi decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

Akharraz tries to sprawl but Salmi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Salmi prevents Akharraz from standing back up.
Salmi moves into full mount! Akharraz won't be happy about that!
Akharraz's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Salmi can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Akharraz is looking to escape.
Salmi pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

Akharraz is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salmi controlling the pace for now.
Oh Akharraz is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Salmi connects with a bit shot that sees Akharraz covering up! More strikes from Salmi and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Salmi is our winner by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:21 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Eerikki Salmi!
Our winner, Eerikki Salmi, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.