PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jackson Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abdul Salsalani (ranked 0 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.

Couture
vs
Salsalani

180 cm
25
145 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

185 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 10 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jackson Couture!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Abdul Salsalani!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Alan Glass and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salsalani misses the shot to the body.
Couture looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!

Couture has Salsalani up against the cage in a clinch.

Salsalani escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A cross from Salsalani lands.
Salsalani rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Couture moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Salsalani tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Couture paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Salsalani throws the left hand but Couture avoids the punch easily.
Salsalani circles away from the clinch attempt.
Salsalani looks to score with a jab to the body but Couture is just out of range.
Salsalani misses with a series of wild punches.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Salsalani, as that shot connected.
Salsalani's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Salsalani duly obliges.
Couture thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Salsalani.
An inside leg kick lands from Salsalani.
Couture walks into a straight right hand from Salsalani.
Couture takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Couture is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Salsalani.

Salsalani pushes Couture up against the cage in a clinch.
Couture really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Salsalani looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Salsalani working hard to break the clinch.

Salsalani pulls Couture into guard.
Salsalani is trying to keep Couture in close.
Salsalani is adopting a defensive guard.
Salsalani lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Couture!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Salsalani looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Salsalani sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Salsalani cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

Salsalani gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Couture takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Salsalani scores with a jab.
Salsalani goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Salsalani, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Couture takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Couture avoids the head kick by Salsalani.
Salsalani throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Salsalani fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jackson Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salsalani with a hook.
Salsalani is looking to clinch but Couture is avoiding it.
Salsalani misses with the combination.

Salsalani darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salsalani tries to pass to full mount but Couture defends it.
Salsalani missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Salsalani thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Salsalani is trying to control the action in half guard but Couture is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Couture wants to get back to full guard.
Salsalani not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salsalani tries to stand and escape but Couture actually recovers to full guard.
Couture is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Salsalani dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Couture fails in his attempt to clinch.
Salsalani tests Couture's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Couture takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Salsalani is looking to clinch but Couture is avoiding it.
Salsalani misses with a series of wild punches.
Jackson Couture is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salsalani rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Couture moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Salsalani rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Couture moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salsalani throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salsalani throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Couture.
Couture shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Salsalani but Salsalani pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A combination from Salsalani does no damage.
Salsalani shoots in and drives through. Couture sprawls well.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Couture looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Couture fails with an attempt to clinch.

Salsalani instigates a clinch.

That's two 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.
Salsalani lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Couture breaks the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Couture.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jackson Couture. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Couture wants to clinch up but Salsalani keeps it at a distance.
Couture takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Couture scores with a head kick.
Couture keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Salsalani digs a good body shot into Couture's ribs.

Couture closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Salsalani did well to prevent Couture getting side control.
Couture prevents Salsalani from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salsalani is trying to control but can't.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Salsalani tries to get to full guard but Couture has control of the leg.

That's four 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.
Couture trying to control the action but Salsalani is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Couture tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Salsalani paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Salsalani shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Couture counters with a left and a right that stings Salsalani.
A nice combination there by Salsalani.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Salsalani fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A jab from Salsalani misses.
A swing and a miss from Couture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Jackson Couture will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Salsalani wants to clinch up but Couture keeps it at a distance.
Couture tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Salsalani manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Salsalani swinging wildly here.
Salsalani is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

Salsalani clinches up with Couture and pushes him back against the cage.
Salsalani fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Couture is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salsalani is trying to break free.
Salsalani lands a nice shot to the body.
Salsalani has had enough of the clinch but Couture keeps him there for the moment.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Couture has Salsalani pressed against the cage, preventing Salsalani from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Salsalani breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salsalani ducks under a wild hook from Couture.
Couture is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Salsalani.
Salsalani throws a series of strikes that have Couture backpedaling.
Salsalani lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Couture fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Salsalani avoids it really well and circles away.
Couture fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jackson Couture. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salsalani swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Salsalani leaves Couture with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Couture fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Salsalani manages to avoid it.
Salsalani throws a series of strikes that have Couture backpedaling.

Couture looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Salsalani!
Salsalani takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Couture landing shots from mount.
Salsalani is in a horrible position here. Couture smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salsalani is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Couture trying to control but Salsalani is having none of it.
Salsalani really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Salsalani tries to lock up and control but Couture gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Couture in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Salsalani taking shots to the head.
Couture 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 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.
Salsalani regains half guard.
Salsalani wants to improve his position but Couture is controlling well.

Couture postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Salsalani to stand up.
Couture closes the distance looking to clinch
and Salsalani counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Couture tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jackson Couture showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Couture has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jackson Couture!