PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alvaro Salazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Karri Vahti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salazar comes to the ring accompanied by Don Omar ft Tego Calderon - Bandolero. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Karri Vahti was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Salazar
vs
Vahti

180 cm
25
201 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

180 cm
26
182 lbs
16 - 4 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

ACME-Blood Red Q158 Always $30 (5% Laundry SALE)
Cobra Pharmaceuticals (159++ Stamina)

Brute

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alvaro Salazar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Karri Vahti!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Konstantin Menshow and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salazar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Vahti as he jumps to the side.
Vahti lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Nice uppercut there from Vahti.
Karri Vahti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vahti just misses with a punch to the body.
Vahti cracks Salazar with a good jab.
Vahti defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Salazar.

Vahti closes the distance and pushes Salazar back into the ropes.
Vahti tries to work over Salazar's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Salazar lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Salazar missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Vahti wants to improve his position but Salazar is controlling well.
Vahti is staying active underneath Salazar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Salazar is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Vahti doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Salazar.
Vahti slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar throwing strikes from guard but Vahti blocks nicely.
Salazar throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Salazar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vahti works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Salazar engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Vahti is pulling down on Salazar's head. It's preventing any offense from Salazar, at least for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is looking to work some ground and pound but Vahti has wrist control.
Salazar throws a strike but Vahti rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Salazar throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Salazar manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Salazar thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Salazar with shots to the head and body - Vahti looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Vahti that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Salazar throws a strike there. Vahti manages to avoid it well and slips a leg under to get to half guard.

Salazar seems to be looking for submissions.
Salazar 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.

Salazar moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Vahti.

Salazar tries for a kimura but Vahti is defending well.
Salazar misses with the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar taking a break here but Vahti is having none of it and regains half guard.
Vahti is trying to maintain the position but Salazar is very close to passing his half guard.
Vahti is staying active underneath Salazar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Salazar throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Vahti to regain full guard.
Salazar is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Salazar distracts Vahti with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salazar missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Vahti working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Salazar.
Vahti keeping moving, preventing Salazar from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alvaro Salazar dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Salazar throws a hook but Vahti blocks it.
Vahti throws a right hand that Salazar ducks under and follows up with a left that Salazar also avoids with ease.
Salazar scores with a sloppy right hand. Vahti should have avoided that one.
Salazar closes the distance and clinches up with Vahti, looking for a takedown. Salazar pushes Vahti against the ropes but Vahti circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Salazar avoids a punch combination nicely.
Salazar misses with a looping right.
Salazar shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Vahti as he jumps to the side.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Salazar.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alvaro Salazar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vahti clobbers Salazar with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Salazar shoots in looking for a takedown. Vahti tries to sprawl out of it but Salazar keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Vahti manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Salazar takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vahti wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Salazar.
Vahti misses the shot to the body.
Nice cross by Vahti.
Vahti's corner calls for a 1-2. Vahti obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
That kick from Vahti tenderised Salazar's leg. Salazar is trying to keep his angry face on.
Vahti wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
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!

Vahti gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vahti is pressed up against the ropes. Salazar has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Vahti down to the mat. Vahti avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nice body kick there by Vahti.
Salazar showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Vahti.
Vahti scores with a punch to the head.
Vahti lands a jab to the head.
Karri Vahti is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Salazar fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vahti lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

It looks like Alvaro Salazar has been cut.

Vahti clinches with his opponent.
Vahti prevents a takedown attempt there.
Salazar takes a shot to the head.

Vahti breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Vahti.

Vahti moves into the clinch successfully.
Vahti lands a hook that snaps the head of Salazar backwards.
Vahti with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vahti lands with a left to the head.
Vahti working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vahti lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Salazar.
Vahti lands an elbow that stopped Salazar in his tracks for a moment.
Vahti lands with a light punch inside.
Vahti just leaning against Salazar, taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Vahti as the two fighters clinch.
Vahti softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Vahti softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Vahti displaying some good clinch control by pressing Salazar up against the ropes.
Salazar jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vahti walks away with a smile on his face. Salazar gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Salazar takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Vahti feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Salazar's calf.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Vahti gets a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Vahti.
Vahti misses with an elbow strike.
Vahti misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Salazar.
A short body shot lands from Vahti as the two fighters clinch.
Salazar has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Vahti avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Vahti scores with a hook to the body.
Vahti makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vahti lands with a short shot to the head.
Vahti is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Salazar is trying to pull guard but Vahti turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.
Karri Vahti seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Vahti lands a left hand.
Vahti misses with a hook to the ribs.
Vahti lands a right hand.
Vahti throws a head punch that misses.
Salazar jumps guard but Vahti turns him against the ropes and keeps the fight standing.
Vahti lands with a left to the head.
Vahti tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Salazar can't get the takedown.
Vahti stalling the fight.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vahti lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Vahti avoiding damage.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Vahti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Karri Vahti showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Alvaro Salazar's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice body kick there by Vahti.
Salazar has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Vahti.
Vahti scores with a jab to the body.

Vahti closes the distance and clinches.
Vahti throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vahti stalling in the clinch but Salazar improves position.
Vahti gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Vahti.
Vahti tries to work over Salazar's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Salazar jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vahti walks away with a smile on his face. Salazar gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Vahti thumps Salazar with a low kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Vahti moves into the clinch.
Vahti is trying to maintain a safe position but Salazar gets an underhook and turns Vahti into the ropes.
Salazar tries to pull guard but Vahti forces him back to his feet, against the ropes.
Vahti lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A head punch on the inside from Vahti fails to land.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salazar blocks the elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vahti misses with the head strike.
Vahti works on Salazar's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right from Vahti.
Vahti goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vahti lands a left hand.
Salazar is looking to take this one to the mat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alvaro Salazar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vahti lands a right hand that snaps the head of Salazar backwards.
Vahti taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Salazar as Vahti tries to tie him up.
With the fighters clinched against the ropes, Vahti creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Vahti lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Vahti is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Vahti lands an uppercut.
Vahti lands an uppercut.
Vahti lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Salazar takes an elbow to the forehead.

Salazar is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vahti working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Oh Salazar is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vahti tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Salazar is trying to pull guard but Vahti turns him against the ropes and we stay in the clinch.

Vahti's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vahti feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Salazar's calf.
That kick from Vahti tenderised Salazar's leg. Salazar is trying to keep his angry face on.
Salazar takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Alvaro Salazar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Salazar 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.

Vahti drops Salazar with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Salazar looks back up at him and smiles so Vahti waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Vahti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vahti thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Salazar if he has to take too many more of those.
Vahti has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Vahti fakes a right and follows up with a big left that drops Salazar to one knee - oooooh, he's wobbly! Salazar looks to clinch but Vahti throws him off and pummels him into the canvas! Salazar taps out under the strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Karri Vahti!
A relieved looking Karri Vahti thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.