PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Emong Salvacion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Noah Grant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salvacion comes to the cage accompanied by I'm bringing it. Grant has chosen Mercy as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Salvacion
vs
Grant

178 cm
18
149 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Inexperienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Emong Salvacion!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Noah Grant!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Salvacion is defended easily by Grant.
Grant throws a right hand that Salvacion ducks under and follows up with a left that Salvacion also avoids with ease.

Salvacion is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Grant's half guard.
Grant is not content to let Salvacion control the position.
Salvacion prevents Grant from standing back up.
Salvacion thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Salvacion is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Grant reverses the position - he's now on top in Salvacion's guard.
Salvacion wants to get back to his feet but Grant passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Grant tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Salvacion is looking to improve his position.
Salvacion scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Grant manages to mount him!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Grant controlling the position easily from mount.
Salvacion is working to get back to half guard.

Grant gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Grant fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Grant tries to bum rush Salvacion with a series of wild strikes but Salvacion uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Grant avoids the body shot from Salvacion.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Salvacion.
Grant misses with a two punch combination.
Grant throws a nice looking combination but Salvacion bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Salvacion shoots in looking for a takedown. Grant tries to sprawl out of it but Salvacion keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Grant manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emong Salvacion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salvacion displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Grant throws out the jab.

Salvacion is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Grant's half guard.
Salvacion moves nicely into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salvacion is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Grant knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Salvacion wants to control but Grant is keeping him busy.
Salvacion landing a few strikes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salvacion working the body and head with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emong Salvacion dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Salvacion closes this distance looking for a takedown but Grant circles away.

Salvacion rushes Grant and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Salvacion wants to take the fight to the mat but Grant manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Salvacion wants to take the fight to the mat but Grant manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emong Salvacion. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Grant breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Salvacion.
Salvacion walks into a left hand.
Salvacion shoots in and drives through. Grant sprawls well.
Grant lands with an overhand left.

Salvacion closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Grant to the mat! Grant manages to get full guard.
Grant wants to stand and escape but Salvacion is having none of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Salvacion passes Grant's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Emong Salvacion overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Salvacion wants to lay and pray for a moment but Grant keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvacion 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.
Salvacion wants to control but Grant is keeping him busy.
Salvacion stalling away here and it's allowed Grant to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Salvacion wants to control from the top but Grant keeps moving.
Grant is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Salvacion is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Salvacion tries to free his leg and advance position but Grant is retaining full guard.
Grant keeping moving, preventing Salvacion from controlling successfully.
Salvacion trying to move into half guard but instead Grant has managed to sweep!
Salvacion looking to hit a scissor sweep but Grant is one step ahead there.

We're going to have a standup here because Emong Salvacion wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Grant keeps the fight on the outside.
Salvacion shoots for a takedown but Grant saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Salvacion shoots for a double leg takedown but Grant sprawls well. He's pushed Salvacion's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion shoots for a takedown but Grant saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Grant throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Salvacion shoots in and drives through. Grant sprawls well.
A combination from Grant does no damage.
Salvacion shoots in looking for a takedown. Grant tries to sprawl out of it but Salvacion keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Grant manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Salvacion shoots in but Grant avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Salvacion shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Salvacion stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion wants to control but Grant is keeping him busy.
Grant tries to kick Salvacion off but Salvacion keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Salvacion is just content to waste time from the top position. Grant takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Salvacion working some strikes from top position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salvacion throws a strike but Grant rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emong Salvacion dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Grant throws a right and a left that Salvacion avoids nicely.
Grant misses with a series of wild punches.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Salvacion.
Grant lands with a straight right. Salvacion didn't see that one coming.
Salvacion dodges the punch combination from Grant.

Salvacion scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Salvacion swings around for an armbar but Grant sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Salvacion's guard.
Salvacion wants to stand and escape but Grant is having none of it.
Grant would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salvacion has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Grant off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Salvacion shoots in for a takedown but Grant shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Salvacion fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Emong Salvacion. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salvacion showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Grant.
Grant swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Grant swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Emong Salvacion is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Grant takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Salvacion shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Grant but Grant pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Salvacion bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Grant wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Salvacion is looking to take a break and control but Grant is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Grant parries the strikes from Salvacion easily there. Salvacion is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Grant to escape.
Salvacion is looking to take a break and control but Grant is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Salvacion sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Grant is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion trying to control the action but Grant is working from the bottom.
Salvacion tries to move to full mount but Grant actually manages to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Salvacion throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Grant to regain full guard.
Salvacion with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Salvacion controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Salvacion is looking to work some ground and pound but Grant has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Emong Salvacion showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Salvacion, 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emong Salvacion!
After winning the bout, Emong Salvacion thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.