PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Aydan The Wandering Spirit (ranked 1249 p4p, 2063 weight class) and Eerikki Salmi (ranked 174 p4p, 272 weight class). The Wandering Spirit kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Wichita Lineman. Eerikki Salmi acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

The Wandering Spirit
vs
Salmi

191 cm
25
208
7 - 4 - 0

190 cm
27
220
10 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

PWNAGE
Groove Gear

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Aydan The Wandering Spirit!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Eerikki Salmi!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Colin Fotheringham and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salmi cracks The Wandering Spirit with a good jab.

It looks like Aydan The Wandering Spirit has been cut.
Salmi fakes a jab and throws a low kick but The Wandering Spirit checks it well.
Salmi misses with a body shot.
Salmi misses with a low kick.
The Wandering Spirit takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Salmi scores with a punch to the head.
Salmi has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Salmi throws a hook but The Wandering Spirit avoids it easily.
Salmi throws a leg kick
and The Wandering Spirit counters with a nice leg kick.
The Wandering Spirit takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Salmi will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salmi loads up on a big right hand but The Wandering Spirit slips the punch.
It looked like The Wandering Spirit was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
The Wandering Spirit will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
A bone on bone clash there as The Wandering Spirit blocks the leg kick.
The Wandering Spirit swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
The Wandering Spirit throws a big shot that misses.
Salmi cracks The Wandering Spirit with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The Wandering Spirit gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The Wandering Spirit ducks under a wild hook from Salmi.
The Wandering Spirit feinted there with a counter leg kick.
The Wandering Spirit fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Salmi checks it well.
Salmi thows a body kick. The Wandering Spirit tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Salmi jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Salmi fakes high and swings low for a body shot but The Wandering Spirit manages to avoid it.
A combination from The Wandering Spirit does no damage.
Salmi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Salmi tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Salmi has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from The Wandering Spirit.
Salmi scores with a nice head shot.
The Wandering Spirit takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Salmi scores with a sloppy right hand. The Wandering Spirit should have avoided that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salmi scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. The Wandering Spirit doesn't seem bothered though.
Salmi throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and The Wandering Spirit counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Salmi throws a shot from downtown. The Wandering Spirit moves away and avoids it.

Salmi fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging The Wandering Spirit to the ground. Salmi is now in The Wandering Spirit's guard.
The Wandering Spirit preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The Wandering Spirit keeping full guard, as Salmi tries to pass.
Salmi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The Wandering Spirit 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.
Salmi throws a big elbow that misses.
Salmi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Salmi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. The Wandering Spirit swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salmi with a flurry of punches that miss.
The Wandering Spirit 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.
Salmi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Salmi tries to free his leg and advance position but The Wandering Spirit is retaining full guard.
Salmi throwing strikes from guard but The Wandering Spirit blocks nicely.
Salmi throwing strikes from guard but The Wandering Spirit blocks nicely.
Salmi cracks The Wandering Spirit with a solid left hand.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Salmi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salmi landing some decent shots from guard.
Salmi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salmi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Salmi postures up and lands a big shot to The Wandering Spirit's brow.
Salmi throwing strikes but missing.
Salmi being controlled here momentarily.
The Wandering Spirit utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The Wandering Spirit avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eerikki Salmi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aydan The Wandering Spirit's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Salmi lands a nice shot that snaps The Wandering Spirit's head back.
Aydan The Wandering Spirit has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eerikki Salmi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Salmi misses with a takedown attempt - The Wandering Spirit sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Salmi moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Salmi throws a poor cross that misses
and The Wandering Spirit counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Salmi throws a jab but it's blocked by The Wandering Spirit.
Decent striking displayed by Salmi there.
Salmi throws the left hand but The Wandering Spirit avoids the punch easily.
The Wandering Spirit seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salmi lands with a thumping leg kick.

Salmi gets a takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The Wandering Spirit tries to get to full guard but Salmi has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salmi is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and The Wandering Spirit reverses the position - he's now on top in Salmi's guard.
The Wandering Spirit has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The Wandering Spirit postures up.
The Wandering Spirit wants to control from the top but Salmi keeps moving.
Salmi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The Wandering Spirit is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Salmi looking for a sweep. Not yet Salmi, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The Wandering Spirit is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Salmi has his foot on The Wandering Spirit's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. The Wandering Spirit works his way back into a safe position though.
The Wandering Spirit looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Salmi working for a triangle but The Wandering Spirit defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The Wandering Spirit controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Salmi looking to control but The Wandering Spirit passes into half guard.
Salmi wants to get back to full guard.
Well, if The Wandering Spirit is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. The Wandering Spirit lands a nice short elbow.
Eerikki Salmi has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Salmi wants to control but The Wandering Spirit is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Salmi. That's going to slow The Wandering Spirit down.
Salmi throws a hook to the side of The Wandering Spirit's head but The Wandering Spirit sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Salmi clobbers The Wandering Spirit with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Aydan The Wandering Spirit's cut is getting worse.
Salmi takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Salmi lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salmi ducks under a wild hook from The Wandering Spirit.
A nice leg kick lands there from Salmi.
Salmi throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eerikki Salmi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Aydan The Wandering Spirit's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

The fighters circling - Salmi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A leg kick checked by Salmi.
The Wandering Spirit misses with a looping left.
Salmi scores with a hook to the body. The Wandering Spirit takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The Wandering Spirit has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Salmi.
A low kick from Salmi is predictable there
and The Wandering Spirit counters with a left and a right... and another left... and another!! That last one turned off the lights! Salmi has no idea who he is and is as he gazes up at the spotlights. Brutal knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Aydan The Wandering Spirit!
A victorious Aydan The Wandering Spirit thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.