PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Neto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pakwa Salali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Neto
vs
Salali

185 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

183 cm
21
192 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pedro Neto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pakwa Salali!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salali throws a nice looking combination but Neto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Neto swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Salali fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Salali shoots in but no luck this time.
Nice defenses there by Salali.
No joy there for Neto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Neto throws a right and a left that both miss.

Salali rushes Neto and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Neto's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salali shoots in but no luck this time.
Pedro Neto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Pakwa Salali.

Salali clinches with his opponent.
Salali drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Neto gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Neto wants to break free but Salali has control.

Neto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Salali lands a head shot.
Salali swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Salali keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Neto throws a body punch but Salali moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neto lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Salali circles away quickly and effectively.
Neto throws a lazy right hand but Salali sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Some wild striking there from Neto.
Neto misses with a looping right.
Salali moves out of range as Neto strikes.
Pedro Neto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Neto throws a big shot that misses.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Salali.
Neto knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Salali on the ground.

Salali is trying to get an arm triangle but Neto is defending well.
An elbow from Salali crashes against the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neto is pushing Salali's head away, looking to escape. Salali manages to hold on to the position though.

Salali is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Neto knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Salali thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Neto prevents Salali from improving position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salali wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Neto, who protects the arm well.
Salali looks gassed!
Neto is trying to get back to half guard.
Salali wants to control but Neto is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Salali thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Neto sneaks out the side door and pushes Salali away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neto throws a head kick but Salali moves out of range.
Salali shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Neto as he jumps to the side.
Salali avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pakwa Salali dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Neto throws a head kick but Salali moves out of range.

Salali takes the fight into the clinch.

Neto pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Salali throws a right hand that Neto ducks under and follows up with a left that Neto also avoids with ease.
Pakwa Salali is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Salali looks to land a right hand but Neto moved out of range.
Salali closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Salali drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Salali drops back looking for a leg! Neto is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Neto manages to kick Salali off! Salali jumps back into Neto's guard.
Salali postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salali is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neto managing to control the position.
Neto is looking to stand up but Salali isn't so interested in that idea.
Salali in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Salali not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Salali wants to control from the top but Neto keeps moving.
Salali passes Neto's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Salali stops Neto from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Salali is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neto wants to control but Salali is keeping busy.
Salali has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

Salali looking for a guillotine from mount but Neto is having none of it.

That's four 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.

Salali has hold of Neto's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Neto manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Salali pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salali throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pakwa Salali showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Neto throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Salali counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Salali wants to lay and pray for a moment but Neto keeps working.
Neto won't allow Salali to pass to mount.
Neto keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Salali is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Neto has managed to free his arm - good work.
Salali trying to mount his opponent but Neto defends it.
Salali takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salali 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.
Salali is trying to control the action in half guard but Neto is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Neto throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Neto, as that shot connected.
Salali looks for a takedown but Neto sprawls well.
Neto tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A lazy left from Neto finds it's target.

Salali shoots in and bounces Neto off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Neto wants to stand and escape but Salali is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neto keeping full guard, as Salali tries to pass.
Salali stops Neto from standing up.
Salali throwing strikes but missing.
Neto is looking to stand up but Salali isn't so interested in that idea.

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.
Salali postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Pedro Neto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Salali drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Salali jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pakwa Salali is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Salali avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Neto scores with a nice strike.
Neto fails to land with a series of punches.
Neto misses with a wild body shot.
Neto misses with an uppercut.

Salali closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Salali lands in his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pakwa Salali comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Salali winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pakwa Salali!