PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Luther Jackson (ranked 1786 p4p, 2159 weight class) and Eerikki Salmi (ranked 245 p4p, 293 weight class). Jackson comes to the cage accompanied by Come As You Are - Nirvana. Salmi has chosen Korpiklaani - Ievan Polkka as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Luther Jackson has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Luther Jackson seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Jackson
vs
Salmi

185 cm
37
212
32 - 19 - 0

190 cm
32
220
13 - 14 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Altitude Clothing

Iraqi Steroids, Inc.

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 32 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luther Jackson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eerikki Salmi!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Shirou Masuda and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Salmi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Jackson has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jackson sneaks back into half guard.
Jackson moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Salmi wants to control from the top but Jackson keeps moving.
Jackson has a closed guard, preventing Salmi from standing up.
Salmi looking to pass the guard.
Salmi keeps trying to improve his position.

Jackson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Salmi defends well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salmi postures up.

Jackson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Jackson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Salmi defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salmi postures up and lands a big shot to Jackson's brow.
Jackson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

Jackson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Salmi gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Jackson looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Jackson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Jackson wants to sweep but no luck.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Jackson is on top in guard.

Jackson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Salmi manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Jackson has Salmi in his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Salmi looking to pass the guard.
Salmi preventing the sweep.
Salmi trying to control but Jackson is working from the bottom.
Salmi advances position into side control!
Salmi trying to control the action but Jackson is working from the bottom.
Jackson is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson regains half guard.
Salmi wants to take a breather but Jackson is having none of it.
Jackson is trying to control but can't.
Salmi working over Jackson with some ground and pound. Jackson looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Salmi passes to side control.
Salmi trying to control the position but Jackson is working away.
Salmi has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Jackson!
Salmi avoids the attempt from Jackson to control.
Jackson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Salmi landing shots from mount.
Jackson in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

It looks like Luther Jackson has been cut.
Salmi with the ground and pound from mount.
Jackson tries to lock up and control but Salmi gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Salmi with a couple of short strikes.

Luther Jackson's cut is getting worse.
Jackson keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Salmi trying to control but Jackson is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Jackson working to try and regain half guard.
Salmi tries to control but Jackson wriggling away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jackson bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salmi keeping moving, preventing Jackson from controlling successfully.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Eerikki Salmi dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Luther Jackson's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Salmi misses with a double jab.
Jackson appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Salmi throws a big shot that misses.

Jackson gets caught flat footed, as Salmi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Salmi has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Jackson wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Eerikki Salmi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Jackson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Salmi forces his way into half guard.
Salmi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Salmi looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Jackson is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Jackson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Salmi is aware though and is defending well.
Salmi working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Jackson's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salmi connects with a couple of short punches.
Salmi works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Salmi wants to pass the guard but Jackson is defending well.
Jackson regains full guard. Nicely done.
Salmi sitting in guard here, content to control.

Jackson is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Salmi defends well.

Jackson working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Salmi doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Salmi manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Salmi slips nicely into half guard.
Salmi working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Jackson's thigh. Jackson counters though and makes it back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackson working a defensive guard here.
Salmi is looking to pass into half guard but Jackson pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Jackson is in guard.

Jackson looking to sit in guard and control but Salmi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Jackson keeping moving, preventing Salmi from controlling successfully.
Salmi postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Jackson wants to sweep but no luck.
Jackson pulls Salmi in close to prevent any damage.
Salmi passes into half guard.
Jackson has hold of Salmi's hands but Salmi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson tries to roll over but Salmi keeps him under control.
Jackson is looking to control Salmi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jackson avoid being mounted?
Jackson wants to get back to full guard.
Jackson is doing well to control the position and prevent Salmi from advancing to side control.
Salmi is nestled in close to Jackson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Salmi wants to take a breather but Jackson is having none of it.
Salmi scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Luther Jackson's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Salmi wants to free his trapped foot but Jackson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Jackson wants to get back to full guard.
Jackson is refusing to be controlled, as Salmi sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jackson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Salmi pulls his head out easily.
Jackson is staying active underneath Salmi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Jackson is looking to improve his position.
Salmi is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Salmi passes into half guard.
Salmi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Salmi seems to be looking for submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Jackson tries to get to full guard but Salmi has control of the leg.
Jackson trying to control but Salmi postures up.
And that is 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 Luther Jackson's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Jackson tries to sprawl but Salmi drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Jackson is looking to improve his position.
Jackson wants to control but Salmi is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Salmi lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Jackson is looking for a sweep. Salmi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jackson wants to control but Salmi is keeping busy.
Salmi sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Jackson defending well though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salmi trying to mount his opponent but Jackson defends it.
Jackson is trying to control but can't.
Jackson is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Salmi passes to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Salmi trying to pass the guard but Jackson defending well.
Salmi trying to control the action but Jackson is working from the bottom.
Jackson trying to control from the bottom.

Jackson actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackson is trying to get back to full guard.
Salmi looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Salmi scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Jackson tries to get to full guard but Salmi has control of the leg.
Salmi is trying to control the action in half guard but Jackson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salmi is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Jackson!
Salmi dominating with strikes here.
Jackson wants to hold on but Salmi pushes him away.
The referee warns Jackson that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Jeez, Luther Jackson's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Luther Jackson's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Eerikki Salmi!
After winning the bout, Eerikki Salmi thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.