PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bryce Salt (ranked 2731 p4p, 3884 weight class) and Justin Edwards (ranked 336 p4p, 448 weight class). Edwards has chosen "A Country Boy Can Survive" by Hank Williams Jr. as his entrance music. Justin Edwards is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Salt
vs
Edwards

190 cm
22
264
2 - 0 - 0

185 cm
22
225
2 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Insanely flexible

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bryce Salt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Justin Edwards!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edwards tries to clinch up.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Salt is defended easily by Edwards.
Salt shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Edwards but Edwards pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Edwards scores with a body shot.

Salt drives through with a takedown into Edwards's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Salt stays in close to Edwards's body and controls the position.
Salt seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Edwards for as long as he can get away with.
Salt's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salt has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salt pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Edwards is keeping the position for now.
Salt works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Salt definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Salt is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Salt continues to stall.
Further stalling from Salt.

That's two 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.
This is a sustained period of stalling by Salt.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Edwards is trying to get back to full guard.
Salt slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salt shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Edwards defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bryce Salt. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salt shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Edwards but Edwards pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Edwards goes for a double leg but Salt avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Salt continues to drive forward.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Salt shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Salt sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Salt has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Salt moves to back control.
Salt slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bryce Salt dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Salt shoots in but Edwards avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Salt shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Edwards but Edwards pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Salt tries to score a power double leg takedown but Edwards sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salt somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bryce Salt. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Salt closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Edwards to the mat! Edwards manages to get full guard.
Salt is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Edwards can't keep his opponent in guard - Salt advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salt keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Salt passes to side control.
Salt works to advance to full mount. Edwards defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salt looking to control and managing it successfully.
More hug and hope from Salt.
Edwards is trying to escape the mount.
Salt controlling from the full mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Salt is stinking the place up with his stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salt avoids the attempt from Edwards to control.
Salt controlling from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salt continues to hold on tight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bryce Salt dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Salt darts in looking for a takedown but Edwards gets double underhooks and turns Salt into the cage.
Edwards is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Salt has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Edwards after a bit of a struggle.

Salt is trying to trip Edwards. He has hold of a leg but Edwards is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Salt persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Salt showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Salt works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Salt is looking to advance position but Edwards won't allow it.
Salt passes to side control.
A lull in the action here as Salt stalls from top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salt is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Edwards can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.

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.
Salt works to advance to full mount. Edwards defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Salt tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edwards tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Salt controlling from mount.
Salt moves to take his opponent's back.
Salt controls the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bryce Salt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Edwards trying to control the hands but Salt breaks the grip.
Salt has good solid back control here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

And that's the end of the fight!
Bryce Salt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Salt, 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bryce Salt!
Bryce Salt seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.