PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Suikka Salama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Philippe Du Arque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Du Arque comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Freebird (Lynyrd Skynyrd) kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Suikka Salama had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Salama
vs
Du Arque

180 cm
22
184 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

186 cm
22
182 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Suikka Salama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Philippe Du Arque!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Steven Brown and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Du Arque stuffs the takedown attempt from Salama. Salama gets slowly back to his feet.
Du Arque lands a head kick!
Du Arque lands a head kick!

Salama drives through and clinches with Du Arque against the cage.

Du Arque breaks from the clinch.
Du Arque chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Du Arque throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Salama is looking to clinch but Du Arque is avoiding it.
Du Arque misses with a low kick.
Salama keeps the fight on the outside.
Du Arque throws a head kick that misses.
Du Arque wants to clinch but Salama slips to the side

and Salama counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Salama.
Salama preventing the sweep.
Du Arque is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Salama is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salama landing some decent shots from guard.
Salama stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Du Arque swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Salama won't allow Du Arque to sweep him here.
Du Arque working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Salama.
Du Arque wants to stand but Salama is controlling the position.
Du Arque trying to control the position.
Salama looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Du Arque looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Du Arque is on top in guard.
Salama is trying to keep Du Arque in close.

Salama is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Salama is breathing heavily.
Du Arque wanted to stand there but Salama had control of the position.
Salama keeping moving, preventing Du Arque from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salama has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Du Arque has passed into side control.

Du Arque stands up.
Salama fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Du Arque throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Salama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Du Arque throws the kick towards the body but Salama avoids it.
Du Arque looks for a takedown but Salama sprawls well.
Du Arque fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Salama misses.
Du Arque throws a shot from downtown. Salama moves away and avoids it.
Du Arque throws a leg kick that is checked

and Salama counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Du Arque's guard now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salama trying to control the position from guard on top but Du Arque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Du Arque tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Salama passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Du Arque can't do much from the bottom here.
Du Arque is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Salama has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Du Arque manages to work his way to half guard, despite Salama's best efforts.
Du Arque desperately trying to maintain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Du Arque throws a head kick that Salama semi-blocks.
Du Arque looks to score with a jab to the body but Salama is just out of range.
Salama fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Philippe Du Arque seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Du Arque throws a head kick that misses.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Du Arque.

Du Arque darts in and clinches Salama up against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Du Arque.

Du Arque breaks the clinch.
Salama throws a leg kick but Du Arque moved away.
Du Arque tries to clinch but Salama moves away

and Salama counters with a takedown into side control.
Salama trying to control the position but Du Arque is working away.
Du Arque is trying to get back to his feet.
Du Arque is trying to control Salama's posture but Salama avoids it.
Du Arque is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Salama is controlling him well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Du Arque keeps Salama under control for a moment.
Du Arque is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Du Arque really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Salama. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Du Arque controls the position for a moment.
You can see the frustration on Du Arque's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Salama blocks a head kick by Du Arque.
Salama closes this distance looking for a takedown but Du Arque circles away.
Salama moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A head kick from Du Arque lands but Salama takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Du Arque shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Salama's guard.
Du Arque pushes down on Salama's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Suikka Salama overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Salama looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Salama manages to get to full guard.
Salama keeping moving, preventing Du Arque from controlling successfully.

Salama working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Du Arque doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Du Arque manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Du Arque trying to control but Salama is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Arque looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Du Arque must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Du Arque landing some decent shots from guard.
Du Arque sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Salama looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Salama can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Du Arque controls the pace.

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.
Du Arque wants to control from the top but Salama keeps moving.

Salama looking for a guillotine here but Du Arque defends easily.
Du Arque tries to free his leg and advance position but Salama is retaining full guard.
Du Arque trying to stand up but can't free himself from Salama's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Suikka Salama will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Du Arque throws a head kick that misses.
Du Arque tries to clinch there but Salama circles away.
Du Arque misses with the body kick

and Salama counters with a nice double leg into side control. Du Arque won't be happy with that.
Du Arque can't do much from the bottom here.
Du Arque might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Salama kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Despite being in the dominant position, Philippe Du Arque just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Du Arque tries to clinch there but Salama circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Du Arque looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Salama wants to clinch but Du Arque slips to the side

and Du Arque counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Salama's guard now.
Salama can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Du Arque controls the pace.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Du Arque has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Salama is proving hard to escape from.

Salama is looking for a triangle but Du Arque pushes his legs off easily.
Du Arque slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Du Arque throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Salama looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Du Arque trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Du Arque trying to control but Salama is working from the bottom.
Du Arque throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Du Arque missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Salama manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Du Arque regains half guard.

Salama is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Du Arque is trying to get back to full guard.
Du Arque gets full guard.
Salama wants to stand but Du Arque has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Du Arque bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Salama's guard.
Du Arque wants to pass the guard but Salama is keeping the position.
Du Arque slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Du Arque is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Salama has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Du Arque is looking to defend but Salama has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Du Arque! Salama pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Du Arque taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:21 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Suikka Salama!