PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anssi Salmi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Taylor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taylor is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Psycho by Puddle Of Mudd. Eddie Taylor has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Anssi Salmi's chin.

Salmi
vs
Taylor

186 cm
19
250 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

200 cm
23
280 lbs
2 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anssi Salmi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Eddie Taylor!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Russell Pearce and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salmi swats away the attempt to clinch by Taylor.

Salmi moves into range and clinches up with Taylor.
Taylor drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Salmi is controlling him.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Salmi has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Salmi has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Taylor wants to break the clinch but can't.
Taylor is trying to force a seperation but Salmi has the dominant position.
Salmi tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Taylor just stands there and leans against the cage.

Salmi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taylor throws a right and a left that both miss.
Taylor fails to land with a series of punches.

Taylor gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Salmi looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Salmi scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salmi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Salmi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Taylor is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Salmi is controlling him.
Taylor is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taylor looks gassed!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Taylor throws a nice looking combination but Salmi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Both fighters circling a little - Salmi finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Salmi misses with a double jab.
Taylor takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Salmi moves into the clinch.

Salmi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Salmi scores a takedown into full mount!
You get the feeling that Taylor really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Salmi sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Taylor's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

Salmi jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Taylor manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Salmi staying calm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salmi decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Eddie Taylor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Taylor throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

so Salmi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Taylor is looking to stand back up but Salmi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Taylor.
Salmi stops Taylor from getting back to his feet.

Taylor makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Taylor fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throws a combination that misses
and Salmi counters with a nice leg kick.
No joy there for Taylor, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Taylor throws a right and a left that both miss.
Taylor misses with a double jab

and Salmi counters with a shoot takedown. Taylor fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salmi preventing the sweep.

Taylor has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Salmi off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Taylor works over Salmi's head and body with a nice combination.
Salmi throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Taylor throws a series of strikes that have Salmi backpedaling.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor circles away from the clinch attempt.
A punch combination from Taylor misses.

Salmi drives through and clinches with Taylor against the cage.

Salmi manages to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Some wild striking there from Taylor.
Salmi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Taylor.

Salmi drives through with a takedown into guard.
Taylor is looking to stand up but Salmi isn't so interested in that idea.
Salmi is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Anssi Salmi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Salmi seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Taylor for as long as he can get away with.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Taylor is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Salmi is controlling him.
Salmi might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Taylor is looking to stand back up but Salmi counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Taylor.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Salmi here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Taylor pushes Salmi off and gets back to his feet.
Taylor takes a kick to the side of the head.
Taylor lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Salmi backs up against the cage.
Taylor looks to land a combination but Salmi avoids it well.
Salmi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Taylor.

Salmi looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Taylor!
Taylor is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Taylor bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taylor chips away with some ground and pound.
Salmi striking off his back, scoring a few points.
Taylor tries to stand but Salmi is controlling from the bottom.
Salmi has control of Taylor's left arm, preventing Taylor from doing any damage.

Taylor stands and steps away. Salmi gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salmi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Taylor as he jumps to the side.
Salmi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Salmi has managed to clinch.
Salmi fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Taylor breaks the clinch.
Taylor swats away the attempt to clinch by Salmi.
Taylor misses with a two punch combination.
Salmi tries to clinch up.
Taylor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Salmi counters with a body kick.
Taylor keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Salmi slips a jab and a cross from Taylor.
Taylor misses with a jab, cross combination.
Salmi walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Taylor swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Salmi counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salmi stops Taylor from getting back to his feet.

Salmi stands up out of the half guard.
Taylor defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Salmi.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anssi Salmi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taylor misses with the combination.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

and Salmi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Salmi.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salmi prevents Taylor from getting back to his feet.

Salmi stands up from Taylor's guard - Salmi perhaps looking for a knockout.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

and Salmi counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salmi stops Taylor from getting back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anssi Salmi dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Taylor misses with a series of wild punches.
Taylor lands a jab-cross combination.
Salmi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Salmi looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Salmi throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Taylor.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

and Salmi counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Salmi gets to his feet - Taylor follows without any prompting.

Salmi closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taylor is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Salmi is controlling him well.
A lull in the action here as Salmi stalls from top position.
Taylor is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Salmi has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taylor tries to bench press Salmi off him but Salmi keeps the position.
Taylor tries to escape but Salmi is in control.

Salmi has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Salmi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Taylor looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Taylor is looking to reverse the position.
Taylor is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Salmi is controlling him well.
Taylor sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Taylor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Taylor.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taylor has momentary wrist control but Salmi slips an elbow through the middle.
Eddie Taylor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Taylor is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Taylor tries to break the clinch but Salmi is controlling the position.
Salmi keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Taylor's efforts to push away.
Taylor wants to get back to striking at distance but Salmi won't allow it.
A frustrated look appears on Taylor's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Taylor is trying to break the clinch but Salmi has him pressed against the cage.
Taylor is trying to break free.

Taylor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Taylor misses with a double jab

and Salmi counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Salmi.
Taylor wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Salmi has him pressed against the cage.

Taylor manages to break the clinch.

Salmi closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Taylor to the mat! Taylor manages to get full guard.
Salmi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salmi pushes down on Taylor's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Taylor tries to kick Salmi off in order to stand up. Salmi Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Taylor tries to buck Salmi off but Salmi is having none of it.
Taylor is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

Salmi decides to stand back up.
Salmi tries to clinch up.
Taylor falls off balance throwing a combination

and Salmi counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taylor throws a few strikes from the bottom but Salmi takes advantage and mounts!
Taylor is working to get back to half guard.
Taylor wants to get back to his feet.
Taylor is in all sorts of trouble here.
Taylor wants to try and get back to his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Taylor is squirming around, avoiding Salmi's attempts to control the action.
Salmi tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anssi Salmi showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Salmi has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anssi Salmi!