PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Garry Buttridge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rob Salek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rob Salek is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Buttridge
vs
Salek

160 cm
20
135 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

160 cm
20
137 lbs
5 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Garry Buttridge!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Rob Salek!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Buttridge.
Salek scores with a jab. Buttridge acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Buttridge circles away from the clinch attempt.
Buttridge blocks a head kick by Salek.
Salek tries to clinch but Buttridge is having none of it.
Salek throws a sloppy head kick and Buttridge moves out of range easily.
Rob Salek seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Buttridge fails with the takedown.
An inside leg kick lands from Salek.
Buttridge is trying hard to land a takedown here. Salek sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Garry Buttridge. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Buttridge ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Buttridge clinches but Salek breaks the clinch
and Salek counters with a nice uppercut.
Salek throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Buttridge rushes Salek and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Buttridge working hard to break the clinch.
Buttridge can't break the clinch.

Salek manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salek avoids a punch combination nicely.
Buttridge tries for a takedown but Salek circles away easily

and Salek counters with a shoot takedown. Buttridge fights it but they end up in guard.
Buttridge is breathing heavily.

Buttridge working for a triangle but Salek defends it easily.

Salek decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Salek lands a big head kick that sends Buttridge tumbling to the mat! Salek takes a step backwards and waves Buttridge back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Buttridge is rocked!

It looks like Garry Buttridge has been cut.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Oh Buttridge is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Salek with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salek is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Buttridge seems to have got his legs back now.
Salek with a knee to the head.
Salek lands a hook that snaps the head of Buttridge backwards.

Salek breaks from the clinch.

Salek closes the distance and clinches.
A shot in the inside from Salek.

Salek is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Buttridge can't fight it off and eventually Salek manages to take the fight to the floor. Buttridge looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Salek gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Salek gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Salek lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salek connects with a knee to the head.
Salek slows down the pace here.

Salek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Salek gets a clinch.

Salek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Salek gets a clinch.
Salek lands a good knee to the midsection. Buttridge won't want to take too many of those.

Salek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knees to the body from Salek.
Salek lands a nice knee to the body.

Salek has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Buttridge uses from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buttridge wants to stand and escape but instead Salek has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Salek gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Salek keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
An inside leg kick lands from Salek.

Salek shoots in and bounces Buttridge off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Buttridge is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Salek dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Garry Buttridge's cut.
That's time! Buttridge's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A jab from Salek does it's job there.
Buttridge wants to clinch but Salek slips to the side

and Salek counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Salek breaks from the clinch.

Buttridge feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Buttridge wants to control from the top but Salek keeps moving.

Salek scrambles and gets back to his feet.
A nice leg kick lands there from Salek.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Salek scores a takedown into full mount!
Salek takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salek prevents Buttridge from getting the reversal.
Salek avoids the attempt from Buttridge to control.

Salek stands up from mount. Strange move.
Buttridge tries to clinch but Salek moves away
and Salek counters with a big head kick but Buttridge shrugs it off.
Salek is trying hard to land a takedown here. Buttridge sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Buttridge misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Salek.
A head kick from Salek lands but Buttridge takes it in his stride.
Salek doesn't manage to clinch there - Buttridge circles away.

Salek has taken the fight to the clinch.
Buttridge tries to pull guard but Salek won't allow it.
Salek throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Buttridge tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Salek just stands there and leans against the cage.
Salek prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Garry Buttridge. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salek unloads a knee to the mid-section. Buttridge lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Buttridge looking to stall.

Salek's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buttridge tries for a takedown but Salek circles away easily

and Salek counters by moving into the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Buttridge.
Buttridge throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Salek blocks it with crossed arms.
Buttridge is looking to break free of the clinch but Salek has double underhooks.
Salek comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Salek throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Buttridge blocks it with crossed arms.

Salek jumps into guard, dragging Buttridge to the mat.
Buttridge wants to control from the top but Salek keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Salek uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buttridge tries for a takedown but Salek circles away easily

and Salek counters with a single leg into guard. Buttridge didn't expect that.
Salek would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Rob Salek has got the better of the ground game so far.

Salek stands up and waves to Buttridge to follow him.

Buttridge shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salek keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob Salek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Garry Buttridge's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Buttridge gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A frustrated look appears on Buttridge's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Buttridge blocks an elbow strike from Salek.
Buttridge wants a takedown but no success here.

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

Buttridge tries to keep at a distance but Salek has taken the fight into the clinch.
Buttridge misses with a knee to the head.
Salek pressing his opponent against the cage.
Salek with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Salek breaks from the clinch.
A solid leg kick lands there for Salek.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buttridge is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The referee calls for Salek to work.
Salek connects with a knee to the head.
Salek slowing the pace effectively.
Buttridge fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Salek is stalling here.
Salek scores with a shoulder strike.

Salek jumps guard.
Salek is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Buttridge is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Buttridge would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Salek keeping moving, preventing Buttridge from controlling successfully.
Buttridge thows a big elbow that misses.
Buttridge controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Salek manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salek fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Salek has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Buttridge throws a head kick that misses

and Salek counters by moving into the clinch.
Buttridge tries a knee to the head but Salek blocks it.

Salek breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Buttridge.
Buttridge tries for a takedown but Salek circles away easily

and Salek counters by moving into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Garry Buttridge. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Buttridge is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Salek lands a damaging elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Salek has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Buttridge is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Buttridge wants to break the clinch but can't.
Salek tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Salek creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Buttridge's defenses.
Salek stalls.
Buttridge wants a takedown but no success here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Salek pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Garry Buttridge has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rob Salek is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Salek has managed to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rob Salek comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Salek has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 26:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rob Salek!