PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Fuego Salsa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dropkick Murphy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fuego Salsa is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Salsa
vs
Murphy

168 cm
23
152 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

170 cm
23
151 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

-GTI- Divine Clothing

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fuego Salsa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Dropkick Murphy!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Sergei Dronov and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Salsa shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Salsa drops back, looking for a kneebar! Murphy looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Murphy looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Murphy!
Murphy throws a strike aimed at the side of Salsa's head but Salsa avoids it well.
The referee asks Murphy politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Murphy prefers to stall for the moment though.
Salsa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Murphy slows the pace down.
Salsa is looking to reverse the position.
Salsa manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Murphy is controlling Salsa's trapped leg to prevent Salsa from advancing to side control.

Salsa is looking for a kimura but Murphy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Salsa to get the leverage.
Murphy tries to roll over but Salsa keeps him under control.

Salsa is working for a kimura but Murphy is defending it quite comfortably.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Murphy trying to hold on to Salsa's head to control him but Salsa postures up.
Murphy is staying active underneath Salsa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Murphy wants to improve his position but Salsa is controlling well.
Murphy makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Murphy.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Murphy is on top in guard.
Murphy must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Murphy controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Murphy trying to control but Salsa is working from the bottom.
Murphy might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Salsa kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Murphy preventing the sweep.
Salsa is controlling Murphy's posture.
Salsa bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Murphy's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Salsa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Murphy is pulling down on Salsa's head to control his posture.
Salsa trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Salsa wants to pass the guard but Murphy is keeping the position.

Salsa drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Salsa jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Salsa wants to control from the top but Murphy keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salsa sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Murphy's guard.
Murphy is staying active underneath Salsa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Salsa is really struggling to control Murphy but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Salsa is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Murphy has managed to free his arm - good work.
Salsa is breathing heavily.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Salsa looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Murphy is looking for a sweep. Salsa is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Murphy trying to control here.
Murphy wants to improve his position but Salsa is controlling well.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Salsa lands a nice short elbow.
Salsa keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is trying to get back to full guard.
Salsa trying to control from half guard but Murphy is working away.
Murphy wants to control but Salsa is keeping busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Murphy connects with the punch.
Murphy looks to score with a jab to the body but Salsa is just out of range.
Fuego Salsa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Murphy waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Salsa.
Salsa shoots in looking for a takedown. Murphy tries to sprawl out of it but Salsa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Murphy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Salsa fails with the takedown.

Salsa drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Salsa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Murphy has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fuego Salsa dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Murphy throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Salsa on the side of the head.
Murphy scores with a body shot.
Salsa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Murphy as he avoids it easily.
Nice takedown defense from Murphy. No joy for Salsa on that attempt.
Salsa misses with a hook.
A jab from Murphy misses.
Murphy waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Salsa.

Murphy gets caught flat footed, as Salsa shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Murphy is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salsa is looking to reverse the position.
Who's going to make the next move?
Murphy controls the position.
Murphy is looking to take a break and control but Salsa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Salsa's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Salsa gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Salsa wants to control but Murphy is keeping busy.
Murphy is just content to waste time from the top position. Salsa takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salsa looking for a sweep. Not yet Salsa, not yet.
Murphy trying to control but Salsa is working from the bottom.

Salsa wriggles free and stands up.
Murphy throws a sloppy head kick and Salsa moves out of range easily.

Salsa looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Salsa looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Salsa frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Murphy is desperately trying to improve his position but Salsa has a good base and remains in mount.
Murphy tries to hold on but Salsa postures up.
Murphy is working to get back to half guard.

Salsa is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Murphy has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Murphy bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Salsa pushes Murphy off and scrambles back to his feet.
Salsa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Murphy sprawls well. Murphy wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Salsa gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fuego Salsa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Murphy throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salsa shoots in and bounces Murphy off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

Salsa drops back looking for a leg! Murphy is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Murphy manages to kick Salsa off! Salsa jumps back into Murphy's guard.
Murphy is trying to control the position but Salsa postures up.
Salsa trying to control but Murphy is working from the bottom.
Salsa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Murphy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Murphy working a defensive guard here.
Murphy keeping full guard, as Salsa tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fuego Salsa dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Salsa shoots in looking for a takedown. Murphy tries to sprawl out of it but Salsa keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Murphy manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Murphy misses with an attempted mid kick.
Salsa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Murphy throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Nice sprawl there from Murphy as Salsa shoots in.
Murphy looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Salsa is fending him off so far but Murphy persists. Nope, Salsa circles away and we're back to standing.

Salsa looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Salsa passes Murphy's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Murphy wants to get back to his feet.

Salsa looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Salsa is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Murphy has managed to free his arm - good work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salsa looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

Salsa is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Murphy is trying to get back to full guard.
Salsa looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Murphy connects with a single shot there.

That's two 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.
A big left from Murphy misses.
Salsa stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Salsa wants it to stay on the feet.

Salsa drives through with a takedown into guard.
Salsa won't allow Murphy to sweep him here.

Salsa drops back looking for a submission - "I'm sorry sir, but I'm gunna break your leg" says Salsa as he cranks on the unfortunate limb! Murphy screams and taps out before any major damage is done! Don't mess with Salsa! Nice submission victory there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Fuego Salsa!