PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Danny Festa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jenni Salonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jenni Salonen has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Danny Festa's chin.

Festa
vs
Salonen

185 cm
26
140 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

157 cm
22
130 lbs
7 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Danny Festa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 10 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jenni Salonen!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Sergei Dronov and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salonen shoots in but Festa avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Festa leaves Salonen with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Festa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Festa will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Salonen is looking to escape.
Salonen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Festa really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Festa wants to stand up but Salonen is controlling the position.
Salonen looks like he's trying to stand up.
Festa tries to stand and escape but Salonen is controlling the position.
Festa slows the pace down in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Festa is trying to work for a kimura but Salonen is defending well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Salonen drives through with a takedown into guard.
Salonen postures up.
Salonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Salonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Salonen really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Festa. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Salonen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Festa has his hands on Salonen's head, controlling the position.
Festa is breathing heavily.
Salonen throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Festa striking off his back but it's not causing Salonen any problems.
Salonen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Festa keeping full guard, as Salonen tries to pass.
Salonen stands up over Festa, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Salonen is in close to Festa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Festa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Salonen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Festa thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Salonen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Festa controls Salonen momentarily but Salonen frees himself.
Salonen slips nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonen takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Salonen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Festa trying to control here.
Festa blocking the ground and pound attempt from Salonen.
Salonen working over Festa with some ground and pound. Festa looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Festa is looking for a sweep. Salonen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Festa is trying to stand up here but Salonen is controlling him well.
Festa has hold of Salonen's hands but Salonen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Festa has hold of Salonen's hands but Salonen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Salonen slips a nice elbow through Festa's hands, connecting with Festa's forehead.
Salonen looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Salonen has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Festa wants to control but Salonen is having none of it.
Festa is bucking up trying to escape but Salonen cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Salonen avoids the attempt from Festa to control.
Salonen with shots to the head and body - Festa looks very uncomfortable down there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Festa tries to lock up and control but Salonen gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Festa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Salonen punishing his opponent with strikes.
Salonen in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Salonen punishing his opponent with strikes.
A nice elbow there by Salonen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jenni Salonen dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Salonen doesn't manage to clinch there - Festa circles away.
Festa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Salonen sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Festa somewhat.
Jenni Salonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salonen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Festa sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Salonen somewhat.

Salonen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Salonen distracts Festa with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Salonen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Salonen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Salonen forces his way into half guard.
Salonen drops an elbow to the side of Festa's head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Salonen lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Festa wants to control but Salonen is keeping busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salonen lands with a punch from half guard.
Festa is trying to stand up here but Salonen is controlling him well.
Festa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Salonen.
Salonen thows a huge punch but Festa dodges it nicely.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Salonen lands a nice short elbow.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Salonen misses with a takedown

and Festa counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Salonen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Salonen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Salonen has a closed guard, preventing Festa from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salonen has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Festa tries to stand but Salonen is controlling from the bottom.
Festa wants to control from the top but Salonen keeps moving.

Salonen wriggles free and stands up.

Salonen feints and as Festa raises his hands in defense, Salonen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonen scoring with some ground and pound.
Jenni Salonen has got the better of the ground game so far.
Festa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Salonen trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Festa manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Festa passes Salonen's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Festa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Salonen trying to control but Festa postures up.

Salonen makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salonen doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Festa counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Danny Festa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jenni Salonen.
Festa with a flurry of punches that miss.

Salonen has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Festa off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Danny Festa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Salonen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Festa was covering up waiting for the punch and Salonen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salonen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Festa's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salonen landing some decent shots from guard.
Salonen looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jenni Salonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

Salonen shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Salonen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Salonen tries to pass the half guard into mount. Festa knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Festa trying to control here.

Festa looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Salonen working over Festa with some ground and pound. Festa looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Festa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salonen slips a nice elbow through Festa's hands, connecting with Festa's forehead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salonen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Festa is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Salonen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Salonen's back!
Salonen wants to get back to his feet.
Festa throwing sloppy strikes.
Salonen is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.

Festa working for a choke but Salonen is defending well.
Festa scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Salonen is looking for a way out.

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.
Festa misses with a punch to the head.
Salonen has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Festa somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
I really don't envy Salonen right now.
Festa somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Festa is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Salonen is keeping busy.

Festa is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Jenni Salonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A lull in the action here.

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.
Salonen breaks Festa's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
Festa is looking to stand up but Salonen isn't so interested in that idea.
Salonen cracks Festa with a solid left hand.
Salonen trying to control the position from guard on top but Festa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Salonen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Salonen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salonen thows a huge punch but Festa dodges it nicely.
Salonen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Festa with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Danny Festa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salonen lands strikes from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jenni Salonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Salonen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jenni Salonen!