PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mike Saltalamacchia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Samuel Crosby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Samuel Crosby has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Saltalamacchia
vs
Crosby

185 cm
22
182 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

184 cm
20
192 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mike Saltalamacchia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Samuel Crosby!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Gwen Towbar and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Crosby fails in his attempt to clinch.

Saltalamacchia darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Saltalamacchia is controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Crosby tries to roll over but Saltalamacchia keeps him under control.
Saltalamacchia frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Crosby is trying to escape the mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Saltalamacchia wants to take his opponent's back but Crosby doesn't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crosby tries to lock up and control but Saltalamacchia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Saltalamacchia sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Crosby is looking to get to half guard.
Crosby bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Crosby stands and throws Saltalamacchia's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Saltalamacchia tries to improve position but can't.
Crosby wants to control but Saltalamacchia is keeping him busy.
Crosby laying and praying for a moment but Saltalamacchia takes advantage and regains half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Crosby in particular looking to stall.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saltalamacchia is looking for a sweep. Crosby is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Crosby is trying to work for a kimura but Saltalamacchia is defending well.
Crosby looks gassed!
Crosby prevents Saltalamacchia from improving his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Saltalamacchia shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Saltalamacchia showed some decent athleticism there.

Saltalamacchia is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Crosby is just riding it out for now. Saltalamacchia eventually gives up the hold.

Crosby kicks off Saltalamacchia and gets to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Saltalamacchia looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Saltalamacchia prevents Crosby from improving his position.

Saltalamacchia is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Crosby defends it well.
Saltalamacchia controlling the pace.
Saltalamacchia is tying to control. Crosby wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Saltalamacchia seems to be working for a kimura but Crosby defends the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saltalamacchia with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Saltalamacchia moves nicely into side control.
Saltalamacchia content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Crosby is looking to regain half guard here but Saltalamacchia keeps moving and retains side control.
Saltalamacchia has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Crosby!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Saltalamacchia dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Crosby tries to clinch up but Saltalamacchia circles away and keeps his distance.

Saltalamacchia shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Crosby keeping moving, preventing Saltalamacchia from controlling successfully.
Crosby trying to keep a closed guard but Saltalamacchia is proving a slippery customer.
Saltalamacchia is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Crosby is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Saltalamacchia tries to free his leg and advance position but Crosby is retaining full guard.
Saltalamacchia is stalling in the full guard.
Crosby is looking to stand up but Saltalamacchia isn't so interested in that idea.
Crosby trying to keep a closed guard but Saltalamacchia is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Crosby keeps Saltalamacchia at a distance using the push kick.
Crosby shoots and misses

and Saltalamacchia counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Saltalamacchia decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Crosby misses with a takedown

and Saltalamacchia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Saltalamacchia is stalling here. Crosby is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Saltalamacchia seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Crosby has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Crosby trying to control the position but Saltalamacchia is working away.
An elbow from Crosby crashes against the mat.
Saltalamacchia tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Crosby wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Saltalamacchia prevents Crosby from improving position.
Saltalamacchia is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crosby wants to lay and pray for a moment but Saltalamacchia keeps working.
Saltalamacchia sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Saltalamacchia is holding on to half guard well.
Crosby wants to lay and pray for a moment but Saltalamacchia keeps working.
Saltalamacchia is on the bottom, trying to hold on to half guard. He's throwing a few small shots here, to keep his opponent honest.
Mike Saltalamacchia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Saltalamacchia looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Crosby wants to pass the guard but Saltalamacchia is defending well.
Saltalamacchia is not content to let Crosby control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saltalamacchia is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Crosby's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Crosby's back!
Crosby tries to escape the position.
Crosby trying to control but not successfully.
Crosby prevents Saltalamacchia from getting a body triangle.
Saltalamacchia controlling the position well here. Crosby rolled but Saltalamacchia kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

Crosby is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Saltalamacchia working for the choke.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saltalamacchia controlling well, preventing Crosby from escaping the position.
Saltalamacchia just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Crosby is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.

Saltalamacchia scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Saltalamacchia is looking for a kimura here.
Crosby moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Saltalamacchia drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Crosby manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Saltalamacchia has Crosby in his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Saltalamacchia dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Crosby moves out of range as Saltalamacchia strikes.
Saltalamacchia shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Crosby pinned against the cage. Crosby gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Crosby avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Saltalamacchia is looking to clinch.
Saltalamacchia throws a leg kick but Crosby sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Crosby tries for a takedown but Saltalamacchia circles away easily

and Saltalamacchia counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Saltalamacchia is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Crosby takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saltalamacchia missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Saltalamacchia escapes and gets back to his feet.

Saltalamacchia feints and as Crosby raises his hands in defense, Saltalamacchia changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Saltalamacchia passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Crosby is trying to improve his position.
Crosby is trying to escape the position but Saltalamacchia is controlling the position.
Saltalamacchia advances to mount.
Crosby is wriggling around here but as he tries to escape, Saltalamacchia has taken his back.
Saltalamacchia has the hooks in. Crosby is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Crosby is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Crosby trying to control the action but Saltalamacchia just sinks the hooks in.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saltalamacchia is trying to stick to Crosby's back but Crosby is turning into Saltalamacchia. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Saltalamacchia's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Crosby.
Crosby trying to control but Saltalamacchia is working from the bottom.
Crosby tries to free his leg and advance position but Saltalamacchia is retaining full guard.
Crosby sitting in guard here, content to control.

Saltalamacchia looking for a guillotine here but Crosby defends easily.

Saltalamacchia is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Crosby has his hands clasped together but Saltalamacchia extends an breaks Crosby's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Saltalamacchia.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Mike Saltalamacchia!