PBP Commentary

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

Law
vs
Salsa

175 cm
25
152 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

168 cm
28
152 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Experienced

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Good gas tank

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, Spike Law!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Fuego Salsa!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Konstantin Menshow and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Law misses the shot to the body.
Law wants to clinch but Salsa slips to the side
and Salsa counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Law pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Salsa waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Law.
Law stuffs the takedown attempt from Salsa. Salsa gets slowly back to his feet.
Law scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Law fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Salsa looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Law!
Law looks to land a right hand but Salsa moved out of range.
Law lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A jab from Salsa misses.
Law scores with a jab. Salsa acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Salsa will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salsa fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Spike Law has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fuego Salsa.
Law keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Salsa.
Law lands with a good body shot.
Salsa takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Law misses the shot to the body.
Salsa doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Law counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice shot lands for Law.
Law lands with an uppercut that bounces Salsa off the ropes and back into rage.
Salsa takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Law throws a hook but Salsa avoids it easily.
Law throws a hook but Salsa avoids it easily.
Salsa looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Law throws a right and a left that Salsa avoids nicely.
Spike Law seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salsa ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Law is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Law feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Salsas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Salsa defending well as Law loads up on a big left hand.
Nice shot lands for Law.
Salsa throws a lazy right hand but Law sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Salsa moves out of range as Law strikes.

Salsa scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Law is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salsa is looking to advance position but Law won't allow it.
Salsa perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Salsa passes the guard and advances to mount!
Law really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Salsa moves to take his opponent's back.

Salsa tightening his grip on Law, looking for the choke.

Salsa is working hard for the rear naked choke here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Law defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Law preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Salsa.

Salsa looking for the choke but no joy.
Law wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Salsa is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
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!

Law misses with a left hand

so Salsa counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Law is trying to control the position but Salsa postures up.
Law keeping moving, preventing Salsa from controlling successfully.
Salsa sitting in guard here, content to control.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Salsa thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Law keeping moving, preventing Salsa from controlling successfully.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Salsa advances position into side control!

Salsa tries for a kimura but Law is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salsa tries for a kimura but Law is defending well.
You can see the frustration on Law's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Salsa is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Law has escaped the position, nice work there.
Salsa moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Law is not content to let Salsa control the position.
Law wants to control but Salsa postures up.
Fuego Salsa has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Salsa advances nicely into full mount.
Salsa trying to control but Law is having none of it.

Salsa looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Law is trying to reverse the position but instead Salsa has taken his back - oops!

Salsa has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Law has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Law just trying to survive but Salsa is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Salsa looking for the choke from the back.

Salsa working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salsa wants to control but Law manages to buck him off and is now in Salsa's guard! Nice work there by Law!
Salsa controls Law momentarily but Law frees himself.
Salsa has Law pulled in close to control his posture.
Law has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Salsa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Salsa looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Salsa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Salsa keeping moving, preventing Law from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salsa trying to control the position.

Salsa throws his legs up looking for a submission but Law uses it to pass to side control.
Law trying to control the action but Salsa is working from the bottom.
Salsa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Salsa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Salsa manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Law trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Salsa manages to pass to mount!
Salsa can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Law is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fuego Salsa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Law throws out a loose jab but Salsa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Law looks to land a right hand but Salsa moved out of range.
Law falls off balance throwing a combination

and Salsa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Law's guard.
Law lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Salsa!
Salsa regains half guard.
Salsa wants to control the action here but instead Law manages to pass to full mount!
Salsa bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salsa forces his way into half guard.

Law is defending against the submission attempts here by Salsa.

Salsa is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Law sees it coming and defends easily.
Salsa is trying to control. Law wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Law knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Salsa on the ground.
Law tries to get to full guard but Salsa has control of the leg.
Salsa passes the guard and advances to mount!

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.

Law defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Salsa.
Salsa wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

Salsa is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Law has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Law!

Salsa looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Law has picked Salsa up and slammed him! Salsa can't keep hold of the triangle and Law manages to pass to side control!
Salsa is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the ropes but Law has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Law trying to control the action but Salsa is working from the bottom.
Salsa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salsa manages to get back to half guard.
Law is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Salsa avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Law.
Spike Law has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Law tries to stand but can't do so whilst Salsa controls his leg.

Salsa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Salsa pushes Law off looking to stand but Law dives back in and keeps control.
Salsa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Law stays in close to Salsa's body and controls the position.
Salsa is trying to control the position but Law postures up.

Salsa bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Salsa moves out of range of the strikes.
Law scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A big left from Law misses.
Salsa on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Salsa moves out of range as Law strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fuego Salsa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Salsa 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight for Fuego Salsa!
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Fuego Salsa!
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight for Fuego Salsa!

Fuego Salsa wins by unanimous decision!