PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Konstantin Kalyagin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicky Salita (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kalyagin's entrance music is Show Me Your Genitals. A fine choice. Salita has chosen Lose Yourself by Eminem as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Kalyagin
vs
Salita

189 cm
32
224 lbs
23 - 12 - 0

194 cm
26
220 lbs
20 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Konstantin Kalyagin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nicky Salita!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Columbo Gatti and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Salita fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Kalyagin sprawls well initially but Salita persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Salita connects with a nice short shot to Kalyagin's temple.
Salita working Kalyagin over with strikes.
Kalyagin wants to get back to full guard.
Salita slips a nice elbow through Kalyagin's hands, connecting with Kalyagin's forehead.
Salita has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Salita content to control rather than advance.
Salita trying to pass the guard but Kalyagin defending well.
Kalyagin is trying to get back to full guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Salita seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salita is trying to control the action in half guard but Kalyagin is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Kalyagin wants to improve his position but Salita is controlling well.
Salita wants to control but Kalyagin is keeping him busy.
Salita is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Salita trying to pass the guard but Kalyagin defending well.
Kalyagin works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kalyagin wants to stand but Salita is controlling the position.
Salita stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Kalyagin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Salita is looking to work some ground and pound but Kalyagin has wrist control.
Kalyagin can't keep his opponent in guard - Salita advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Salita working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Kalyagin is trying to get back to full guard.
Salita throws a strike but Kalyagin avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kalyagin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kalyagin wants to hit a switch here but Salita passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Kalyagin there!
Salita pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Salita is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Kalyagin keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Salita has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kalyagin's face.
Salita tries to control but Kalyagin wriggling away.
Salita fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Salita looking to control but Kalyagin is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Salita with good strikes from the mount here!
Salita tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Salita raining down hammerfists from mount.
Salita is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Kalyagin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Salita trying to control but Kalyagin is having none of it.
Salita lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kalyagin hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A head kick by Kalyagin misses
and Salita counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Salita slips a straight right by Kalyagin.
Salita throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Salita fails with an attempt to clinch.
Kalyagin closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Kalyagin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Salita shoots in and drives through. Kalyagin sprawls well.
Salita throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kalyagin's waist but Kalyagin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Salita off to one side.
A swing and a miss from Salita.
Kalyagin takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salita scores with a crisp jab that stopped Kalyagin in his tracks.
Nicky Salita is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Kalyagin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Salita throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Kalyagin's waist but Kalyagin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Salita off to one side.
Konstantin Kalyagin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nicky Salita.
Salita throws a body punch but Kalyagin moves out of range.
Salita fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Salita misses with a body kick.
Salita throws a nice looking combination but Kalyagin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Salita bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salita lands a front kick.
Salita looks to throw the jab but Kalyagin is out of range.
Salita checks a leg kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salita lands with a hook. Kalyagin tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Salita connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Kalyagin momentarily.
Kalyagin checks the leg kick.
Salita throws a hook but Kalyagin blocks it.
Kalyagin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Salita.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salita avoids a punch combination nicely.
Kalyagin takes one to the side of the head.
Kalyagin swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Salita.
Salita fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
A combination from Salita does no damage.
Salita tries to clinch up.
Salita lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salita tries to clinch but Kalyagin moves out of range.
Kalyagin throws a combination that misses
and Salita counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Nicky Salita seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Kalyagin takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Salita digs a good body shot into Kalyagin's ribs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Salita goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Salita with a nice cross.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kalyagin.
Nicky Salita seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kalyagin tried to score with a low kick but Salita checks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicky Salita showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Salita shoots in for a takedown but Kalyagin shows good takedown defense.
Salita showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kalyagin.
Salita uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Kalyagin has time to react.
A jab from Kalyagin misses.
Kalyagin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Salita slips a jab from Kalyagin.
Kalyagin walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Salita checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Salita showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Kalyagin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kalyagin misses with an uppercut. Salita saw that one coming.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salita throws a sloppy head kick and Kalyagin moves out of range easily.
Salita with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kalyagin to score with a decent uppercut.
Salita uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Kalyagin.
Salita with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Kalyagin counter with a right hand.
Salita lands with a hook. Kalyagin tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Salita lands a head kick!
Salita misses with a looping left.
Konstantin Kalyagin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Salita shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Kalyagin manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Kalyagin is looking to stand up but Salita isn't so interested in that idea.
Salita cracks Kalyagin with a solid left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salita looking to sit in guard and control but Kalyagin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Salita wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kalyagin wants to control from the top but Salita keeps moving.
Nicky Salita has got the better of the ground game so far.

Salita is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Kalyagin is aware though and is defending well.
Salita is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Kalyagin trying to control but Salita is working from the bottom.
Salita is trying to keep Kalyagin in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Konstantin Kalyagin wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Kalyagin pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Salita shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Kalyagin is trying to defend but Salita finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Kalyagin throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Salita manages to pass to side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Salita working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Kalyagin throws a couple of punches but he's in a bad position and they don't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nicky Salita comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Salita 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicky Salita!
In his post fight interview, Nicky Salita gave a big smile as he said 'I hunt to kill... enough said. '.