PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jack Salamador (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cid Strife (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Strife is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Tool - Ticks and Leeches. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Salamador
vs
Strife

180 cm
21
158 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

183 cm
27
167 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Salamador!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Cid Strife!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Skip Squint and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strife tries to close the distance and clinch but Salamador swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Strife moves to clinch but Salamador breaks away
and Salamador counters with a nice uppercut.

Salamador has taken the fight to the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Salamador drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strife pulls his leg out and moves away.
Strife fails in his attempt to clinch.
Salamador throws a lazy right hand but Strife sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Salamador thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strife tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Salamador paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Strife moves to clinch but Salamador breaks away
and Salamador counters with a stiff right hand.

Strife instigates a clinch.
Salamador is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Salamador trying to control the position but instead, Strife has worked for underhooks and has pushed Salamador into the cage.
Strife connects with a knee to the head.
Strife utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Strife lands a knee to the body.
Strife stops a takedown attempt from Salamador.
Salamador drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strife pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Salamador. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salamador misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Strife tries to clinch but Salamador moves out of range.
Strife throws a nice head kick!
Salamador swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Decent striking displayed by Salamador there.
Salamador throws a lazy right hand but Strife sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Strife throws a solid leg kick but Salamador takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Strife.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strife slips under a jab.

Salamador gets a double leg takedown into Strife's guard.
Strife utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Strife keeping full guard, as Salamador tries to pass.
Salamador is working hard here to advance position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salamador throwing strikes but missing.
Salamador wants to control from the top but Strife keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Strife ducks right into an uppercut from Salamador.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Salamador dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Strife clinches up against the cage.
Salamador lands a nice uppercut.
Salamador is trying to drag Strife to the mat but Strife just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Salamador escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Strife stuffs the takedown.
Salamador misses the shot to the body.
Strife tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Salamador connects with a jab.
Strife wants to clinch.
Crunch! Strife slams his shin into Salamador's torso.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strife tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salamador swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Strife is looking to clinch but Salamador is avoiding it.

Strife forces Salamador back against the cage and clinches.
Salamador is trying to drag Strife to the mat but Strife just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Salamador. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salamador dodges an elbow strike from Strife.
Salamador avoids the elbow strike from Strife, against the cage.
Salamador has Strife pressed against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Strife just misses with a elbow thrown towards Salamador's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salamador is trying to break the clinch but Strife is controlling him.
Salamador is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Strife is keeping busy.
Salamador is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Strife pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Salamador is looking to take this one to the mat.
Salamador goes for a takedown attempt but Strife pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Strife tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Salamador manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Strife tries to clinch but Salamador is having none of it.
Salamador misses with a wild body shot.
Salamador will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strife steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Salamador.
Salamador keeps the fight on the outside.
Salamador uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Strife has time to react.
Strife is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Strife closes the distance and pushes Salamador back into the cage.
Strife missing with knees to the body.
Strife tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Salamador is looking to break free of the clinch but Strife has double underhooks.
Salamador misses with some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strife unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Strife looking to throw knees to the head but Salamador is blocking nicely.
Salamador is trying to break free.
Strife scores with a knee to the head.
Salamador blocks an elbow strike from Strife.
Strife looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Salamador in his tracks for a moment.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Strife just misses with a elbow thrown towards Salamador's brow.
Salamador is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Strife is defending well.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Strife obliges.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salamador stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Salamador jumps guard but Strife turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Salamador has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Strife after a bit of a struggle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strife is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Strife lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Strife throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Salamador blocks it with crossed arms.
Strife throws a knee to the head but misses.
Strife blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cid Strife showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Strife moves in looking to clinch but Salamador pushes him off.
Salamador thows a body shot but no joy.
Salamador has a takedown stuffed.
The fight stays on the outside here - Strife looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Strife is looking to clinch.
Strife fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cid Strife is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salamador throws a jab but it's blocked by Strife.

Strife moves into range and clinches up with Salamador.
Salamador controlling the action here for a moment.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Strife pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Salamador tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Salamador drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strife pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Salamador. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salamador has his takedown stuffed
and Strife counters with a leg kick.

Strife clinches up with Salamador and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strife lands a knee to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Strife just misses with a elbow thrown towards Salamador's brow.
Salamador tries a body shot but Strife blocks it.
Salamador doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Strife connects with a nasty looking knee right to Salamador's face.
Strife misses with an elbow over the top.
Strife misses with an elbow strike.
Strife tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Salamador stalling in the clinch but Strife improves position.
Strife creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Salamador's defenses.
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Salamador in his tracks for a moment.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salamador takes an elbow to the forehead.
Salamador is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Strife gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Strife pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Salamador takes an elbow to the temple.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Strife.
Salamador doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salamador is looking to control Strife's arms but Strife gets an underhook and turns him. Now Salamador has his back to the cage.
Salamador dodges an elbow strike from Strife.
Salamador leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strife pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Salamador is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Strife is keeping busy.
Strife misses with an elbow strike.
Salamador drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Strife creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Salamador's defenses.
Strife landing knees to the head.
Salamador is trying to break the clinch but Strife is controlling him.
Salamador is looking to take this one to the mat.
Strife lands an elbow inside.
Salamador wants to break the clinch but can't.
Strife lands a knee to the head.
Strife with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Strife lands a good knee to the midsection. Salamador won't want to take too many of those.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Strife lands a nice knee to the body.
Strife misses with a knee strike.
Salamador tries to pull guard but Strife holds him up against the cage and eventually Salamador drops back down to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salamador tries for a takedown. No joy.
Salamador scores with a hook to the body.
Strife lands an elbow that stopped Salamador in his tracks for a moment.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Strife lands a nice knee to the body.
Salamador looking to stall.
Cid Strife seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Salamador takes an elbow to the temple.
Salamador avoids a wild elbow strike from Strife.
Salamador trying to stall but Strife improves his position.
Strife lands an elbow inside that Salamador shrugs off.
Salamador is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Strife to keep the fight standing.
Salamador tries to break the clinch but Strife is controlling the position.
Strife using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Salamador is trying to break the clinch but Strife has him pressed against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Strife tries to land a knee to the head but Salamador blocks with his arms.
Strife is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Salamador is keeping busy.
Strife with a knee to the head.
Salamador takes an elbow to the forehead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cid Strife comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Strife has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cid Strife!
Cid Strife seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.