PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Johnny LaRusso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alvaro Salazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). LaRusso comes to the ring accompanied by You're The Best!. Salazar comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Don Omar ft Tego Calderon - Bandolero kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

LaRusso
vs
Salazar

182 cm
23
197 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

180 cm
23
201 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Hell's Balls Recovery (160)

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johnny LaRusso!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alvaro Salazar!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck for Salazar with that takedown attempt.
Salazar blocks a head kick by LaRusso.
Nice takedown defense from LaRusso. No joy for Salazar on that attempt.
LaRusso scores with a kick to the midsection.

Salazar darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Salazar trying to mount his opponent but LaRusso defends it.
Salazar passes the guard and advances to mount!
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.
LaRusso is looking to improve his position but Salazar isn't that keen on the idea.
LaRusso is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Salazar had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. LaRusso defends it easily.

Salazar has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but LaRusso can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Salazar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Salazar throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Salazar is looking for a triangle here but LaRusso uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
LaRusso happy to just control the position for now.
Salazar is trying to get back to half guard.
LaRusso trying to control the position but Salazar is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
LaRusso tries to move into full mount but can't pass Salazar's legs.
Salazar tries to bench press LaRusso off him but LaRusso keeps the position.
Salazar is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
LaRusso staying calm.
Salazar regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Salazar working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. LaRusso doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. LaRusso manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Salazar wants to sweep here but LaRusso controlling him for the moment.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salazar looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but LaRusso puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Salazar is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alvaro Salazar dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Salazar shoots in for a takedown but LaRusso shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Salazar misses with a double jab
and LaRusso counters with a good low kick that Salazar was not able to check.
LaRusso misses with a body kick.
Salazar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Salazar takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
LaRusso looking to land some kicks to the body here.

Salazar looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Salazar looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
LaRusso wants to improve his position but Salazar is controlling well.
LaRusso manages to get to full guard.
Salazar throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
LaRusso working a defensive guard here.
Salazar tries to free his leg and advance position but LaRusso is retaining full guard.
Salazar trying to move into half guard but instead LaRusso has managed to sweep!

Salazar working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because LaRusso has passed into half guard!
LaRusso wants to pass the guard but Salazar is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Salazar actively working from the bottom here.
Salazar wants to improve his position but LaRusso is controlling well.
Salazar moves into full guard.

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

Salazar is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
LaRusso stopping the sweep attempt from Salazar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in LaRusso's guard.
Salazar postures up.
LaRusso pulls Salazar in close to prevent any damage.
LaRusso looking to hit a scissor sweep but Salazar is one step ahead there.
Salazar tries to free his leg and advance position but LaRusso is retaining full guard.
Salazar throwing strikes from guard but LaRusso blocks nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar trying to control but LaRusso is working from the bottom.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Salazar postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Salazar looking to pass the guard.
Salazar trying to control but LaRusso is working from the bottom.
LaRusso wants to stand up but Salazar is controlling him.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
LaRusso motions for Salazar to come forward. LaRusso throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
LaRusso avoids the body shot from Salazar.
A head kick from LaRusso lands but Salazar takes it in his stride.

It looks like Alvaro Salazar has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salazar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Salazar avoids the head kick by LaRusso.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Alvaro Salazar will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Alvaro Salazar's cut.
That's time! LaRusso's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from LaRusso. No joy for Salazar on that attempt.
Salazar shoots in and drives through. LaRusso sprawls well.
LaRusso stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and LaRusso wants it to stay on the feet.
Johnny LaRusso has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alvaro Salazar.
Horrible takedown by Salazar or perhaps it was just good defense by LaRusso which made him look bad.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
A head kick misses from LaRusso.
LaRusso pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Salazar will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
LaRusso lands a leg kick that knocks Salazar off balance momentarily.
LaRusso throws a nice head kick!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salazar shoots in but LaRusso avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Alvaro Salazar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Salazar looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
LaRusso tries to get to full guard but Salazar has control of the leg.
Salazar not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar is trying to control the action in half guard but LaRusso is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
LaRusso regains full guard. Nicely done.
Salazar trying to control the position from guard on top but LaRusso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
LaRusso manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Salazar slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Salazar is looking to get back to full guard here but LaRusso has managed to pass to side control instead.
Salazar sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar tries to get to full guard but LaRusso has control of the leg.
LaRusso tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Salazar.
Salazar tries to get to full guard but LaRusso has control of the leg.
Salazar trying to get back to full guard but LaRusso takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is looking to get to half guard.
LaRusso tries to control but Salazar wriggling away.
Salazar is trying desperately to improve position.
Alvaro Salazar has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
LaRusso controlling his opponent.
Salazar sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Salazar is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but LaRusso pulls his head out easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salazar wants to sweep but LaRusso has passed to side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alvaro Salazar.
I've got Salazar 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Alvaro Salazar!
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Alvaro Salazar!
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Alvaro Salazar!

Alvaro Salazar wins by unanimous decision!
A victorious Alvaro Salazar thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.