PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nick Salvatore (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rajja Khan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Khan has chosen tubular bells as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Nick Salvatore has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Nick Salvatore seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Salvatore
vs
Khan

175 cm
30
165 lbs
20 - 6 - 0

179 cm
26
160 lbs
8 - 0 - 2

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 20 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Nick Salvatore!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 2, fighting out of London, Rajja Khan!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Phil Schofield and James Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Khan misses with a body kick.
Khan tries to clinch up but Salvatore circles away and keeps his distance.
Salvatore throws a half hearted mid kick.
Khan closes the distance and clinches up with Salvatore, looking for a takedown. Khan pushes Salvatore against the cage but Salvatore circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Khan tries to close the distance and clinch but Salvatore swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salvatore. Khan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rajja Khan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Khan takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Khan misses with a low kick.
Khan slips a jab from Salvatore.
Khan takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Khan swings for the body but Salvatore moves out of range.
Salvatore misses the shot to the body.

Khan rushes Salvatore and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Khan blocks a body shot from Salvatore.
Salvatore trying to land knees to the body.
Khan is trying to pull guard but Salvatore has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvatore blocks an uppercut.
Khan jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Salvatore walks away with a smile on his face. Khan gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Nick Salvatore has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rajja Khan.

Khan pushes Salvatore up against the cage in a clinch.
Salvatore misses with a punch to the body.
Khan lands a shoulder strike.
Khan lands a hook that snaps the head of Salvatore backwards.
Salvatore throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Salvatore trying to land knees to the body.
Khan lands a nice uppercut.
Salvatore tries to work over Khan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short right from Khan.
Khan is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Salvatore is keeping busy.
Khan misses with a punch on the inside.
Salvatore blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Salvatore tries to throw a body punch but Khan avoids it by throwing Salvatore back against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Khan.
Salvatore tries to work over Khan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Salvatore controlling the action here for a moment.
Salvatore takes an elbow to the forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Salvatore lands a right hand that snaps the head of Khan backwards.
Khan tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Salvatore tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Khan's elbow.
Khan throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Salvatore misses with a body punch.
Salvatore tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Salvatore scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short uppercut from Khan.
Salvatore softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Khan misses with an elbow strike.

Khan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khan misses the shot to the body.
Khan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Salvatore avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Salvatore wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Khan lands a two punch combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvatore throws a body punch but Khan moves out of range.
Salvatore takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Good work by Khan as he checks the leg kick.
Jab from Khan.
Salvatore wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Khan throws a big shot that misses.
Khan misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Khan tried to score with a low kick but Salvatore checks it.
A nice inside leg kick there by Salvatore. That's going to slow Khan down.
Khan jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Khan throws a low kick but Salvatore moves out of range easily.
Salvatore swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salvatore walks into a stiff left hand from Khan.

Khan shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Salvatore manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Khan throws a strike but Salvatore rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Khan is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Khan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Khan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Khan tries to pass to full mount but Salvatore defends it.
Khan working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rajja Khan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Salvatore checks a leg kick.
Salvatore misses the body punch
letting Khan counter with a right hand.
Khan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A decent looking cross lands there for Khan.
Khan just misses with a punch to the body.
Salvatore misses with a right hand
and Khan counters with a low kick, right behind Salvatore 's knee.
The fighters circling - Khan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Salvatore throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Salvatore lands a really nice looking cross but Khan seems unphased.
Salvatore throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Khan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Salvatore counters with a left to the body.
Khan throws out a leg kick but Salvatore moves out of range and Khan only half commits.
Khan with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Salvatore to score with a decent uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salvatore. Khan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Khan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Salvatore.
Salvatore misses the shot to the body.
Salvatore gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Salvatore just misses with a punch to the body.

Khan clinches up with Salvatore and pushes him back against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Salvatore as Khan tries to tie him up.
Khan misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Khan.
Khan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Salvatore has him pressed against the cage.
The referee calls for Khan to work.
Khan prevents a body shot from Salvatore.
Khan throws a punch but it's blocked by Salvatore.
Khan blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Salvatore's elbow.
Nice elbow from Khan.

It looks like Nick Salvatore has been cut.
Salvatore lands an uppercut.
Salvatore lands with a short shot to the head.
Khan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Salvatore can't find room to land a body shot as Khan controls the action.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Khan prevents a body shot from Salvatore.

Khan drags the fight down to the ground.

Khan is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Khan keeping moving, preventing Salvatore from controlling successfully.

Khan is looking for a triangle but Salvatore pushes his legs off easily.
Salvatore trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Salvatore wants to control from the top but Khan keeps moving.
Khan has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Khan working for a triangle but Salvatore defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvatore missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Salvatore throwing strikes from guard but Khan blocks nicely.
Khan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Khan is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Salvatore won't allow Khan to pass to mount.
Salvatore has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Khan is working away from the top position though.
Khan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Khan is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Salvatore desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Khan missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Khan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Khan is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salvatore won't allow Khan to pass to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rajja Khan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Nick Salvatore's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Khan takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Salvatore just misses with a punch to the body.
Salvatore is looking to wear down Khan with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Khan throws a leg kick which misses Salvatore's front leg but catches the back leg as Salvatore tries to avoid it.
Salvatore moves out of range of the strikes.
Salvatore thows a body shot but no joy.
Salvatore throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A big left from Khan misses.
Khan just misses with a punch to the body.
Khan ducks under a wild hook from Salvatore.
A telegraphed right hand from Khan misses the target.
Salvatore takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Khan misses with a hook. Salvatore ducked under it nicely.

Khan gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan tries to throw a body punch but Salvatore avoids it by throwing Khan back against the cage.
Salvatore misses with a punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Khan.
Salvatore lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Salvatore scores with a nice hook to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Khan.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Salvatore.
Salvatore blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Salvatore fails to land.
Khan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Khan fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Khan scores with a nice hook to the head.
Salvatore tries to throw a body punch but Khan avoids it by throwing Salvatore back against the cage.
Khan is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Salvatore takes an elbow to the forehead.
Khan lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Salvatore backwards.
Still in the clinch, Khan scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Salvatore lands with a right to the head.
Khan blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Salvatore tries to throw a body punch but Khan avoids it by throwing Salvatore back against the cage.
Khan on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Rajja Khan seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Khan prevents a body shot from Salvatore.
Salvatore blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Khan fails to land.
Khan working aggressively here.
Salvatore tries to work over Khan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Khan stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Salvatore misses with a body punch.

Khan breaks the clinch.
Khan throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Salvatore's waist but Salvatore gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Khan off to one side.
Salvatore takes a jab right on the kisser.
Khan misses the body punch
and Salvatore counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Khan throws a leg kick but Salvatore checks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvatore tries to clinch but Khan moves out of range.
Salvatore just misses with a punch to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salvatore. Khan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salvatore misses with a hook. Khan ducked under it nicely.
Salvatore blocks a head kick by Khan.
Khan feints a jab promting Salvatore to slip. Khan then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Salvatore slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Khan attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Nick Salvatore has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salvatore fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Khan manages to avoid it.
A shot to the body from Salvatore misses
and Khan counters with a stiff right hand.
Khan keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Khan swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan tries a low kick but Salvatore avoids it.
Salvatore throws a right and a left that both miss.
Khan shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Salvatore pinned against the cage. Salvatore gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Nick Salvatore has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rajja Khan.
Khan cracks Salvatore with an open hand slap.
Khan scores with a nice strike.
Salvatore takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salvatore throws a sloppy body shot
and Khan counters with a good low kick that Salvatore was not able to check.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Khan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rajja Khan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Salvatore jabbing away but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rajja Khan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Khan 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rajja Khan!
After the big win, Rajja Khan made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors GTI - 1337 sponsors VERSUS and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.