PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Sami Saalistaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Debo Micthell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Saalistaja
vs
Micthell

175 cm
26
177 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
26
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Unique Wear and Custom Design

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Sami Saalistaja!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Debo Micthell!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Donatello Bradman and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Micthell drives through with a takedown into Saalistaja's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Saalistaja preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Saalistaja controls Micthell momentarily but Micthell frees himself.
Micthell is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Micthell with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Micthell throwing strikes from guard but Saalistaja blocks nicely.
Micthell is looking to work some ground and pound but Saalistaja has wrist control.
Micthell works over Saalistaja with some ground and pound from guard.
Saalistaja can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Micthell controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Micthell scoring with some ground and pound.
Micthell's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Micthell stands up over Saalistaja, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Micthell landing some decent shots from guard.
Micthell postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Micthell trying to control the position from guard on top but Saalistaja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Saalistaja knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Micthell on the ground.
Micthell throws a strike but Saalistaja rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Micthell is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Micthell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Saalistaja defends well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Micthell avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Saalistaja throws an elbow that misses. Micthell uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Saalistaja's guard. Nice move by Micthell!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Micthell lands a couple of digs.
Micthell controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Micthell trying to control the position from guard on top but Saalistaja is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Saalistaja can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Micthell controls the pace.
Micthell works over Saalistaja with some ground and pound from guard.
Saalistaja is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Micthell is controlling Saalistaja's trapped leg to prevent Saalistaja from advancing to side control.
Micthell has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Saalistaja is working away from the top position though.
Micthell gets back to full guard.

Micthell has his feet on Saalistaja's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

Micthell fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Saalistaja sprawls well initially but Micthell persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
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!
Saalistaja is trying to stand up here but Micthell is controlling him well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Micthell lands a nice short elbow.
Micthell throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Saalistaja to regain full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Debo Micthell dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Some wild striking there from Micthell.
Saalistaja tries to clinch up but Micthell circles away and keeps his distance.

Saalistaja moves into range and clinches up with Micthell.
Saalistaja prevents a takedown attempt there.

Saalistaja pulls guard.
Micthell's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Micthell is in close to Saalistaja's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Saalistaja keeping moving, preventing Micthell from controlling successfully.
Debo Micthell has got the better of the ground game so far.
Micthell postures up and lands a big shot to Saalistaja's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Micthell's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Micthell is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Micthell postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

Micthell avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Micthell throws a big elbow that misses.
Micthell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Micthell is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Micthell has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Debo Micthell wasn't active enough on the ground.
Micthell displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Saalistaja throws out the jab.
Micthell shoots for a double leg takedown but Saalistaja sprawls well. He's pushed Micthell's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Saalistaja displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Micthell.
Sami Saalistaja has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Debo Micthell.
Saalistaja tries for a takedown but Micthell sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saalistaja closes the distance but Micthell moves to the side

and Micthell counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Nice strikes from Micthell there.
Micthell slows the pace down in half guard.
Saalistaja is trying to stand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Micthell looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Saalistaja with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Micthell works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Micthell scoring with punches from side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Micthell lands an elbow.
Micthell has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Saalistaja tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Micthell wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Saalistaja takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Saalistaja is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
A lull in the action here as Micthell stalls from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Debo Micthell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Micthell fails with the takedown.
Saalistaja is looking to clinch but Micthell is avoiding it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Micthell.
Micthell scores with a couple of short elbows.
Saalistaja is looking to reverse the position.
Micthell scoring with punches and elbows.
Micthell landing a few strikes.
Saalistaja is working to avoid the ground and pound but Micthell connects with a decent elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Micthell in side control lands a decent elbow.
Saalistaja taking punishment in the form of punches.
Saalistaja takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Micthell gets to mount! Saalistaja was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Saalistaja is in a horrible position here. Micthell smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Micthell lands a heavy elbow.
Micthell with a couple of short strikes.
Micthell landing punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Micthell cracks Saalistaja with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Micthell punishing his opponent with strikes.
Micthell controlling his opponent.
Micthell landing shots from mount.
Micthell controlling the pace for now.
Micthell landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Micthell is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Micthell with the ground and pound from mount.
Micthell cracks Saalistaja with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Micthell in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
BOOM! Micthell connects with a massive shot to the dome!
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!
Micthell landing strikes from the mount.
BOOM! Micthell connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Saalistaja is rocked!
Micthell postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Saalistaja bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Micthell and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Debo Micthell!