PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alvaro Salazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pierre Gautier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salazar comes to the cage accompanied by Don Omar ft Tego Calderon - Bandolero. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Salazar
vs
Gautier

180 cm
27
201 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

187 cm
34
202 lbs
29 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

ACME-Blood Red Q158 Always $30 (5% Laundry SALE)
Untouchable Fight Nutrition

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 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alvaro Salazar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Pierre Gautier!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salazar fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Donk. Gautier catches Salazar right on the button with a cross.

It looks like Alvaro Salazar has been cut.
Gautier displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Salazar throws out the jab.
Gautier gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Salazar.
Gautier on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Gautier plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
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!
Salazar dips to his left and cracks Gautier with an uppercut!

Salazar closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Gautier to the mat! Gautier manages to get full guard.
Salazar scoring with some ground and pound.
Gautier controlling Salazar's posture.
Salazar postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Salazar trying to control the position from guard on top but Gautier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gautier keeping full guard, as Salazar tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar is looking to advance position but Gautier has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Gautier prevents Salazar from getting the reversal.

Gautier is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Salazar to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Salazar shrugs it off.
Gautier controlling the position easily from mount.
Salazar wants to control but Gautier is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is trying to escape the mount.
Gautier controlling his opponent.
Salazar working to try and regain half guard.
Salazar manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gautier throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Gautier tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Gautier is trying to control the action in half guard but Salazar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Salazar is trying to get back to full guard.
Salazar is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Gautier jumps into side control!
Salazar tries to buck Gautier off but Gautier is having none of it.
Salazar looking for a sweep but Gautier has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Salazar manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Salazar is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gautier pulls his head out easily.
Salazar wants to get back to full guard.

Salazar is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Gautier pulls his head out easily.
Salazar manages to get to full guard.
Gautier wants to control from the top but Salazar keeps moving.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Salazar throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alvaro Salazar dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alvaro Salazar's cut.
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.

Salazar tries to land a leg kick but Gautier saw it coming and moves away.
No luck for Salazar with that takedown attempt.

Salazar closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Salazar tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gautier knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Salazar is working hard here to advance position.
Salazar throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Salazar prevents Gautier from standing back up.
Gautier is trying to maintain the position but Salazar is very close to passing his half guard.
Alvaro Salazar overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Gautier avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Salazar.

Gautier is defending against the submission attempts here by Salazar.
Gautier is staying active underneath Salazar, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Gautier won't allow Salazar to pass to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar looks to land a strike but Gautier avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Salazar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gautier works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Salazar trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gautier has momentary wrist control but Salazar slips an elbow through the middle.
Gautier looking for a sweep. Not yet Gautier, not yet.
Salazar throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gautier works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Salazar with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
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!
Salazar tries to free his leg and advance position but Gautier is retaining full guard.
Salazar trying to control the position from guard on top but Gautier is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Gautier is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gautier's head.
Salazar throws a strike but Gautier rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Salazar is looking for a triangle but Gautier pushes his legs off easily.

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

Salazar working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gautier doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gautier manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Salazar wants to control but Gautier passes easily into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar is refusing to be controlled, as Gautier sits in half guard.
Salazar is trying to get back to full guard.

Salazar looking for submissions off his back.
Gautier wants to control but Salazar is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salazar is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alvaro Salazar dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Alvaro Salazar's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gautier throws a head kick that Salazar semi-blocks.

Salazar shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Salazar throws a strike but Gautier rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Gautier trying to control but Salazar is working from the bottom.
Salazar has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Salazar looking for a sweep. Not yet Salazar, not yet.

Salazar working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Gautier has passed into half guard!
Gautier prevents Salazar from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar is looking to control Gautier's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Salazar avoid being mounted?
Gautier prevents Salazar from improving his position.

Salazar actively working from the bottom here.
Salazar tries to roll over but Gautier keeps him under control.
Gautier missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar gets back to full guard.

Salazar looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Gautier passes into side control.
Gautier happy to just control the position for now.
Salazar is looking to reverse the position.
Salazar gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Salazar moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Salazar is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gautier defends well.
Gautier must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar has a closed guard, preventing Gautier from standing up.

Salazar looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gautier has picked Salazar up and slammed him! Salazar can't keep hold of the triangle and Gautier manages to pass to side control!
Salazar is looking for a sweep.
Gautier wants to lay and pray for a moment but Salazar keeps working.
Salazar tries to bench press Gautier off him but Gautier keeps the position.
Alvaro Salazar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Who's going to make the next move?
Gautier wants to stand but Salazar has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Salazar trying to keep a closed guard but Gautier is proving a slippery customer.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alvaro Salazar showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Salazar has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alvaro Salazar!
A relieved looking Alvaro Salazar thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.