PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sou Saluki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Saluki comes to the cage accompanied by Dead End Countdown. Sou Saluki has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Saluki
vs
Jackson

180 cm
23
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

165 cm
19
135 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Sou Saluki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Jackson !
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saluki scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Saluki will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Jackson wants to control but Saluki is keeping busy.
Saluki works his way into side control.
Jackson wants to control but Saluki postures up.
Jackson is looking for a sweep.
Saluki really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Jackson struggling a bit here.

Saluki is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Jackson has escaped the position, nice work there.
Jackson is trying to get back to his feet.
Jackson is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Saluki is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Saluki controlling his opponent.
Jackson working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saluki looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
You get the feeling that Jackson really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Jackson wants to hold on but Saluki pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jackson is trying to escape the mount.
Jackson is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Jackson tries to hold on but Saluki postures up.
Saluki sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Jackson is working to get back to half guard.
Jackson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Jackson looks gassed!
Saluki controlling from the full mount.
Saluki works his way to his opponent's back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson is trying to stand back up.
Saluki is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Saluki gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Saluki gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Saluki apologises and we restart here on the feet.

Saluki shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Jackson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Saluki controls the pace.

Jackson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Saluki trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Saluki looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Saluki wants to control from the top but Jackson keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Saluki prevents Jackson from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Saluki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Jackson manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Saluki regains half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Saluki gets full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sou Saluki dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Saluki throws a right and a left that Jackson avoids nicely.
Saluki tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Saluki throws a head kick that misses.
Jackson tries to clinch up.
Sou Saluki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jackson throws a nice looking combination but Saluki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Saluki circles away from the clinch attempt.
Saluki fails with a takedown attempt.
Jackson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Saluki shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Jackson is looking for a sweep. Saluki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Jackson is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Saluki jumps into side control!
Jackson is breathing heavily.
Jackson is trying to escape the position but Saluki is controlling the position.

Saluki stands up and beckons Jackson to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saluki misses with a takedown attempt - Jackson sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Jackson doesn't manage to clinch there - Saluki circles away.
Saluki misses with a two punch combination.
Sou Saluki is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jackson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Saluki misses with a head kick.
Saluki changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Jackson tries to avoid it but Saluki manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Jackson to the ground. Jackson escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sou Saluki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jackson avoids the head kick by Saluki.
Jackson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Saluki throws a nice looking combination but Jackson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Saluki looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Nice sprawl there from Saluki as Jackson shoots in.

Jackson drives through and clinches with Saluki against the cage.

Jackson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jackson avoids a punch combination nicely.
Saluki looks for a takedown but Jackson sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackson scores with a jab. Saluki acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Saluki with a lazy takedown attempt
and Jackson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Saluki looks to land a body kick but Jackson moved away.
Saluki misses with a few strikes there.
Saluki fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Saluki misses with the combination.
Saluki doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Jackson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Jackson .
Jackson crunches a lovely knee into Saluki's ribcage.

Jackson breaks the clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Jackson . No joy for Saluki on that attempt.
Jackson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Jackson takes a swing at Saluki's ribcage but misses.
Jackson misses with a body kick.
Jackson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch up but Saluki swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saluki throws a body kick that misses.
Saluki throws a head kick that misses.
Saluki scores with a hook to the body. Jackson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Saluki displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Saluki throws a left and a right that both miss
and Jackson counters with a big head kick but Saluki shrugs it off.
Saluki looks to land a combination. Jackson sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Jackson tries a head kick but it misses.

Saluki looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Saluki stays in close to Jackson 's body and controls the position.
Saluki won't allow Jackson to get back to his feet.
Saluki slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Jackson lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Saluki!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saluki slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Jackson wants to control but Saluki is keeping him busy.
Saluki keeping control of the position.
Saluki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Jackson is working away from the top position though.
Saluki is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Saluki controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Sou Saluki will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Saluki looks for the body kick but Jackson saw that one coming.
Saluki throws a sloppy head kick and Jackson moves out of range easily.
A left and a right from Saluki both land. Nice combination.

Saluki darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Jackson trying to control but Saluki postures up.
Saluki is taking a breather. Jackson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Jackson looking for submissions off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saluki is tying to control. Jackson wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jackson looks like he's trying to stand up.
Saluki wants to take a breather but Jackson is having none of it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A head kick misses from Jackson .
Jackson lands with a kick to the temple. Saluki shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Saluki is looking to land body kicks.
Jackson blocks a head kick by Saluki.
Saluki throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A right-left combo lands from Saluki.
Saluki throws a body kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Saluki lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Jackson throws a nice looking combination but Saluki bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Saluki looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Saluki throws a sloppy head kick and Jackson moves out of range easily.
Saluki misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Saluki shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Jackson as he avoids it easily.
Jackson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Saluki as he avoids it easily.
Jackson falls off balance throwing a combination
and Saluki counters with a three punch combo that has Jackson backing up. Jackson nods at Saluki to acknowledge the strikes.
Saluki scores with a hook to the body. Jackson takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Jackson checks a low kick from Saluki.

Saluki shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Saluki showed some decent athleticism there.
Saluki trying to control the pace.
Saluki tries to pass the half guard into mount. Jackson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Sou Saluki overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saluki is trying to control the action in half guard but Jackson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Jackson throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Saluki is taking a breather. Jackson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Michael Jackson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The fighters are battling for position here. Jackson manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Jackson has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Saluki works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Jackson is trying to stand back up but Saluki is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Saluki is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Jackson defends it well.
Saluki perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Jackson tries to get to full guard but Saluki has control of the leg.
Saluki stops Jackson from getting back to his feet.
Saluki slows the pace down in half guard.
Jackson is positioning himself well to prevent Saluki advancing to mount.
Jackson throws a strike from the bottom but Saluki passes into side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Sou Saluki showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Saluki, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sou Saluki!