PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rob Salek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rick Purcell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rob Salek could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rick Purcell's chin.

Salek
vs
Purcell

160 cm
18
137 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

165 cm
18
145 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Elite Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Rob Salek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Rick Purcell!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Sam Margolis and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Purcell closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Salek lands with an overhand left.
Purcell throws a series of punches but Salek avoids them all with ease.
Purcell swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Salek closes the distance and clinches.
Salek has Purcell pushed against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Salek.
Purcell drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Purcell is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Salek tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
The is referee keeping an eye on Salek - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Purcell lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Salek lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Purcell backwards.
Salek prevents Purcell from breaking the clinch.

Purcell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Purcell cracks Salek with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Salek moves out of range as Purcell strikes.
Salek tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Purcell paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Purcell throws a nice looking combination but Salek bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Purcell scores with a crisp jab that stopped Salek in his tracks.
Salek shoots in and drives through. Purcell sprawls well.

Salek rushes Purcell and presses him up against the cage.
Purcell jumps guard but Salek stands there with Purcell around his waist. Purcell gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Salek using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Salek scores with a shot to the side of Purcell's head.
Salek wants to get back to striking at distance but Purcell won't allow it.
Purcell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Purcell has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Salek avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Rob Salek has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Purcell.

Salek has picked Purcell up - he's going for a ride! Salek dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles 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!
Purcell flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Salek stands up out of the half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Purcell on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Salek. Salek obviously looking to wear him down.
Purcell fails with the takedown.

Salek clinches up with Purcell and pushes him back against the cage.
Salek unloads a knee to the mid-section. Purcell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Purcell.
A short right from Salek on the inside.

Purcell breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Purcell shoots in but Salek avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Purcell looks gassed!

Salek fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Purcell, pushing him back against the cage.
Salek lands a nice elbow.
Still in the clinch, Salek scores with a nice short uppercut.
Purcell wants to break the clinch but can't.
Salek unloads a knee to the mid-section. Purcell lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Salek.
Salek lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Salek wants a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Purcell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Salek tries to clinch but Purcell moves out of range.
Purcell misses the jab.
Salek lands a head kick. Purcell smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Purcell swats away the attempt to clinch by Salek.

Purcell shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Salek is looking to escape.
Purcell thows a huge punch but Salek dodges it nicely.
Purcell wants to stand up but Salek has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Purcell stands up and beckons Salek to join him on the feet.
Purcell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Salek gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Salek.
Salek landing some nice looking knees to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Purcell is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Purcell drops down looking for an ankle pick but Salek pulls his leg out and moves away.
Purcell lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Purcell.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Rob Salek will probably get the nod.
That's time! Salek's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Salek pushes Purcell up against the cage in a clinch.
Purcell wants to break the clinch but can't.
Purcell wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Purcell breaks from the clinch.
Rick Purcell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Salek clinches up with Purcell and pushes him back against the cage.
Purcell swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Purcell can't break the clinch.
Salek lands with a short shot to the head.
Salek with a knee to the head.
Purcell changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Salek fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Salek fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Salek clinches up with Purcell and pushes him back against the cage.

Salek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rob Salek is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Purcell drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Purcell decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salek lands a head kick!
Salek uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Purcell.

Purcell shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Salek wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Purcell lands a big shot there that rocks Salek but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Purcell wants to control the pace but Salek is squirming around nicely.
Purcell in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Purcell pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Purcell is landing with some decent strikes but Salek is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Purcell trying to control but Salek is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Purcell looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Purcell won't let Salek get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Purcell can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Salek is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Purcell scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Salek?
Salek is trying to stand up.
Purcell working the ground and pound effectively.
Purcell looking to control but Salek is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Purcell working for a guillotine from mount but Salek is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Purcell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A slapping leg kick lands for Salek.

Salek gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Purcell won't allow Salek to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Purcell wanted to stand there but Salek had control of the position.
Salek utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Purcell stands up and waves to Salek to follow him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Purcell moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salek keeps control of Purcell as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Purcell tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Salek escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Purcell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Salek moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Salek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Purcell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Purcell on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Salek. Salek obviously looking to wear him down.
Salek tries to clinch but Purcell moves out of range.

Salek has Purcell up against the cage in a clinch.
Purcell trying to control the position but instead, Salek has worked for underhooks and has pushed Purcell into the cage.
Salek fails to pull guard.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Salek.
Salek with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Purcell taking a breather.
Salek lands an elbow inside that Purcell shrugs off.
Purcell is trying to break the clinch but Salek has him pressed against the cage.

Purcell breaks the clinch.
Purcell stuffs the takedown.
Purcell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Salek swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Purcell counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Salek pushes Purcell off and gets back to his feet.
Purcell lands with a nice combination. Salek backs away looking to recover.

Purcell pushes Salek up against the cage in a clinch.
Salek with a knee to the head.
Salek stalls.

Purcell breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Purcell swats away the attempt to clinch by Salek.
Salek throws a body punch but Purcell moves out of range.
Purcell dips to his left and cracks Salek with an uppercut!
Salek wants to clinch up but Purcell keeps it at a distance.
Salek has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Purcell finds it's way round the side to connect with Salek's head.
Nice takedown defense from Salek. No joy for Purcell on that attempt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Salek.
Purcell shoots in and drives through. Salek sprawls well.
Rob Salek has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rick Purcell.
Purcell tries to bum rush Salek with a series of wild strikes but Salek uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Salek clinches with his opponent.
Salek keeps control of Purcell as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Salek breaks from the clinch.
Purcell throws a series of punches but Salek moves out of range.

Salek closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Purcell tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Salek presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

Salek is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Salek throws a jab but it's blocked by Purcell.
Salek throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Purcell fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Salek tries to close the distance and clinch up but Purcell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Purcell misses with a two punch combination.

Salek clinches up with Purcell and pushes him back against the cage.
Rob Salek has scored more points in the clinch so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salek prevents Purcell from breaking the clinch.
Purcell is looking to break free of the clinch but Salek has double underhooks.
Nice body punch from Salek - that landed with a thud.
Purcell has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Salek is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rick Purcell.
I think Purcell has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Ackerman scores the fight for Rick Purcell!
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight for Rick Purcell!
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight for Rick Purcell!

Rick Purcell wins by unanimous decision!