PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Roger Cantor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emong Salvacion (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salvacion is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Till I Collapse. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Cantor
vs
Salvacion

175 cm
28
163 lbs
13 - 12 - 0

178 cm
31
166 lbs
14 - 13 - 1

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent 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 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Roger Cantor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Emong Salvacion!
The judges for this bout are Ron Honeybunn, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cantor shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Cantor wants to control from the top but Salvacion keeps moving.
Cantor stopping the sweep attempt from Salvacion.
Salvacion being controlled here, momentarily.
Cantor is fighting to break Salvacion's control of his arms but Salvacion is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Cantor sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Salvacion swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cantor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Salvacion swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cantor is working hard here to advance position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Cantor uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Salvacion.
Cantor lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A big right from Cantor misses.
Salvacion blocks the body kick.

Cantor is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Salvacion's half guard.
Salvacion holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Cantor wants to control but Salvacion is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cantor sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Salvacion defending well though.
Salvacion manages to get to full guard.
Cantor trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Cantor wants to control from the top but Salvacion keeps moving.
Cantor connects with a couple of short punches.
Salvacion looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Salvacion preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Salvacion can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Cantor controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion 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.
Salvacion keeping moving, preventing Cantor from controlling successfully.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Cantor throws a hook but Salvacion blocks it.
Cantor tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Salvacion defends well and Cantor ends up having to push Salvacion into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Salvacion swats away the attempt to clinch by Cantor.
Salvacion fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Cantor looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantor is trying hard to land a takedown here. Salvacion sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Salvacion lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
A jab lands there for Salvacion.

Cantor closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Salvacion's guard.
Cantor has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Salvacion looking for a sweep. Not yet Salvacion, not yet.
Salvacion avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Salvacion trying to keep a closed guard but Cantor is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cantor trying to control but Salvacion is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Cantor dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

That kick from Cantor tenderised Salvacion's leg. Salvacion is trying to keep his angry face on.
A good leg kick by Cantor.
Cantor throws a body kick that misses.
Emong Salvacion is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Cantor tries for a takedown but Salvacion sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cantor lands with a right hand.
Cantor connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Cantor throws a nice outside leg kick.
Salvacion lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Cantor circles away quickly and effectively.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantor tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salvacion manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cantor tries for a takedown but Salvacion sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cantor misses with a low kick.
Cantor throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Salvacion on the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salvacion swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Cantor closes the distance and clinches.

Salvacion is fighting off a takedown attempt but Cantor is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Salvacion to the mat. Salvacion regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Cantor looking to sit in guard and control but Salvacion gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Salvacion trying to control but Cantor is working from the bottom.
Cantor preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Salvacion is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Cantor looking for a sweep. Not yet Cantor, not yet.
Salvacion with a nice head shot there.
Cantor trying to keep a closed guard but Salvacion is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion lands a couple of elbows.
Salvacion scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Cantor being controlled here, momentarily.
Cantor is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cantor is looking to take a break and control but Salvacion is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Salvacion is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion blocking the ground and pound attempt from Cantor.
Salvacion trying to control from the bottom.
Cantor prevents Salvacion from improving his position.
Salvacion is refusing to be controlled, as Cantor sits in half guard.
Salvacion is looking to improve his position.

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.
Cantor not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Salvacion tries to roll over but Cantor keeps him under control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cantor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Salvacion can do to turn this around?
Salvacion keeping hold of Cantor's head, controlling as best he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Salvacion misses with a combination

and Cantor counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Salvacion!
Cantor trying to control the position but Salvacion is working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Salvacion is trying to control Cantor's posture but Cantor avoids it.
Cantor throws an elbow but Salvacion slips to the side and avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Cantor dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cantor fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Salvacion, pushing him back against the cage.
Salvacion has Cantor pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Cantor manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Cantor gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Salvacion regains guard.
Salvacion lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Roger Cantor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Cantor trying to keep a closed guard but Salvacion is proving a slippery customer.
Cantor wants to sweep but no luck.

Cantor looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantor looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cantor keeping moving, preventing Salvacion from controlling successfully.
Cantor controlling Salvacion's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantor keeping moving, preventing Salvacion from controlling successfully.
Cantor trying to control the position.
Salvacion looking to pass the guard.
Cantor trying to control the position.

Salvacion got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cantor has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Salvacion has managed to get both his arms back between Cantor's legs - danger averted.
Salvacion passes Cantor's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Cantor is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Salvacion pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cantor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Salvacion landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Cantor blocking the ground and pound attempt from Salvacion.
Salvacion is controlling the pace.
Cantor is trying to get back to full guard.
Cantor is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Madz **21 Elite coaches**, so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Salvacion uses his free foot to push down on Cantor's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Cantor.
Salvacion wants to control the pace but Cantor is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salvacion with shots to the head and body - Cantor looks very uncomfortable down there.
Salvacion controlling from mount.
Cantor tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Salvacion working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Salvacion content just to control the position here.
Cantor regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cantor is looking to control Salvacion's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cantor avoid being mounted?

Salvacion is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Cantor is just riding it out for now. Salvacion eventually gives up the hold.
Cantor is not content to let Salvacion control the position.
Cantor wants to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Salvacion keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Cantor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cantor.
Emong Salvacion has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cantor is on top in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Emong Salvacion.
Well Cantor 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 Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Roger Cantor!
Roger Cantor decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
Emong Salvacion was interviewed post fight and said 'Thank you so much to the fans, my family, this is it. I'm done and I'm going out with a grateful heart thank you so much guys!'.