PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Osvald Klimi (ranked 8163 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mo Salah (ranked 6407 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Klimi
vs
Salah

200 cm
20
230 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

195 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Osvald Klimi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mo Salah!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Michael Johnstone and Winston Alpacca.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Klimi does no damage.
Klimi pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Klimi tries to keep at a distance but Salah has taken the fight into the clinch.
Salah can't find room to land a body shot as Klimi controls the action.
A short left from Salah.
Salah pushes Klimi back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Salah gets underhooks to prevent Klimi's takedown attempt.
Klimi tries to break free but Salah pushes him back against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Salah.
Salah lands on the inside with an uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Klimi tries to break free but Salah pushes him back against the cage.
Salah lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Klimi backwards.
Klimi is trying to pull guard but Salah turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Salah is leaning against Klimi and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Salah is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Osvald Klimi. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Salah turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Salah manages to end up in side control.
Salah taking a breather here.
Klimi prevents Salah from moving into mount.
Salah trying to control the position but Klimi is working away.
Klimi stops Salah from passing to mount.
Salah is looking to take a break and control but Klimi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salah throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Klimi can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Salah taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Klimi tries to bench press Salah off him but Salah keeps the position.
Klimi is trying to control Salah's posture but Salah avoids it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Klimi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Salah.
As Salah looks to move away, Klimi throws a big counter combo but Salah just gets out of the way.
Salah throws a series of punches but Klimi avoids them all with ease.

Salah instigates a clinch.
Salah working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Salah should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
A short right from Salah.
Salah presses Klimi against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Salah misses with a hook to the ribs.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Salah lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salah lands with a right to the head.
Salah scores with a shoulder strike.
Klimi fails to pull guard.
Salah lands a left hand.
Salah lands a shot to the body.
Salah cracks Klimi with a nice body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Salah scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Klimi has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Salah avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Klimi is breathing heavily.
Klimi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Salah just misses with a elbow thrown towards Klimi's brow.
Klimi tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Salah smiles and moves away.

Salah gets the takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Salah stalls from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mo Salah dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Salah has taken the fight to the clinch.
Klimi jumps guard but Salah stands there with Klimi around his waist. Klimi gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Salah working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Klimi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Salah creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Salah creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Klimi misses with the head strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salah lands a body punch in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Salah creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Salah lands a body punch in the clinch.
Salah keeps control of Klimi as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Salah has Klimi pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Salah pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Klimi tumbling to the mat - Salah dives into Klimi's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Klimi looking for a guillotine here but Salah defends easily.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salah controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Klimi keeping full guard, as Salah tries to pass.
Salah seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

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.
Klimi is pulling down on Salah's head to control his posture.
Klimi keeping moving, preventing Salah from controlling successfully.
Salah throws a big right hand that misses.
Klimi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Salah is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salah sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Klimi shoots in but Salah avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Klimi with a poor takedown

and Salah holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Osvald Klimi. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salah lands a nice shot to the body.
Salah lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nice body punch from Salah.
A short right from Salah.
Salah lands a right hand that snaps the head of Klimi backwards.
Klimi drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Salah lands an uppercut.
Mo Salah seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Salah.
Salah works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Salah.
A right handed body shot lands from Salah.
A nice left hand lands by Salah.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salah lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Klimi backwards.
Salah lands a right hand that snaps the head of Klimi backwards.
Still in the clinch, Salah scores with a nice short uppercut.
Salah tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Salah lands a hook to the side of the head.
Salah works on Klimi's body with a couple of short punches.
Salah lands a shot to the body.
Salah working some nice short punches in the clinch.

Salah tightens his grip and picks Klimi up, before dumping him to the ground. Klimi manages to land in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mo Salah showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Salah. Those never looked like landing.
Klimi misses with a two punch combination.

Klimi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Salah is trying to keep Klimi in close.
Klimi advances to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salah is looking to control Klimi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Salah avoid being mounted?
Salah is looking for a sweep. Klimi is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salah is looking to control Klimi's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Salah avoid being mounted?

Klimi is working for a kimura but Salah is defending it quite comfortably.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salah tries to roll over but Klimi keeps him under control.
Mo Salah has got the better of the ground game so far.
Salah is trying to maintain the position but Klimi is very close to passing his half guard.
Salah is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Klimi is staying active.
Mo Salah is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

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.
Klimi is looking to advance position but Salah won't allow it.
Salah wants to control but Klimi is keeping busy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Salah stuffs the takedown attempt from Klimi. Klimi gets slowly back to his feet.

Salah rushes Klimi and presses him up against the cage.
Klimi blocks a body shot from Salah.
Klimi is working for takedown but Salah is calmly controlling the position for now.

Salah has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Klimi regains guard immediately.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salah trying to control but Klimi is working from the bottom.
Salah is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Let's hope that Salah 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.
Salah is continuing to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Salah trying to control the position from guard on top but Klimi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Salah is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Klimi is looking for a triangle but Salah pushes his legs off easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Salah sitting in guard here, content to control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Osvald Klimi.
Well Salah has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:30
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mo Salah!