PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Badr Al Din (ranked 1977 p4p, 288 weight class) and Michael Salazar (ranked 2933 p4p, 398 weight class). Al Din comes to the cage accompanied by RUNNING BACK. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Al Din
vs
Salazar

187 cm
22
209 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

193 cm
22
215 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Badr Al Din!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Salazar!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, David Schapiro and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salazar will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Salazar tries to close the distance and clinch up but Al Din swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Al Din swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
No joy there for Salazar, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Al Din looks to score with a jab to the body but Salazar is just out of range.
Salazar throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A little feinted left hand from Al Din on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Salazar lands with a kick to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Din with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Nice uppercut there from Salazar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Din throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Salazar counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Salazar misses with an uppercut
and Salazar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

It looks like Michael Salazar has been cut.
Al Din getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Salazar misses the body punch
and Al Din cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
A low kick from Salazar is predictable there
and Al Din counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Salazar misses with a body shot.
Al Din misses with a two punch combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar slips under a jab.
Salazar let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Salazar throws a predictable looking body shot
and Al Din counters with a left and a right that stings Salazar.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice body punch from Salazar.
Al Din moves out of range of the leg kick from Salazar.
Al Din is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Salazar misses with a straight left.
A counter left hand to the body from Al Din misses its target.
A shot to the body from Salazar misses
and Al Din counters with a straight right hand.
Salazar ducks under a wild hook from Al Din.
A swing and a miss from Salazar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Al Din scores with a jab to the jaw.
Salazar slips a jab from Al Din.
A chopping leg kick lands by Salazar.
Salazar cracks a nice hook into Al Din's ribs.
Michael Salazar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Al Din bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
It looked like Al Din wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Salazar thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Din slips a jab from Salazar.
Salazar throws a shot from downtown. Al Din moves away and avoids it.
Salazar misses with an uppercut
enabling Al Din to counter with a crisp jab.
Salazar looks to throw the jab but Al Din is out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Al Din on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Al Din checks a leg kick nicely.
Salazar looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Salazar dodges the punch combination from Al Din.
Salazar looks like he wants to counter punch here.
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 Badr Al Din will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Michael Salazar's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Salazar misses with an uppercut
and Al Din counters with a straight right hand.
Al Din on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Al Din rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Salazar counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Badr Al Din has been cut.
Al Din waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Salazar.
Salazar throws a right and a left that Al Din avoids nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salazar throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Al Din to counter with a crisp jab.
Salazar loads up on a big right hand but Al Din slips the punch.
Al Din throws a big counter combination but Salazar scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Salazar connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Al Din momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar misses with the body kick
and Salazar takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Al Din is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Sloppy strikes from Salazar. Those never looked like landing.
Salazar looks to throw the jab but Al Din is out of range.
Al Din is looking to counter punch.
Salazar throws a quick inside leg kick.
Salazar takes a swing at Al Din's ribcage but misses.
Al Din swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Al Din takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
It looked like Al Din wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Al Din with a nice cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar misses with a body kick.
Al Din swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Al Din misses with a straight right.
Salazar attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Al Din appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Al Din throws out a loose jab but Salazar uses good head movement to avoid it.
Al Din misses with a straight left.
A big right from Al Din misses.
Salazar is looking to score with low kicks.
It looked like Al Din wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Din throws out a loose jab but Salazar uses good head movement to avoid it.
A left and a right from Salazar both land. Nice combination.
Al Din throws a shot from downtown. Salazar moves away and avoids it.
Salazar throws a quick inside leg kick.
Al Din pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Al Din on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Salazar throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Salazar thumps Al Din with a low kick.
Al Din tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salazar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salazar throws a front kick aimed at Al Din's knee but Al Din avoids it well.
A counter left hand to the body from Al Din misses its target.
Al Din looks to land a combination but Salazar avoids it well.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salazar throws a leg kick
and Al Din counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Al Din misses with a right hand
and Salazar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Salazar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

A telegraphed right hand from Salazar misses the target.
It looked like Al Din wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Salazar lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Al Din misses with a left hand
and Salazar cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Salazar in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Salazar tries to land a leg kick but Al Din saw it coming and moves away.
A little feinted left hand from Al Din on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Salazar misses the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Din tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Al Din tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Salazar counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Al Din appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Michael Salazar seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Al Din checks a low kick from Salazar.
It looked like Al Din wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Al Din lands a nice shot to the body.
Salazar throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Al Din cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Salazar wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Al Din walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar throws a hook but Al Din avoids it easily.
Al Din throwing a counter right hand but Salazar manages to avoid it.
This entire fight has taken place on the feet so far and you wonder whether Al Din might be better served trying to take this one to the ground because he's losing the standup battle so far.
Salazar misses with a jab to the body
and Al Din counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Nice defenses there by Salazar.
Salazar looks to land a body kick but Al Din moved away.

Salazar drops Al Din with a beautiful combination! Al Din stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Salazar is looking for the KO!
Al Din is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salazar misses the shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar throws a leg kick that is checked
letting Al Din counter with a right hand.
Salazar misses with a head kick.
Salazar throws a low kick, looking for Al Din's leg but Al Din calmly moves out of range.
Al Din ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Al Din swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Al Din stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Salazar swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Salazar throws an off balance right hand
and Al Din connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Din keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Salazar.
Salazar throws a hook to the side of Al Din's head but Al Din sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Al Din is looking to counter punch.
Al Din scores with a nice strike.
Salazar slips a straight right by Al Din.
Salazar counters with a body kick.
Salazar wants to land a leg kick but Al Din is out of range.
Salazar misses with a left hand
and Al Din counters with a stiff right hand.
A jab from Al Din misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Salazar comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Salazar 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Salazar!
Our winner, Michael Salazar, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.