PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ned Kinney (ranked 6898 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Saldano (ranked 4738 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kinney
vs
Saldano

225 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
23
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ned Kinney!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Luke Saldano!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Alyssa Summers and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Saldano rushes Kinney and presses him up against the cage.

Saldano escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Saldano pushes Kinney up against the cage in a clinch.
Kinney managing to block the knees to the body from Saldano.

Kinney manages to pull guard.
Kinney looking to control.
Kinney is pulling down on Saldano's head to control his posture.

Kinney has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Saldano can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kinney wants to get back to his feet but Saldano is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Saldano trying to control the position from guard on top but Kinney is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kinney pulls Saldano in to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kinney pushes Saldano off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.

Saldano moves into the clinch successfully.
Kinney is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Saldano to keep the fight standing.
Saldano misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Kinney.
Saldano throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kinney blocks it with crossed arms.
Saldano avoiding damage.
Saldano prevents Kinney from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Saldano takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Saldano breaks the clinch.
Kinney avoids a kick to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Saldano.
Kinney tries to counter with a takedown but Saldano is quick to defend against it.

Saldano closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kinney being controlled against the cage.
Saldano taking a breather.
Saldano stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Kinney lands a left hand that snaps the head of Saldano backwards.
Come on Saldano - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Saldano manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Luke Saldano.
Saldano has his takedown stuffed
and Kinney counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Saldano instigates a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Saldano dominated that round.
That's time! Kinney's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Saldano tries to clinch
and Kinney counters with a solid body kick.
Saldano has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Kinney finds it's way round the side to connect with Saldano's head.
Kinney misses with an attempted mid kick.
Kinney misses with a head kick.
Kinney really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Saldano moves into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Kinney.
A short right from Kinney.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saldano slowing the pace effectively.
Kinney jumps guard but Saldano turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saldano blocking some punches.
Saldano struggles to land a body shot inside as Kinney controls his hands.
Kinney tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Saldano avoids it.
Saldano stalling against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kinney fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Kinney breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Saldano shoots and misses

and Kinney counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Kinney can't break the clinch.
Saldano throws an elbow but it misses.

Saldano manages to break the clinch.
Kinney lands with a straight right. Saldano didn't see that one coming.
Saldano tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Kinney manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saldano tries to clinch up.
Saldano with a poor takedown
and Kinney counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Kinney throws a right and a left that Saldano avoids nicely.

Kinney gets a clinch.
Kinney lands a right hand.
Kinney is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Saldano connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Ned Kinney has been cut.
Kinney takes a knee to the side of the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Saldano successfully pulls guard.
Saldano utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Saldano is looking to stand up but Kinney isn't so interested in that idea.
Saldano wants to sweep here but Kinney controlling him for the moment.
Saldano wants to hit a switch here but Kinney passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Saldano there!
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kinney raining down shots from the mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ned Kinney dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ned Kinney's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Saldano wants to clinch up but Kinney keeps it at a distance.
Kinney feinted with a counter takedown.

Kinney closes the distance and clinches.
Saldano pressing his opponent against the cage.
Kinney swings wildly with an uppercut but Saldano uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kinney on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saldano throws an elbow but it's blocked.
A nice right hand lands inside from Kinney.
Saldano pushes off an throws an elbow but Kinney leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Kinney being controlled against the cage.
Saldano has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Kinney after a bit of a struggle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Saldano tries to land knees in the clinch but Kinney avoids the damage to the body.
A short left from Kinney.
Saldano displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kinney up against the cage.
Saldano tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kinney avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Kinney on the inside.

Saldano breaks the clinch.
Kinney defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Saldano.
It looked like Kinney wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Saldano doesn't manage to clinch there - Kinney circles away.
Kinney keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ned Kinney has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luke Saldano.
Saldano shoots for a takedown but Kinney saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kinney is looking to counter punch.
Kinney lands the left hand.

Kinney forces Saldano back against the cage and clinches.
Kinney wants a takedown but no success here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kinney wants to break free but Saldano has control.

Saldano breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Saldano tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kinney swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Saldano tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Kinney wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Kinney tries to keep at a distance but Saldano has taken the fight into the clinch.
Kinney fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ned Kinney showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Kinney has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ned Kinney!