PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Leevi Saros (ranked 2133 p4p, 2487 weight class) and Salomon Mukunzi (ranked 303 p4p, 348 weight class). Saros comes to the cage accompanied by Marko Hietala - Stones. The crowd seem to be enjoying Mukunzi's choice of entrance music: All We Got - Chance The Rapper. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Saros
vs
Mukunzi

183 cm
22
184
6 - 4 - 1

178 cm
22
197
3 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leevi Saros!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Salomon Mukunzi!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Paul Tew and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mukunzi throws the left hand but Saros avoids the punch easily.
Saros keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mukunzi loads up on a big right hand but Saros slips the punch.
Saros uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Mukunzi.
Saros throws a combination. Mukunzi tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Mukunzi tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Saros was well out of range. Poor timing from Mukunzi.
Mukunzi lands the left hand.
Saros lands an overhand right.
Nice uppercut there from Saros.
Mukunzi has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Saros finds it's way round the side to connect with Mukunzi's head.
Saros is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mukunzi.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mukunzi waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Saros.
Mukunzi throws a right hand that misses
and Saros counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mukunzi connects with a right hand. Saros shakes it off.
Mukunzi throws a body shot but no joy.
Mukunzi connects with a body shot that sends Saros's belly button to the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mukunzi throws a lazy right hand but Saros sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Mukunzi lands with an uppercut that bounces Saros off the cage and back into range.
Mukunzi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mukunzi closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Mukunzi takes a swing at Saros's ribcage but misses.
Mukunzi dodges the punch combination from Saros.
We've been hearing reports that Saros has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
A looping hook to the body misses from Saros. Mukunzi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Mukunzi throws out a counter right but Saros avoids it with no problem.
Saros slips under a jab.
Saros ducks under a wild hook from Mukunzi.
Saros throws a hook but Mukunzi avoids it easily.
Mukunzi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saros moves away.
The fighters circling - Mukunzi throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Saros lands a right hook to the body.
Mukunzi misses with a body shot

and Saros moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mukunzi tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Saros stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Mukunzi tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
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!

Mukunzi breaks the clinch.
Mukunzi ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saros moves away.
Saros misses the shot to the body.
Saros throws a lazy uppercut
and Saros takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Saros displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Mukunzi just misses with a punch to the body.
Saros swings for the body but Mukunzi moves out of range.
Saros fails to land with a series of punches.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Mukunzi! But no joy.
Mukunzi with a nice cross.
Mukunzi looks to throw the jab but Saros is out of range.
Mukunzi lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Mukunzi throws an off balance right hand
and Saros connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice shot by Saros.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mukunzi throws a big shot that misses.
Mukunzi misses the shot to the body.
A counter left hand to the body from Saros misses its target.
Saros swings widly with a right hand
and Mukunzi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mukunzi feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Saross jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Mukunzi with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Saros to score with a decent uppercut.
Saros on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Mukunzi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Saros throws out the jab.
Mukunzi misses the shot to the body.
Mukunzi lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Mukunzi.

It looks like Leevi Saros has been cut.
Mukunzi misses with a wild body shot.
Mukunzi thows a left - swing and a miss!
Saros with a body punch. A glancing blow.
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!
Good shot there by Saros.
Saros takes a swing at Mukunzi's ribcage but misses.
Saros misses with a hook. Mukunzi ducked under it nicely.
Mukunzi looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saros cracks Mukunzi with a good jab.
Saros sizes up Mukunzi with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Saros scores with a jab to the head.
Saros is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Saros misses with a shot to the body
and Mukunzi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mukunzi takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Saros throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saros throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Saros swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Mukunzi counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Saros thinking.
Saros scores with a crisp jab that stopped Mukunzi in his tracks.
The fighters circle momentarily. Mukunzi darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saros lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Mukunzi at a distance.
Mukunzi works the jab nicely.
Saros swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mukunzi misses the jab.
Saros swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Leevi Saros will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Leevi Saros's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mukunzi fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Saros is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Saros misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mukunzi.
Saros lands a jab to the head.
Mukunzi just misses with a punch to the body.
Mukunzi with a nice cross.
Mukunzi lands a jab to Saros's midsection.
Salomon Mukunzi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Saros misses with a looping right.
Saros uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mukunzi.
Saros misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Saros misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mukunzi.
Mukunzi throws a body punch but Saros moves out of range.
Saros takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Saros gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Mukunzi gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Saros is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Salomon Mukunzi!
In his post fight interview, Salomon Mukunzi started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
Leevi Saros spoke after the fight, saying 'A man can't outlast whatever he's made. Tonight my opponent extended this inevitability beyond the realms of mine. Congratulations. Rise or fall, we get up and keep grinding. And grinding, the constant movement, never ends. I will return.'.