PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Sam Salter (ranked 3812 p4p, 22061 weight class) and James King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Salter comes to the cage accompanied by Dead Or Alive. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Salter
vs
King

150 cm
29
153
13 - 13 - 0

170 cm
29
156
15 - 10 - 1

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Vegan Gains

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sam Salter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, James King!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Frank Dennis and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
King scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Salter tries for a takedown but King circles away easily
and King counters with a lovely straight right hand!
King is looking to slow Salter down with leg kicks.
King scores with a decent looking hook.
Salter takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A shot to the liver by King. Beautiful body shot.
Salter takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
King throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A punch lands to the side of Salter 's head but he takes it in his stride.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
King lands with a right hand.
Salter takes a kick to the side of the head.
King lands a nice looking kick to the body. Salter takes a step back to recover.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King lands a jab to the head.
King lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Salter shoots in for a takedown but King shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A punch lands to the side of Salter 's head but he takes it in his stride.
King lands with a good body shot.
James King is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice sprawl there from King as Salter shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Salter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A head kick from King lands but Salter takes it in his stride.
King lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
King dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A good leg kick by King.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
King lands a nice looking body kick.
Salter darts in looking for a takedown but King gets double underhooks and turns Salter into the cage.
King with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Salter tries for a takedown but King manages to get underhooks.

King pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Salter takes a head kick and keeps coming.
King throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
King throws a shot to the body.
Salter fails with the takedown
and King counters with a stiff right hand.
Salter takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
King catches Salter with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Salter.
King throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Salter's head.
King connects with a high kick.
King scores with a kick to the body.
King lands with a shot to the body.
King keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King lands with a kick to the temple. Salter shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
King pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Salter tries for a takedown but King sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
King displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salter.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
King connects with a solid leg kick.
King is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Salter had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Salter closes this distance looking for a takedown but King circles away.
King scores with a hook to the body. Salter takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Salter misses with a takedown
and King counters with a straight right hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James King dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Salter takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Salter gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Salter looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Salter tries for a takedown but King circles away easily
and King counters with a stiff right hand.
King has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nice uppercut lands for King. That snapped Salter's head back.
Salter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and King makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Salter doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King lands with a slapping head kick.
King lands a high kick!
Salter throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around King's waist but King gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Salter off to one side.
As Salter backs off King throws a huge counter combo but Salter manages to avoid it all.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Salter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King stuffs the takedown attempt from Salter. Salter gets slowly back to his feet.
Salter backing away here, and King unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
King is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Salter has his takedown stuffed
and King makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
King connects with a high kick.
King lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Salter looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
That kick from King tenderised Salter's leg. Salter is trying to keep his angry face on.
King throws a head kick that Salter semi-blocks.
King lands with a thumping leg kick.
King tries a head kick but it misses.
Salter attempts a counter takedown but King avoids it well and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salter doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
King changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
King scores with a kick to the midsection.
King fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Salter looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Salter will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
King dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
King lands a nice looking kick to the body. Salter takes a step back to recover.
Salter takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
King ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Salter with a lazy takedown attempt
and King counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salter shoots in looking for a takedown. King tries to sprawl out of it but Salter keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. King manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Salter takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
King throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Salter fails with the takedown
and King counters with a straight right hand.
King scores with a kick to the midsection.
Salter takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Salter looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
King lands a head kick. Salter smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
King lands a body shot.
King throws a leg kick which misses Salter's front leg but catches the back leg as Salter tries to avoid it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A good leg kick by King.
King throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Salter's head.
A left lands for King.
King fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Salter looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
James King seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from King - that will leave a mark!
King throws a nice head kick!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James King showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Salter drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
King tries to land a sweep but no joy.
King seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
King is looking to stand up but Salter isn't so interested in that idea.
Salter preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King can't keep his opponent in guard - Salter advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
King desperately trying to maintain half guard.
King is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
King is trying is best to control the position here.

Salter is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and King defends it well.
King holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
King regains full guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
King looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Salter tries to free his leg and advance position but King is retaining full guard.
Salter passes into half guard.
James King 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.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Salter prevents King from improving his position.
King is still trying to improve position.
King is refusing to be controlled, as Salter sits in half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
King is looking for a sweep. Salter is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Salter is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
King is trying to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salter fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
King throws a nice head kick!
King changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A right-left combo lands from King.
King displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Salter.
King steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Salter fails with the takedown
and King counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Salter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A punch lands to the side of Salter 's head but he takes it in his stride.
King lands a high kick!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
King throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Salter looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
King goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Salter closes the distance and clinches up with King, looking for a takedown. Salter pushes King against the cage but King circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A good leg kick by King.
King wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A shot to the liver by King. Beautiful body shot.
Sam Salter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
King looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

And that's the end of the fight!
James King comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got King winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 25:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 25:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James King!
Jumping up and down and very excited, James King waved his t-shirt featuring Vegan Gains's logo in front of the cameras.
The defeated Sam Salter had this to say: 'I think it may be time to hang up the gloves. Its been fun at times but Im over this time to go kill myself and family chris benoit style.'.