PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Somchai Chen (ranked 4534 p4p, 4637 weight class) and Ramon Salazar (ranked 418 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Chen
vs
Salazar

167 cm
18
149
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
155
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Somchai Chen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ramon Salazar!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salazar keeps the fight on the outside.
Chen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salazar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salazar shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Chen eats them both and turns towards Salazar to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Salazar digs a good body shot into Chen's ribs.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Salazar.
A head kick misses from Chen.
Salazar connects with a jab.
Salazar lands an overhand right.
Salazar throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Chen on the side of the head.
Salazar lands with an uppercut that bounces Chen off the cage and back into range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Chen drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Salazar wants to get back to his feet but Chen is dominant here and he's now got Salazar's back!
Chen struggling to land strikes to the head as Salazar covers up.
Chen avoiding Salazar 's attempts to control his hands.
Chen missing with punches from the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar tries to roll but Chen sticks to his back.

Chen working for a choke but Salazar is defending well.
Chen slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Salazar trying to control the position but Chen manages to sink in the hooks.
Chen has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Salazar is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Chen misses with a punch to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salazar trying to control but not successfully.
Chen really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Salazar.
Salazar wants to escape the position.
Salazar keeps trying to improve his position.
Chen is riding his opponent, not letting Salazar buck him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Salazar preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Chen.

Chen looking for the choke but no joy.
Chen struggling to land strikes to the head as Salazar covers up.
Chen just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.

Chen looking for the choke from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salazar tries to escape but Chen has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Salazar wants to control his opponent's hands but Chen gets his hands free.
Chen misses with a punch to the head.
Salazar is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Chen avoiding Salazar 's attempts to control his hands.
Salazar tries to roll but Chen sticks to his back.
Salazar is trying to stand back up.

Chen is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Salazar is defending well though. Chen let's go of the attempt for now.
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 Somchai Chen will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Chen throws a head kick but Salazar moves out of range.
Salazar bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Salazar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Chen throws a nice head kick!
Salazar lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Chen moves into the clinch.
Chen trying to land knees to the body.
Chen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Chen working aggressively here.
Chen trying to land knees to the body.
Salazar misses with a punch on the inside.
Salazar tries a body shot but Chen blocks it.

Chen manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Chen working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Salazar.
Salazar trying to control but Chen is working from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Salazar advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salazar wants to control but Chen is keeping him busy.
Chen is looking to improve his position.
Salazar stalling away here and it's allowed Chen to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Chen keeping moving, preventing Salazar from controlling successfully.
Chen has a closed guard, preventing Salazar from standing up.
Salazar really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Chen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Salazar wants to control from the top but Chen keeps moving.

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.
Salazar has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Chen is proving hard to escape from.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ramon Salazar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Chen takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Salazar avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Chen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Chen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salazar manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Chen tries to close the distance and clinch up but Salazar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salazar cracks Chen with a good jab.
Salazar is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salazar sizes up Chen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Chen tries to close the distance and clinch but Salazar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salazar paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Salazar bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Chen's head backwards.
Chen tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salazar manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Chen swinging wildly here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salazar connects with a body shot.
Chen takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Chen tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Salazar defends well and Chen ends up having to push Salazar into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Chen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Chen is trying to break free.
Chen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A shot in the inside from Salazar.
Salazar lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Chen backwards.
Salazar misses with a body punch.
Salazar lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chen wants a takedown.
Salazar lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Salazar has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Salazar lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Chen blocks an uppercut.
Salazar misses with a punch on the inside.
Salazar makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Salazar creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Chen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Salazar.
Ramon Salazar seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Salazar scores with a hook to the body.
Salazar lands a left hand that snaps the head of Chen backwards.
Salazar lands a hook that snaps the head of Chen backwards.
Salazar lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Chen backwards.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Salazar creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Salazar lands with a left to the head.
Good body shot from Salazar.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ramon Salazar showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Salazar scores with a shot to the body.

Salazar drives through and clinches with Chen against the cage.
Chen is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Salazar is defending well.
A right handed body shot lands from Salazar.
Salazar lands with a right to the head.
Chen doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salazar pushes Chen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Salazar fails to land.
A short right from Salazar.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Salazar.
Salazar lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Chen backwards.
Salazar scores with a hook to the body.
A head punch on the inside from Salazar fails to land.
Salazar tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A right hand to the body from Salazar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chen blocks an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Salazar - that landed with a thud.
Chen's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Chen prevents a body shot from Salazar.
Salazar lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Salazar lands with a left to the head.
Salazar lands with a right to the head.

Chen is rocked!
Salazar lands a left hand that snaps the head of Chen backwards.
Oh Chen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Salazar lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Salazar.
Salazar lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Salazar throws a big uppercut that drops Chen! More strikes from Salazar and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Chen lies dazed against the cage as Salazar celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ramon Salazar!
A victorious Ramon Salazar thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.