PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Robero Tejada (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jenni Salonen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Tejada
vs
Salonen

175 cm
23
135 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

157 cm
20
130 lbs
3 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Robero Tejada!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jenni Salonen!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salonen keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Salonen misses with a takedown

and Tejada decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Salonen's guard.
Tejada wants to get up but he can't break Salonen's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Salonen tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tejada trying to stand up but can't free himself from Salonen's guard.
Tejada trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Salonen has his hands on Tejada's head, controlling the position.
Tejada wanted to stand there but Salonen had control of the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Salonen can do anything to dispel that myth.

Salonen pushes Tejada off and gets back to his feet.

Salonen looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salonen lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Salonen scoring with some ground and pound.
Tejada lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Salonen!
Salonen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Tejada moves to back control.
Tejada is breathing heavily.

Tejada is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Salonen has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Salonen manages to reverse the position and now he's in Tejada's guard. Nice work there by Salonen.
Salonen is working Tejada over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salonen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tejada preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Salonen's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Salonen is in close to Tejada's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Salonen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Tejada has his foot on Salonen's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Salonen works his way back into a safe position though.
Salonen lands a couple of digs.
Salonen working some strikes from top position.
Salonen is working Tejada over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Salonen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Salonen is in close to Tejada's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Salonen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tejada looking to hit a scissor sweep but Salonen is one step ahead there.
Salonen lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Salonen connects with a couple of short punches.
Salonen is in close to Tejada's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Salonen working some strikes from top position.
Salonen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Salonen cracks Tejada with a solid left hand.
Tejada is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tejada preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Salonen landing with the ground and pound.
Salonen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Salonen is in close to Tejada's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Tejada working a defensive guard here.
Salonen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Salonen landing with the ground and pound.
Tejada looking to control.
Salonen lands a couple of digs.
Salonen scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Salonen is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salonen preventing the sweep.

Tejada is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jenni Salonen dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Salonen shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Tejada manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tejada will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Tejada is looking for a triangle but Salonen pushes his legs off easily.
Salonen connects with a couple of short punches.
Salonen throws a big right hand that misses.
Salonen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Salonen lands a couple of digs.
Salonen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tejada is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tejada really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Salonen chips away with some ground and pound.
Salonen cracks Tejada with a solid left hand.
Salonen scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salonen preventing the sweep.
Salonen working some strikes from top position.
Salonen content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Salonen wants to pass the guard but Tejada is keeping the position.
Salonen connects with a couple of short punches.
Tejada wants to stand but Salonen is controlling the position.
Tejada is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Salonen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Salonen scoring with punches to the head and body.
Salonen forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tejada is looking for a sweep. Salonen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tejada has hold of Salonen's hands but Salonen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Salonen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Salonen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tejada with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tejada trying to hold on to Salonen's head to control him but Salonen postures up.
Salonen moves into full mount! Tejada won't be happy about that!
Tejada tries to hold on but Salonen postures up.
Salonen scoring with strikes but Tejada is staying in there.
Salonen with the ground and pound from mount.
Tejada tries to hold on but Salonen pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonen is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Tejada can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Salonen landing shots from mount.
Tejada sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Salonen scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Salonen slips a nice elbow through Tejada's hands, connecting with Tejada's forehead.
Ground and pound from Salonen.
Salonen is thwarting Tejada's attempts to control the position.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Salonen lands a nice short elbow.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Salonen connects with a nice short shot to Tejada's temple.
Salonen throwing shots but Tejada is blocking nicely.
Salonen tries to pass to full mount but Tejada defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tejada landing a few short strikes.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Tejada avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Jenni Salonen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salonen has his takedown stuffed

and Tejada counters with a takedown into side control.
Tejada working away.
Tejada in side control, throwing shots but Salonen defends.
Salonen is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Tejada's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Tejada seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Salonen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Salonen preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jenni Salonen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Tejada shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Salonen as he avoids it easily.
Salonen with a lazy takedown attempt

and Tejada counters with a nice double leg into side control. Salonen won't be happy with that.
Salonen is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Tejada has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Salonen works to full guard.

Salonen pushes Tejada off and gets back to his feet.

Salonen changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tejada looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Salonen misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Salonen scoring with punches and elbows.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salonen lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Tejada down.
Tejada manages to work his way to half guard, despite Salonen's best efforts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salonen throwing shots but Tejada is blocking nicely.
Tejada has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Salonen is working away from the top position though.
Salonen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Tejada trying to control but Salonen postures up.
Tejada is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Salonen scores with a couple of nice shots.
Salonen lands strikes from half guard.
Salonen is nestled in close to Tejada, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Salonen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Salonen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tejada wants to control but Salonen is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Tejada looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Salonen working over Tejada with some ground and pound. Tejada looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Salonen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Tejada trying to hold on to Salonen's head to control him but Salonen postures up.
Salonen landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Tejada is trying to get back to full guard.
Tejada taking some punishment here, with Salonen in his half guard.
Salonen working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salonen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Salonen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Salonen seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Tejada is looking to improve his position.
Salonen is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Salonen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Salonen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Salonen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Jenni Salonen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tejada won't allow Salonen to sweep him here.
Salonen seems keen to control Tejada's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tejada wants to stand but Salonen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Salonen lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Tejada!
Tejada is in a horrible position here. Salonen smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Salonen scoring with strikes but Tejada is staying in there.
Salonen tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Robero Tejada has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tejada is looking to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jenni Salonen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Salonen 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jenni Salonen!