PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Esko Salo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Barnes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Barnes is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Black Eyed Peas - Imma Be. Andre Barnes has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Esko Salo's chin.

Salo
vs
Barnes

175 cm
21
184 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

178 cm
23
170 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Convicted Trap House
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Esko Salo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Andre Barnes!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salo fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Barnes throws a looping overhand right but Salo ducks down to avoid it.
Barnes throws a hook but Salo blocks it.
Barnes throws a low kick but Salo avoids it.
Barnes walks into a left hand.
Barnes uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Salo.
Salo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Salo scores with a push kick.
Barnes misses the shot to the body.
Salo fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barnes drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Salo jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Barnes checks a low kick from Salo.
Barnes ducks under a wild hook from Salo.
Salo moves into range and connects with a jab.
Barnes looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Esko Salo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Salo throws a lazy right hand but Barnes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Salo scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Salo misses with a leg kick.
Salo throws a hook but Barnes blocks it.
Barnes throws a quick inside leg kick.
Barnes throws a nice looking combination but Salo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Salo is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Salo lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Salo works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Barnes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Salo misses with a body shot.
Barnes lands a nice looking kick to the body. Salo takes a step back to recover.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salo on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Barnes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Salo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Barnes.
Barnes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Salo is looking to slow Barnes down with leg kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salo lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Salo drives through and clinches with Barnes against the cage.
Salo lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Salo lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Salo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Barnes's efforts to push away.
Salo misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Barnes.
Barnes is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Salo is keeping busy.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Salo.
Barnes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Barnes can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salo lands a body punch in the clinch.
Barnes takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Andre Barnes has been cut.
Barnes wants to get back to striking at distance but Salo won't allow it.
Salo displaying some good clinch control by pressing Barnes up against the cage.
Salo working Barnes over with knees to the body.
Salo leaning his opponent against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Salo.
Salo lands an elbow that stopped Barnes in his tracks for a moment.
Barnes has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Salo scores with a shot to the side of Barnes's head.
Nice body punch from Salo.
Salo pushes Barnes back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Barnes working hard to break the clinch.
Barnes tries to work over Salo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Barnes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Barnes wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short left from Salo.

Salo manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salo connects with the punch.
Barnes tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Barnes wants to slow Salo down by chopping away at his legs.
Salo is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Barnes keeps the fight on the outside.
Salo bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Salo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Salo with a hook.
Barnes walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Salo tries to clinch but Barnes is having none of it.
Salo fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barnes ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Barnes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Salo moves away.
Barnes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Salo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Andre Barnes's cut.
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.

Salo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Barnes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Barnes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Barnes avoids the head kick by Salo.
Barnes throws a sloppy body shot
and Salo counters with a left to the body.
Barnes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Salo throws out the jab.
Barnes doesn't manage to clinch there - Salo circles away.
Salo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Salo lands a lovely overhand right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Barnes loads up on a big right hand but Salo slips the punch.
Barnes scores with a nice head shot.
Good work by Barnes as he checks the leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Salo. That's going to slow Barnes down.
Salo wants to land a leg kick but Barnes is out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Salo.
Salo fails in his attempt to clinch.
Salo scores with a hook.
Barnes scores with a punch to the head.
Salo throws a low kick but it's checked well by Barnes.
The fighters circling - Salo throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Salo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Barnes. That did some damage!
Barnes misses the jab.
Salo finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Salo misses with a hook. Barnes ducked under it nicely.
Barnes misses with a low kick.
Salo lands with a thumping leg kick.
Barnes throws the left hand but Salo avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salo sizes up Barnes with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Salo checks the leg kick nicely there.
Salo delivers a nice body kick.
Salo works Barnes's body with a nice hook.

Salo gets a clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Salo.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Salo.
Salo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Salo tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Salo works on Barnes's body with a couple of short punches.
Barnes is breathing heavily.
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!
Salo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Barnes backwards.

Salo breaks the clinch.
Barnes moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Danga de danga de dang - Salo scores with a four punch combination!
Salo cracks Barnes with a right hand to the side of the head.
Salo throws a left and a right that both miss
and Barnes makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Barnes walks into a stiff left hand from Salo.
Barnes on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Salo. Salo obviously looking to wear him down.
A solid leg kick lands there for Salo.
A combination from Barnes does no damage.
Good exchange - Salo coming out on top.
Salo lands the left hand.
Decent striking displayed by Salo there.
Salo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Salo thows a body shot but no joy.
Barnes doesn't manage to clinch there - Salo circles away.
Salo cracks the inside of Barnes's front leg.
A combination from Salo does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A shot to de liver by Salo. Beautiful body shot.
Barnes scores with a nice right hand.
Salo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salo. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salo throws a low kick, looking for Barnes's leg but Barnes calmly moves out of range.
Salo works the jab nicely.
Salo throws a chopping leg kick but Barnes manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Barnes scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Barnes takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Salo lands a nice hook to Barnes's body. Barnes takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Barnes's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salo lands a lovely overhand right.
Salo throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Esko Salo is winning the standup battle so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A looping hook to the body misses from Salo. Barnes does a little dance to reset his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esko Salo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andre Barnes's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for Salo.
Salo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Salo is looking to slow Barnes down with leg kicks.
Good standup being displayed there by Salo as he connects with a hook.
Barnes misses with a looping left.
Salo connects with a crisp jab.
Salo throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Salo does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Salo throws a big shot that misses.
Barnes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Barnes throws a lazy right hand but Salo sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Barnes has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

Salo takes the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salo lands with a left to the head.
Salo is leaning against Barnes and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Knees to the body from Salo.
Barnes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Barnes misses with a punch to the body.
Barnes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Salo scores with a hook to the body.
Salo lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Salo.
Salo creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Barnes's defenses.
Barnes working hard to break the clinch.
Barnes has had enough of the clinch but Salo keeps him there for the moment.
A shot in the inside from Salo.
A hook to the body from Salo.
Salo lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Salo.

Salo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salo plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

Salo has Barnes up against the cage in a clinch.
Salo scores with a shoulder strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salo makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Salo scores with a shot to the side of Barnes's head.
A short uppercut from Salo.
Nice body punch from Salo.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salo lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A hook to the body from Salo.

Salo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Barnes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Barnes moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Salo fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Barnes.
Barnes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Salo throws out the jab.
Barnes takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Barnes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Salo can pounce on him.
Salo connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Barnes walks into a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salo tries to close the distance and clinch up but Barnes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Salo digs a good body shot into Barnes's ribs.
Esko Salo is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Barnes blocks a jab.
Barnes takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Salo closes the distance but Barnes moves to the side
and Barnes counters with a straight right hand.
Salo throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Barnes stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Jab from Salo.
Barnes tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Salo falls off balance throwing a combination
and Barnes counters with a two punch combo.
A big left from Salo misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salo looks to land a left hand but Barnes moved out of range nicely.
Salo is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Barnes can do to turn this around?
Salo connects with a single shot there.
Barnes takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Salo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Barnes counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Salo thinking.
Salo tries to clinch
and Barnes counters with a nice uppercut.
A chopping leg kick lands by Salo.
Salo misses with a kick to the body.
Salo fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
A shot to the body from Salo misses
and Barnes counters with a right hand to the body.
Andre Barnes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Barnes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Barnes walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Barnes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
Esko Salo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Salo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight for Esko Salo!
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight for Esko Salo!
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight for Esko Salo!

Esko Salo wins by unanimous decision!