PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sami Salama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ari Gold (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gold has chosen Beats And Styles - Dynamite as his entrance music. Ari Gold is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Salama
vs
Gold

180 cm
22
165 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

178 cm
27
161 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Blitzkrieg Formula 5000 Cardio

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sami Salama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ari Gold!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Salama throws a body kick that misses.
Gold motions for Salama to come forward. Gold throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Salama throws a front kick aimed at Gold's knee but Gold avoids it well.

Gold closes the distance and pushes Salama back into the cage.
Gold fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Salama pushes Gold back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Gold dodges an elbow strike from Salama.
Salama tries to land knees in the clinch but Gold avoids the damage to the body.
Gold throws a punch but it's blocked by Salama.
Gold presses Salama against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A right hand to the body from Gold.
Gold avoiding damage as Salama throws knees to the body.
Salama with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Salama unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gold lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Gold stalling the fight.
Salama misses with a knee to the head.
Gold takes an elbow to the forehead.

Gold breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Gold throws a chopping leg kick but Salama manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Salama throws a leg kick but Gold moved away.
A big left from Gold misses.

Gold moves into the clinch successfully.
Salama misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gold.
Good body shot from Gold.

Gold manages to break the clinch.
A solid body kick from Salama.
Salama takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Salama misses with a looping right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gold with a jab.
Donk. Gold catches Salama right on the button with a cross.
Gold scores with a body shot.
Gold lands a body shot.
Salama is breathing heavily.
Gold lands a right hook to the body.
Gold swats away the attempt to clinch by Salama.
Gold feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Salama's calf.
Good leg kick by Gold there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Gold punishes Salama's body with a nice straight punch.
Good exchange - Gold coming out on top.
Gold tests Salama's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gold lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gold lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Gold.
Gold lands a jab.
A lazy left from Gold finds it's target.
Nice shot lands for Gold.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A shot to de liver by Gold. Beautiful body shot.
Gold is looking to clinch but Salama is avoiding it.
Gold throws an overhand right that lands on Salama's shoulder, as Salama tries to avoid the shot.
Gold fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Salama manages to avoid it.
Gold misses with an uppercut. Salama saw that one coming.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Gold.
Gold fails to land with a series of punches.
Salama on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Gold comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Gold wants to clinch up but Salama keeps it at a distance.
Gold sizes up Salama with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Salama moves out of range as Gold strikes.
Gold scores with the left hand. Salama knows he should have avoided that one.
Gold works Salama's body with a nice hook.
Gold lands with a straight right. Salama didn't see that one coming.
Gold scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

Gold has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gold is working Salama over against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gold.
Gold lands with a right to the head.

Gold manages to break the clinch.
Salama circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gold connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Gold moves into the clinch.
Gold lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Gold manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Gold has a couple of punches blocked by Salama.
Salama misses with a punch to the body.
Gold misses with the head strike.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Gold takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Salama unloads a knee to the mid-section. Gold lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Salama unloads a knee to the mid-section.
A short right from Gold on the inside.
Salama goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Salama with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Gold blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Salama trying to land knees to the body.
Gold throws a punch but it's blocked by Salama.
Gold lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short uppercut from Gold.

Salama breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gold changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Salama uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gold.
Gold thows a leg kick but Salama checks it
and Salama counters with a head kick. That will keep Gold thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Gold throws a good cross that connects.
Gold throws a jab when Salama was well out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gold. Salama does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salama tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Gold lands a nice leg kick that just misses Salama's sensitive parts.
Gold cracks a nice hook into Salama's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gold takes a swing at Salama's ribcage but misses.

Salama moves into the clinch.
Salama with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Gold lands an uppercut.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Gold as Salama tries to tie him up.
A head punch on the inside from Gold fails to land.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gold lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Salama.
A shot in the inside from Gold.

Gold breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Gold rushes Salama and presses him up against the cage.
Gold lands a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Gold dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Gold misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Salama fakes the leg kick and cracks Gold in the body.
Gold throws a hook but Salama avoids it easily.
Gold on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Salama. Salama obviously looking to wear him down.
Salama ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gold moves away.
Salama pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Gold finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Gold takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Gold connects with a crisp jab.
Salama closes the distance looking to clinch
enabling Gold to counter with a crisp jab.

Salama moves into the clinch successfully.
Gold throws a punch but it's blocked by Salama.
Gold lands a left hand that snaps the head of Salama backwards.
Salama is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gold is defending well for now.
Gold lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Gold throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Salama lands a nice knee to the body.
Gold takes a shot to the head.
Gold pushes Salama back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Gold throws a punch but it's blocked by Salama.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gold working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Salama swings wildly with an uppercut but Gold uses good head movement to avoid it.
Salama lands a shoulder strike.

Gold breaks the clinch.

Gold pushes Salama up against the cage in a clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Gold.
Gold looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gold softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Salama can't find room to land a body shot as Gold controls the action.
Salama can't find room to land a body shot as Gold controls the action.
Salama tries a knee to the head but Gold blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gold.
Gold blocking some punches.
Gold swings wildly with an uppercut but Salama uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gold has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A short left from Gold.
Gold swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Salama misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gold.
A short body shot lands from Gold as the two fighters clinch.
Salama is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gold is defending well for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gold lands a body shot.

Gold's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salama takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Gold thuds his right hand into Salama's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gold throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gold looks to land a combination. Salama sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Gold throws a lazy right hand but Salama sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Gold throws a jab when Salama was well out of range.
Nice body punch from Gold.
Gold cracks a nice hook into Salama's ribs.
Salama on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Gold throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Salama on the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salama takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gold. Salama does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gold connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
A punch combination from Gold misses.
Gold lands a body shot.
Salama avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Salama tries a head kick but it misses.
Gold 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.
Gold lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gold tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Salama looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salama with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Salama misses with a double jab.
Gold's corner calls for a 1-2. Gold obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
A slow jab from Salama misses its intended target.
Ari Gold seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gold connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
The fighters circling - Salama throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gold misses with a looping left.
A slapping body kick lands there for Salama.
Salama swats away the attempt to clinch by Gold.
Gold jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Salama staying out of range there.
Salama walks into a left hand.
Nice body punch from Gold.
Gold misses the jab.
A good leg kick by Salama.
Salama on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Gold throws a hook but Salama blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gold throws a jab when Salama was well out of range.
Gold defending well as Salama loads up on a big left hand.
Gold cracks Salama with an open hand slap.

Gold moves into range and clinches up with Salama.
Knees to the body from Salama.
Gold misses with a hook from the clinch.
Gold works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Gold avoiding damage as Salama throws knees to the body.
Gold throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Salamas head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gold looking to slow down the pace here.
Gold misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Gold fails to land.

Salama breaks the clinch.
Salama walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Gold moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gold lands a jab to Salama's midsection.
Gold swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gold ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Salama moves away.
Gold misses with a hook. Salama ducked under it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ari Gold showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Salama throws the left hand but Gold avoids the punch easily.
Gold swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Gold scores with a three punch combo!
Salama keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gold.
Salama bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Salama tries to close the distance and clinch but Gold swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Gold is looking to clinch but Salama is avoiding it.
Gold misses with a body shot.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Salama. Gold shrugs it off though.
Gold looks to land a left hand but Salama moved out of range nicely.
Salama walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Gold keeps the fight on the outside.
Salama fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Gold.

Salama pushes Gold up against the cage in a clinch.
Salama misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gold.
Salama struggles to land a body shot inside as Gold controls his hands.
Salama lands a damaging elbow.
Gold lands with a light punch inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Gold works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gold lands an uppercut.
Gold tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Salama misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Salama tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gold avoids it.
Gold tries to stall but Salama uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Gold tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Salama's elbow.
A left hand lands to the body for Salama.
Salama takes a shot to the head.
Gold blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Salama misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gold.
Gold blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gold lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Salama backwards.
Salama throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gold throws a head punch that misses.
Gold doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salama lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Salama misses with a knee to the head.
Salama tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gold avoids it.
With the fighters up against the cage, Salama throws an elbow but misses.
A right hand to the body from Gold.
Gold fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Salama blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A knee to the head by Salama.
A left hand lands to the body for Gold.
Gold blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ari Gold is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Gold.
Salama looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Gold lands a shoulder strike.
Salama throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Gold blocks it with crossed arms.
Salama tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gold avoids it.
Gold on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Salama misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Gold.
Good body shot from Gold.
Salama tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gold's elbow.
Gold blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Gold blocks the elbow strike.
Salama's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Salama looking to stall.
With the fighters up against the cage, Salama throws an elbow but misses.
Salama can't find room to land a body shot as Gold controls the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Salama.
A short right from Gold.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Salama.
Salama tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Gold avoids it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Salama is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Gold is defending well for now.
Salama tries to throw a body punch but Gold avoids it by throwing Salama back against the cage.
Salama utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Gold lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Salama backwards.
Salama looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Salama misses with a knee strike.
Salama tries to land a knee to the head but Gold blocks with his arms.
Salama misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Salama missing with knees to the body.
Sami Salama has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salama tries a knee to the head but Gold blocks it.
Gold avoiding damage as Salama throws knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Salama looking to throw knees to the head but Gold is blocking nicely.
Salama throws a knee to the head but misses.
Gold is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Gold scores with a hook to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Salama.
Gold avoiding damage as Salama throws knees to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gold.
Gold on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Gold.
Gold lands a shot to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Gold.
Gold lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Salama backwards.
Gold blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Salama tries a knee to the head but Gold blocks it.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ari Gold.
Well Gold 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ari Gold!