PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Quala Bear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nick Salcido (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Bear
vs
Salcido

188 cm
28
216 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

185 cm
29
215 lbs
6 - 1 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Quala Bear!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Nick Salcido!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Roger Salmon and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bear takes a swing at Salcido's ribcage but misses.
Bear misses with a takedown
and Salcido counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Quala Bear has been cut.
Bear throws a sloppy head kick and Salcido moves out of range easily.
Nice takedown defense from Salcido. No joy for Bear on that attempt.
Bear throws a big shot that misses.
Salcido rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bear moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Salcido avoids a punch combination nicely.

Bear lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Salcido sprawling to the canvas. Bear follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Salcido hang on?

It looks like Nick Salcido has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Salcido avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Bear.
Bear trying to control from Salcido's half guard. Salcido has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Salcido can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bear throws an elbow that misses. Salcido uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bear's guard. Nice move by Salcido!
Salcido must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Bear looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salcido engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Bear has an active guard here but Salcido has managed to pass into half guard.

Bear looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Bear wants to improve his position but Salcido is controlling well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bear wants to get back to full guard but Salcido has passed into side control.
Bear 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.
Bear is trying to get back to half guard.
Salcido controls the position.
Salcido working away.
Bear is holding Salcido down, trying to stall.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salcido wants to stand but Bear has his arm trapped.
Bear is trying to get back to half guard.
Salcido wants to stand but Bear is controlling his arm.
Bear is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Salcido throws a series of punches but Bear moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bear tries to score a power double leg takedown but Salcido sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Bear somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Quala Bear. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bear tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bear.
Good exchange - Salcido coming out on top.
Salcido swings widly with a right hand

and Bear counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Bear wants to take a breather but Salcido is having none of it.
Salcido controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Bear wants to lay and pray for a moment but Salcido keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Quala Bear dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A telegraphed right hand from Salcido misses the target.
A bone on bone clash there as Bear blocks the leg kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Bear.
Bear throws a leg kick
enabling Salcido to counter with a crisp jab.
Salcido connects with a single shot there.
Salcido swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Bear counters by moving into the clinch.
Bear throws a head punch that misses.
Salcido gets through Bear's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Salcido gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Bear.
A head punch on the inside from Bear fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Salcido.
Bear lands a hook to the side of the head.
Salcido prevents a body shot from Bear.
Salcido softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Bear tries to throw a body punch but Salcido avoids it by throwing Bear back against the cage.
Bear swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Bear tries to work over Salcido's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Salcido lands a shoulder strike.
Salcido lands a nice shot to the body.
Salcido is trying to maintain a safe position but Bear gets an underhook and turns Salcido into the cage.
Bear wants a takedown.

Salcido's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bear blocks the body kick.
Salcido avoids the head kick by Bear.
Salcido throws a leg kick

and Bear decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Salcido's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bear wants to control from the top but Salcido keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salcido tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Bear drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Salcido dives on top into guard.
Bear throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Salcido wants to stand but Bear is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bear keeping moving, preventing Salcido from controlling successfully.

Salcido stands up and waves to Bear to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salcido connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Bear keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Salcido.
Bear shoots for a double leg takedown but Salcido sprawls well. He's pushed Bear's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Quala Bear. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bear takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bear misses with a left hand
letting Salcido counter with a right hand.
Bear moves away from the strike by Salcido.
Salcido is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bear.
A big left from Salcido misses.
Bear fails with the takedown.
Bear looks to score with a jab to the body but Salcido is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bear cracks Salcido with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Salcido slips a straight right by Bear.
Salcido uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Bear.
Salcido fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bear manages to avoid it.
Salcido throws a series of punches but Bear avoids them all with ease.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A slow jab from Salcido misses its intended target.
Bear swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Salcido on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Bear lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Salcido circles away quickly and effectively.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Salcido misses with a looping right.
Bear throws a nice inside leg kick.
No joy there for Bear, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nick Salcido will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Bear throws a combination that misses
and Bear takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bear uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Salcido.
Salcido fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Bear keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bear walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Salcido checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Salcido scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Bear is rocked!
Salcido throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Salcido will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bear keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Salcido.
Bear pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Salcido throws a shot from downtown. Bear moves away and avoids it.
Salcido scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salcido. Bear does a little dance to reset his feet.
Salcido misses the body punch

and Bear counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Salcido pulls Bear in to control the position.
Salcido avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bear trying to control but Salcido is working from the bottom.
Bear throwing strikes from guard but Salcido blocks nicely.
Bear trying to control but Salcido is working from the bottom.
Salcido tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Salcido really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bear. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Bear trying to control but Salcido is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Quala Bear wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Bear bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bear slips under a jab from Salcido.
Nick Salcido is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bear throws a hook but Salcido avoids it easily.
Salcido throws a big shot that misses.
Salcido digs a good hook to Bear's body.
Salcido lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Bear shoots in but Salcido avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Salcido misses with a hook. Bear ducked under it nicely.
Salcido's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Salcido duly obliges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bear takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Quala Bear's cut is getting worse.
Bear slips under a jab.
Salcido throws a leg kick but Bear checks it.
Salcido throws a hook but Bear avoids it easily.
Salcido pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Bear misses with a takedown attempt - Salcido sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Bear.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Quala Bear. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice shot by Bear.
Salcido misses with a right hand

and Bear counters with a takedown into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!

Bear is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Salcido knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Bear working the strikes but Salcido uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Bear is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Salcido is just riding it out for now. Bear eventually gives up the hold.
Salcido preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Bear is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Salcido defends it well.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nick Salcido.
I think Salcido has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Salcido!
Our winner, Nick Salcido, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.