PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jose Salcedo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hjalmar Thorhalla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thorhalla has chosen Disturbed / Down With The Sickness as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Salcedo
vs
Thorhalla

184 cm
38
278 lbs
28 - 19 - 0

200 cm
31
249 lbs
21 - 16 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Affordable Quality + Reliable Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 19 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jose Salcedo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hjalmar Thorhalla!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thorhalla lands a head shot.

Thorhalla clinches up against the cage.
Salcedo displaying some good clinch control by pressing Thorhalla up against the cage.
Salcedo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Thorhalla has Salcedo pressed against the cage.
Salcedo prevents Thorhalla from breaking the clinch.
Salcedo swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Salcedo is trying to drag Thorhalla to the mat but Thorhalla just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Salcedo misses with some punches.
Thorhalla has had enough of the clinch but Salcedo keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thorhalla tries to circle away but Salcedo has him pinned against the cage.

Salcedo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Salcedo throws a body punch but Thorhalla moves out of range.
Salcedo takes a swing at Thorhalla's ribcage but misses.
Thorhalla has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Salcedo is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Thorhalla is looking to clinch but Salcedo is avoiding it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Salcedo. Thorhalla does a little dance to reset his feet.
Thorhalla uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Salcedo.
Thorhalla keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Salcedo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Salcedo dives in and grabs Thorhalla's left leg, looking for a takedown. Thorhalla pushes down on Salcedo's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Salcedo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thorhalla lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Salcedo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Salcedo scores with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Decent striking displayed by Thorhalla there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Salcedo fails with a takedown attempt.
Salcedo throws a lazy right hand but Thorhalla sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Salcedo misses with a few strikes there.
Thorhalla bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Thorhalla lands a left and a right that send Salcedo crashing to the mat, dazed. Thorhalla thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Jose Salcedo has been cut.
Thorhalla throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Thorhalla fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Salcedo manages to avoid it.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Salcedo. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Salcedo catches Thorhalla with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
No luck for Salcedo with that takedown attempt.
Salcedo tries a low kick but Thorhalla avoids it.

Thorhalla gets the takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salcedo is trying to improve his position.
Thorhalla wants to lay and pray for a moment but Salcedo keeps working.
Salcedo can't do much from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thorhalla tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Salcedo struggling a bit here.
Salcedo tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Thorhalla presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salcedo tries to hold on but Thorhalla pushes him away.
Thorhalla trying to control but Salcedo is having none of it.
Salcedo regains half guard.
Thorhalla is thwarting Salcedo's attempts to control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Salcedo is trying to get back to full guard.

Salcedo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Thorhalla pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hjalmar Thorhalla dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jose Salcedo's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Salcedo lands a jab to the head.
Salcedo misses the shot to the body.
Thorhalla blocks a head kick by Salcedo.
Salcedo misses with a two punch combination.
Thorhalla throws a series of punches but Salcedo moves out of range.
Salcedo blocks a head kick by Thorhalla.
Hjalmar Thorhalla seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thorhalla lands a high kick!
Salcedo uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A telegraphed right hand from Salcedo misses the target.
Thorhalla bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Salcedo's head backwards.
Salcedo has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Thorhalla finds it's way round the side to connect with Salcedo's head.

Salcedo throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Thorhalla was covering up waiting for the punch and Salcedo finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Thorhalla not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salcedo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Salcedo trying to control but Thorhalla is working from the bottom.
Thorhalla looking for a sweep. Not yet Thorhalla, not yet.
Salcedo trying to control but Thorhalla is working from the bottom.
Salcedo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Jose Salcedo has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Salcedo misses with an uppercut. Thorhalla saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salcedo misses with a looping right.
Hjalmar Thorhalla seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Thorhalla throws a leg kick but Salcedo moved away.
Nice body punch from Salcedo.
Salcedo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thorhalla throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Thorhalla tries to clinch up but Salcedo circles away and keeps his distance.
Salcedo thuds a left hand into Thorhalla's body.
Thorhalla is breathing heavily.
Thorhalla moves in looking to clinch but Salcedo pushes him off.
Salcedo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Salcedo wants to land a leg kick but Thorhalla is out of range.
Salcedo listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Salcedo misses with a kick to the body.
Salcedo tries for a takedown but Thorhalla sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salcedo tries to land a leg kick but Thorhalla saw it coming and moves away.
Salcedo avoids the head kick by Thorhalla.
Salcedo doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Thorhalla moves into the clinch.
Salcedo has had enough of the clinch but Thorhalla keeps him there for the moment.
Thorhalla wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Thorhalla is trying to break free.
Salcedo has had enough of the clinch but Thorhalla keeps him there for the moment.
Salcedo misses with a punch to the body.
Thorhalla wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Salcedo has him pressed against the cage.
Salcedo is trying to drag Thorhalla to the mat but Thorhalla just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Salcedo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Salcedo breaks from the clinch.
Jose Salcedo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thorhalla looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Salcedo wants to control but Thorhalla is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Salcedo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Salcedo is looking to improve his position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Salcedo is working hard here to advance position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Salcedo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jose Salcedo's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Salcedo cracks Thorhalla with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Thorhalla drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Thorhalla.
Salcedo is trying to control Thorhalla's posture but Thorhalla avoids it.
Salcedo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Salcedo wants to control but Thorhalla postures up.
Salcedo is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salcedo sneaks back into half guard.
Salcedo trying to control but Thorhalla postures up.
Salcedo controlling the position well.
The fighters are battling for position here. Salcedo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Salcedo working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thorhalla postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Salcedo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Thorhalla is one step ahead there.
Salcedo is pulling down on Thorhalla's head to control his posture.
Salcedo wants to sweep here but Thorhalla controlling him for the moment.
Salcedo looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Thorhalla puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salcedo is looking to improve his position.
Salcedo is trying to maintain the position but Thorhalla is very close to passing his half guard.
Salcedo tries to roll over but Thorhalla keeps him under control.
Salcedo keeping control of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salcedo is trying to get back to full guard.
Salcedo is trying to control but can't.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jose Salcedo.
Salcedo throws a leg kick
and Thorhalla counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Thorhalla uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Salcedo scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Salcedo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Salcedo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Salcedo working the ground and pound but Thorhalla is defending the strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose Salcedo showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Salcedo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Salcedo!
Jose Salcedo bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.