PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Abdul Jabbar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cris DeSalvo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). DeSalvo has chosen Let's Get Rocked as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Cris DeSalvo will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Jabbar
vs
DeSalvo

173 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
190 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Abdul Jabbar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Cris DeSalvo!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Colin Fotheringham and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Jabbar scores with a takedown into DeSalvo's guard.
Jabbar has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Jabbar controls from within his opponent's guard.
Jabbar wants to control from the top but DeSalvo keeps moving.
Jabbar works over DeSalvo with some ground and pound from guard.
Jabbar looking to sit in guard and control but DeSalvo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Jabbar looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jabbar knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for DeSalvo on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jabbar seems keen to control DeSalvo's posture.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw DeSalvo working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
DeSalvo trying to control the position from guard on top but Jabbar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
DeSalvo stopping the sweep attempt from Jabbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
DeSalvo throws a big elbow that misses.
Jabbar 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.
Jabbar has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but DeSalvo has passed into side control.
DeSalvo looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Jabbar is avoiding damage well.
Jabbar is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked DeSalvo off and has taken his back!
Jabbar cracks DeSalvo with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing DeSalvo from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Jabbar lands strikes to the head.
Jabbar trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar is landing with strikes. DeSalvo can't take much more of this.
Jabbar loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can DeSalvo hold on?
Jabbar connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for DeSalvo to escape the position.
I would not like to be DeSalvo right now.
Jabbar keeps control of the position as DeSalvo tries to break free.
Jabbar has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of DeSalvo's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
DeSalvo covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Jabbar biding his time, looking for the opening.
Jabbar punishes DeSalvo with strikes from the back mount.
Jabbar controlling the position well here. DeSalvo rolled but Jabbar kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Jabbar seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down DeSalvo for as long as he can get away with.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Jabbar dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Jabbar fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with DeSalvo, pushing him back against the cage.

Jabbar turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
DeSalvo prevents Jabbar from improving position.
DeSalvo is looking to regain half guard here but Jabbar keeps moving and retains side control.
Check out the look on Jabbar's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Jabbar just content to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
DeSalvo holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
DeSalvo being controlled for a moment.
Jabbar cracks DeSalvo with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's one minute gone in the round.
DeSalvo struggling a bit here.
Jabbar slows the pace down.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Jabbar working the head with strikes.
Jabbar controlling the position from side mount.
DeSalvo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Jabbar's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
DeSalvo is breathing heavily.
DeSalvo missing with punches from the bottom.
Jabbar controlling the pace.

That's two 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.
Jabbar prevents DeSalvo from improving his position.
Jabbar keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Jabbar passes the guard and advances to mount!
Jabbar putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Jabbar lands with some strikes.
Jabbar tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
DeSalvo is squirming around, avoiding Jabbar's attempts to control the action.
DeSalvo is working to get back to half guard.
Jabbar landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Jabbar controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee warns DeSalvo that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Jabbar landing strikes from the mount.
Jabbar tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Jabbar landing strikes, looking to finish!
Jabbar raining down shots from the mount!

DeSalvo is rocked!
Jabbar controlling his opponent.
DeSalvo is still in real trouble! Can Jabbar finish him?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jabbar scoring with strikes but DeSalvo is staying in there.
Jabbar lands a big shot there that rocks DeSalvo but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
DeSalvo tries to hold on but Jabbar pushes him away.
Jabbar unloads with some vicious shots from mount and DeSalvo wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Jabbar celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:35 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Abdul Jabbar!
Cris DeSalvo spoke after the fight, saying 'It might not have been my day, but as long as I live and continue my training there will be a day for me to shine.'.