PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Salo Gonalez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kalongi Rose (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kalongi Rose has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Gonalez
vs
Rose

177 cm
25
159 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

191 cm
25
160 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Salo Gonalez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Kalongi Rose!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Santiago Holmes and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gonalez throws a one two combo.
Gonalez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Rose dives in for a single leg takedown but Gonalez sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Rose gets tackled into the cage by Gonalez. Gonalez maintains the clinch.
Gonalez lands a body punch in the clinch.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Rose.
Gonalez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Gonalez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rose looks to land a combination but Gonalez avoids it well.
Rose shoots in for a double leg but Gonalez sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Gonalez shoots in but Rose avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Gonalez avoids it really well and circles away.
Salo Gonalez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kalongi Rose.
Gonalez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gonalez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Rose closes the distance and clinches up with Gonalez, looking for a takedown. Rose pushes Gonalez against the cage but Gonalez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gonalez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Gonalez throws a chopping leg kick but Rose manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Rose raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Gonalez.
Rose wants to counter with a clinch but Gonalez pushes him away.
Gonalez avoids the head kick by Rose.
Rose throws a half hearted mid kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Gonalez is defended easily by Rose.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Rose. No joy for Gonalez on that attempt.

Rose gets the takedown into side control.

Gonalez bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A lazy body kick from Gonalez
and Rose connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Gonalez throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rose rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gonalez moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rose wants to clinch up but Gonalez keeps it at a distance.
Gonalez lands with a kick to the temple. Rose shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Gonalez misses with a body kick.
Rose fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gonalez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rose swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And Rose tries to counter it with a takedown but Gonalez pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez closes the distance and clinches up with Rose, looking for a takedown. Gonalez pushes Rose against the cage but Rose circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Gonalez sets himself, and Rose steps forward looking for the clinch! Gonalez avoids it this time.
Gonalez is breathing heavily.
Gonalez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rose looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Gonalez shoots and misses

and Rose holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Gonalez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rose is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Rose stuffs the takedown attempt from Gonalez. Gonalez gets slowly back to his feet.
Gonalez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Rose looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Rose dives in for a single leg takedown but Gonalez sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Gonalez changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Gonalez gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Gonalez is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Rose dives into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gonalez wants to control but Rose postures up.
The strikes coming from Rose are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gonalez stops Rose from passing to mount.
Gonalez tries to improve position but can't.
Rose tries to score with some ground and pound. Gonalez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rose with the ground and pound but Gonalez regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Salo Gonalez will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Rose tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Gonalez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Salo Gonalez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Rose leaves Gonalez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown attempt by Gonalez or perhaps it was just good defense by Rose, which made it look bad.
Rose looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gonalez is fending him off so far but Rose persists. Nope, Gonalez circles away and we're back to standing.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown but Rose shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salo Gonalez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gonalez looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rose is fending him off so far but Gonalez persists. Nope, Rose circles away and we're back to standing.
Gonalez with a lazy takedown attempt
and Rose counters with a series of strikes. Gonalez will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rose on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Rose shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Gonalez but Gonalez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Gonalez stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Gonalez wants it to stay on the feet.
Salo Gonalez is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Gonalez as he jumps to the side.
Gonalez scores with a nice head shot.
Rose fails with an attempt to clinch.
Gonalez dives in and grabs Rose's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rose pushes down on Gonalez's head and hops out.
Gonalez throws a jab but it's blocked by Rose.
Gonalez's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Gonalez duly obliges.
Rose shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Gonalez as he avoids it easily.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown but Rose shows good takedown defense.
Rose throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Gonalez's waist but Gonalez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Rose off to one side.
Gonalez swats away the attempt to clinch by Rose.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rose.
Rose tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Gonalez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Rose counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rose has Gonalez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Gonalez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Gonalez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rose walks away with a smile on his face. Gonalez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rose shoots in looking for a takedown. Gonalez tries to sprawl out of it but Rose keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gonalez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rose as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Rose lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

Rose clinches up against the cage.
Rose looking to throw knees to the head but Gonalez is blocking nicely.
Rose is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Rose turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Rose manages to end up in side control.

Gonalez bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Rose looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Gonalez is fending him off so far but Rose persists. Nope, Gonalez circles away and we're back to standing.
Gonalez is looking for a counter combo.
Gonalez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gonalez throws a nice looking combination but Rose bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rose wants to clinch up but Gonalez keeps it at a distance.

Gonalez has taken the fight to the clinch.
Gonalez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rose walks away with a smile on his face. Gonalez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Rose doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Rose gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Rose has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Gonalez uses from the top position.
Gonalez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Gonalez is controlling the pace.
Rose trying to control but Gonalez postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Salo Gonalez dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Rose falls off balance throwing a combination
and Gonalez counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Gonalez clinches.

Gonalez manages to pull guard.
Gonalez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Rose has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Gonalez wants to sweep here but Rose controlling him for the moment.
Rose wants to control from the top but Gonalez keeps moving.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rose pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gonalez is keeping the position for now.
Gonalez 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rose stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gonalez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gonalez pulls Rose in close to prevent any damage.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Rose wants to control from the top but Gonalez keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Gonalez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Rose counter with a right hand.
Gonalez will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rose will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rose takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Gonalez throws a half hearted mid kick.
Rose changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez tries a head kick but it misses.
Rose looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Gonalez is looking to clinch but Rose is avoiding it.

Rose instigates a clinch.

Rose pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Gonalez has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Salo Gonalez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rose fails with an attempt to clinch.

Rose instigates a clinch.
Rose tries to pull guard but Gonalez holds him up against the cage and eventually Rose drops back down to his feet.

Rose breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rose is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Gonalez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gonalez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Rose as he avoids it easily.
A little jabbing left from Rose on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Rose lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rose.

Rose shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Gonalez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Gonalez managing to control the position.
Rose looking to sit in guard and control but Gonalez gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Rose is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Rose working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gonalez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gonalez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gonalez is in close to Rose's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Gonalez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rose on the ground.
Rose controls Gonalez momentarily but Gonalez frees himself.
Gonalez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Rose tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gonalez controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kalongi Rose has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salo Gonalez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Kalongi Rose.
I think Gonalez 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Salo Gonalez!