PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hamad Salem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Trent Harley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Salem
vs
Harley

210 cm
19
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Likes comics

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hamad Salem!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Trent Harley!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harley stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Harley wants it to stay on the feet.
Salem really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Salem closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Salem is looking to break free of the clinch but Harley has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Salem's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Harley trying to control the position but instead, Salem has worked for underhooks and has pushed Harley into the cage.
Salem has Harley pushed against the cage.
Harley pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stalling in the clinch from Harley.

Harley breaks the clinch.
Salem misses with a takedown
and Harley counters with a thumping low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Harley lands a front kick.
Salem swats away the attempt to clinch by Harley.
Harley throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Salem drives through and clinches with Harley against the cage.

Harley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Harley tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Salem circles away from the clinch attempt.
Salem on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Harley. Harley obviously looking to wear him down.

Salem gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Harley breaks the clinch.
Harley moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salem shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Harley pinned against the cage. Harley gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hamad Salem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Salem looks for a takedown but Harley sprawls well.
Salem fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Salem closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salem is looking to break free of the clinch but Harley has double underhooks.
Salem is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Harley is defending well.

Harley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salem tries to bum rush Harley with a series of wild strikes but Harley uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Harley follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.

Harley closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Salem is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Harley to keep the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salem dodges an elbow strike from Harley.
Salem is working for takedown but Harley is calmly controlling the position for now.

Harley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salem has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Harley.
Harley fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Salem has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Salem swings widly with a right hand
and Harley makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Salem fails to land the takedown.
Harley slips a jab and a cross from Salem.
Salem misses with a few strikes there.
Salem sets himself, and Harley steps forward looking for the clinch! Salem avoids it this time.
Harley is looking to clinch.
Harley slaps away a takedown attempt from Salem, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Salem is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Salem avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice body kick there by Harley.
Harley tries to clinch up but Salem circles away and keeps his distance.
Salem circles away from the clinch attempt.
Salem shoots in looking for a takedown but Harley manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Salem's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Trent Harley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Harley is looking to slow Salem down with leg kicks.
Salem tries for a takedown but Harley sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Harley moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Harley is looking to clinch but Salem is avoiding it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Harley.
Salem throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Harley counters with a nice low kick that buckles Salem's knee momentarily.
A punch combination from Salem misses.
Salem closes this distance looking for a takedown but Harley circles away.
Harley tries to counter with a clinch but Salem shakes him off and moves away.
Harley fails in his attempt to clinch.
Salem misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trent Harley dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Harley turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Hamad Salem seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harley wants to clinch up but Salem keeps it at a distance.
Harley thumps Salem with a low kick.
Salem swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Salem closes the distance and clinches.

Harley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Salem fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Salem lands with a straight right. Harley didn't see that one coming.
Salem is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Salem, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Harley throws a hook but Salem blocks it.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Harley.
Salem tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salem throws a nice looking combination but Harley bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Salem darts in and clinches Harley up against the cage.
Harley missing with knees to the body.

Harley breaks the clinch.
Salem shoots for a takedown but Harley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Harley dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Salem. That did some damage!
Salem on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A chopping leg kick lands by Harley.
Harley wants to clinch.
Harley swings for the body but Salem moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salem dodges an elbow strike from Harley.
Harley misses with an elbow over the top.
Harley looking to stall.

Harley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Salem looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Harley is fending him off so far but Salem persists. Nope, Harley circles away and we're back to standing.
A nice side step and Harley releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hamad Salem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harley moves in looking to clinch but Salem pushes him off.
Hamad Salem is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Harley gets a clinch.

Harley breaks the clinch.
Trent Harley seems to be getting the better of the standup.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Harley throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Salem fails with the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salem misses with a double jab
and Harley counters with a nice kick to the body.
A head kick misses from Salem.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Harley tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salem manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Salem fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Harley tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Salem moves into the clinch.

Harley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harley throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Harley looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Salem will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Harley.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harley tries to clinch up.
Harley wants to clinch up but Salem keeps it at a distance.
Harley lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Harley wants to clinch up but Salem keeps it at a distance.
Salem looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Harley is looking to clinch.

Salem fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Harley, pushing him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Harley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Harley tries to clinch up but Salem circles away and keeps his distance.
Salem tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A chopping leg kick lands by Harley.
Harley tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Salem counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Trent Harley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Salem has managed to clinch.

Harley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Salem misses with a two punch combination.
Salem swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Harley counters with an outside leg kick.
Harley tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Salem manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Harley lands with a thumping leg kick.
Harley tries to clinch up.
Harley thows a body kick. Salem tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Harley scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Salem will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Harley lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Salem has a takedown stuffed.
Harley tries to clinch but Salem moves out of range.
Harley wants to clinch up but Salem keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salem tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Harley defends well and Salem ends up having to push Harley into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Salem misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hamad Salem. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Harley scores with a push kick.

Salem pushes Harley up against the cage in a clinch.

Harley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harley moves in looking to clinch but Salem pushes him off.
Salem keeps the fight on the outside.

Salem gets tackled into the cage by Harley. Harley maintains the clinch.
Harley is trying to stall.

Harley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Harley is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Harley tries to clinch there but Salem circles away.
Salem jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Harley has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Salem clinches up with Harley and pushes him back against the cage.
Salem working hard to break the clinch.
Harley wants to stall.

Harley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Harley explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Harley.

Salem clinches up with Harley and pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Salem is trying to pull guard but Harley has him pressed against the cage.
Salem is looking to take this one to the mat.
Harley gets underhooks to prevent Salem's takedown attempt.

Harley pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Salem gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Harley counters with a nice low kick that buckles Salem's knee momentarily.
Salem misses with a low kick.
Harley tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Salem paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Harley lands a leg kick that knocks Salem off balance momentarily.
Salem will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Salem takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Salem throws a sloppy head kick
and Harley counters with a nice kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice body kick from Harley.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Harley - that will leave a mark!
Salem on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Trent Harley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Salem takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Harley doesn't manage to clinch there - Salem circles away.
Harley bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Salem clinches up against the cage.
Harley is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Salem is keeping busy.
Harley is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hamad Salem has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Salem misses with a punch on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Trent Harley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Harley winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Trent Harley!
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight for Trent Harley!
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Trent Harley!

Trent Harley wins by unanimous decision!