Sheymon Moraes advances in playoffs earning a unanimous decision victory over Hawaii’s Boston Salmon.
A close fight was eminent when two of the best Featherweights faced each other in PFL 2, Regular Season.
Sheymon Moraes improved to 13-5, 3-1 PFL. Boston Salmon fell to 8-4, 1-1 PFL.
SHEYMON MORAES (145.2) VS.BOSTON SALMON (145.4)
Salmon vs. Moraes Fight:
PLAY by PLAY
ROUND 1
In this next featherweight contest, one of the more experienced men under the PFL ranks in ex-WSOF title challenger Moraes (13-5, 5-2 PFL) fights for the eighth time in the organization, when he battles it out with Challenger Series 4 contract winner Salmon (8-3, 1-0 PFL). Fists and feet are soon to fly for the pair of 31-year-olds, who draw oversight from ripped referee Gary Copeland. There is no touch of gloves to open the contest, and instead Salmon starts off with a jab. The 145ers keep a safe range of non-engagement, and Salmon whiffs on a left to the body. Salmon charges recklessly, throws a high kick, and dives forward with a few punches that make him fall crashing into the wall. Moraes sees these strikes coming and ducks around to take Salmon’s back, where he begins to batter the rear thigh of his foe. Salmon keeps himself from getting taken down as Moraes has his hands clasped around his waist, but he cannot stop these annoying knees to the backside. The Brazilian keeps on smacking Salmon in the posterior with these knees until Salmon explodes out of position and get jammed into the wire with his back to hit now. When Salmon nearly gets away, Moraes drags him back to the wall and then wrenches him down to the mat. Moraes settles in his foe’s guard, and Salmon swims back to the fencing before sitting up and standing. When both are back upright, this grinding position from Moraes continues until he bucks and rips Salmon down to the canvas. Salmon, on his knees, finds his neck in a strange position, until he bursts up to his feet. As Moraes tries to re-impose his will, Salmon shoves him away to gain a little space. The Brazilian does not mind, as he delivers a kick to the body and a pair of punches while Salmon stands before him. A high kick from Moraes falls short, and Salmon looks for a counter knee that does not find its home on the chest. Moraes walks his man down and chops down his lead leg before punching into a clinch. This clinch is where the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
ROUND 2
The second frame opens with Salmon again pushing out jabs, only this time he is met by a pair of powerful punches from the Brazilian. Salmon fires back a resounding body kick, but he is one-and-done with it as Moraes is the busier man on the feet. The Hawaiian swings with a high kick that misses, and he falls to his knees when inaccurate. Moraes cracks Salmon with a right hand, and he gives chase with a head kick that is narrowly blocked. Moraes strategically walks Salmon down, throwing enough to get his attention but not dangerously to put himself in the trajectory of a big counter. Salmon steps through with a left hand, and Moraes meets him with a one-two up the middle. “Boom Boom” explodes a left hook on his foe’s chin, and he is slinging bombs as he finally appears to have found his range. A right from Salmon clips Moraes, who smartly reacts by clinching up and tying Salmon up to get his wits back about him. Moraes spams several knees to the body that begin to have an appreciable effect, and Salmon times one that irritates Moraes back. A few more come from the Brazilian, who drops Salmon down to a knee. Moraes continue to rip them to the torso until Salmon muscles his way back upright again, and Moraes is on him like glue. Moraes digs punches to the body when not throwing knees, and a body kick makes Salmon double over when they get a little space. Salmon swings for the bleachers, hoping to land that one shot that will sting Moraes, but the shots graze the target and do not back Moraes off. Moraes carries on with effective body work, and he chops down the lead leg every so often. Salmon walks straight into a right hand, and Salmon is stunned but not out of it as he lifts up a knee to greet Moraes coming forward. Moraes jumps with a spinning kick, and Salmon smiles at him to end the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moraes
ROUND 3
The final round commences with Moraes coming out with a full head of steam, and a one-two just misses the mark early. A body kick from the Brazilian is much more accurate, and Salmon grunts after absorbing it and swings back but hits nothing but air as Moraes is out of the way. Moraes redoubles his effort with another pounding body kick, and Salmon jabs long to the midsection in response. They trade single straight strikes, and Salmon knocks his man back with a left hand. As Moraes attacks, he gets clipped and loses balance, dropping to a knee. Moraes gets himself back up and dusts himself off before Salmon can do anything, and Moraes walks him down fearlessly. As Salmon swings, Moraes changes levels and plants Salmon on his back. Moraes is quick to take half guard, and he hunts for full mount while also threatening with an arm-triangle choke on his way. When not looking to pass guard, Moraes maintains a heavy shoulder pressure that keeps Salmon stuck in this position. Moraes steps over to the other side, and Salmon gets his leg back so that the Brazilian does not claim mount. Moraes does not mind, as he begins to slam down left hands that go undefended. Salmon scrambles wildly, and Moraes grabs onto a two-on-one wrist lock before bailing on it when Salmon has the upper hand and fights to his feet. Salmon, when freed, winds up on punches and gets Moraes’ attention with a duo of powerful shots. Moraes ties him back up and slams his knee into Salmon’s midsection again and again, until Salmon pushes him away. Fighting his way upstream, Salmon darts forward with a left hand, and Moraes grabs him like a bear and shoves him into the wall to make lunch out of Salmon’s body. Moraes trips Salmon down to the ground, and he successfully thwarts the scramble to the end the bout on top. That solid 15 minutes of work should give Moraes the three points for the likely upcoming win.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Moraes (30-27 Moraes)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Moraes (30-27 Moraes)
Mike Fridley scores the round: 10-9 Moraes (30-27 Moraes)
THE OFFICIAL RESULT
Sheymon Moraes def. Boston Salmon via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
PFL 2 QUICK RESULTS:
Bruno Cappelozza vs. Stuart Austin — Cappelozza def. Austin by TKO (punches) at 4:24 of Round One
Lance Palmer vs. Chris Wade — Wade def. Palmer by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Brendan Loughnane vs. Ryoji Kudo — Loughnane def. Kudo by technical decision (29-28 x3)
Renan Ferreira vs. Jamelle Jones — Ferreira def. Jones by KO (front kick and punches) at 0:25 of Round One
Denis Goltsov vs. Cody Goodale — Goltsov def. Goodale by TKO (punches) at 3:20 of Round One
Ante Delija vs. Matheus Scheffel — Delija def. Scheffel by TKO (punches) at 0:59 of Round Two
Bubba Jenkins vs. Kyle Bochniak — Jenkins def. Bochniak by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Klidson Abreu vs. Adam Keresh — Abreu def. Keresh by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)
Sheymon Moraes vs. Boston Salmon — Moraes def. Salmon by unanimous decision (30-27 x2)
Alejandro Flores vs. Saba Bolaghi — Flores def. Bolaghi by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)