PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shinzo Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Kelly

170 cm
22
146 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

170 cm
23
145 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Shinzo Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, John Kelly!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Shigeki Sano and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly fails with the takedown.
Kelly shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense.
Silva is looking to land body kicks.

Kelly closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Silva to the mat! Silva manages to get full guard.

Kelly is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Silva is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Silva has escaped and now he's on top!

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Kelly, up you get!
Kelly swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silva misses with a takedown
and Kelly counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Kelly gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Silva to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Kelly keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kelly working for submissions but it's allowed Silva to get to half guard.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.

Kelly is defending against the submission attempts here by Silva.
Silva takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Kelly is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

Kelly looking for submissions off his back.
Kelly looks gassed!
Kelly is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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.
Silva wants to stand up but Kelly has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Kelly actively working from the bottom here.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Kelly looks to land a combination but Silva avoids it well.

Silva has taken the fight to the clinch.
Kelly tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Shinzo Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Kelly.

Silva gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Silva tries to stand and escape but Kelly is controlling the position.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva is looking for a kimura here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kelly looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Kelly actively working from the bottom here.

Kelly is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

Silva decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Silva stands and steps away. Kelly gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Kelly pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands a front kick.

Silva moves into the clinch.

Silva successfully pulls guard.

Kelly drops back, looking for a kneebar! Silva looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Silva looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Silva!
Kelly looking for a sweep but Silva has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Kelly is in all sorts of trouble here.
Kelly is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shinzo Silva dominated that round.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Good exchange - Silva coming out on top.
Silva tries to clinch up but Kelly circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva misses with a takedown

and Kelly counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Kelly.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Kelly advances to half guard.
Kelly is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Silva!

Kelly goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Silva turns into him and now he's in Kelly's guard.
Silva sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kelly's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Kelly actively working from the bottom here.
Kelly is trying to get back to full guard.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Kelly is working away.

Kelly looking for submissions off his back.

Kelly is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

Silva decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.

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.

Silva rushes Kelly and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Silva presses Kelly against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Silva jumps guard.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly looking for a sweep but Silva has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Kelly working to try and regain half guard.
Silva looking to control but Kelly is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Silva has control of Kelly's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Kelly regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Kelly is trying to escape the mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Silva jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Kelly manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Silva tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Kelly is not content to let Silva control the position.
Kelly manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Kelly is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.
Silva working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Shinzo Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Kelly looking for submissions off his back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but John Kelly will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Silva tries to clinch but Kelly moves out of range.
Silva throws a solid leg kick but Kelly takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Silva.
Silva fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Kelly looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Kelly looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.
Kelly rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelly throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Kelly takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Silva scores with a takedown into Kelly's guard.

Kelly is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wanted to stand there but Kelly had control of the position.
Silva advances position into side control!
Kelly looks to move to half guard but instead Silva has passed into mount! Damn!
Silva controlling the pace for now.
Kelly can't escape the position.
Silva tries to control but Kelly wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kelly really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Silva working the ground and pound effectively.
Kelly is trying desperately to improve position.
Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
Kelly is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to control but Kelly wriggling away.

Silva is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
Kelly with a lazy takedown attempt

and Silva moves into the clinch.
Kelly drops down looking for an ankle pick but Silva pulls his leg out and moves away.
Shinzo Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Kelly.

Silva has managed to clinch.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva has Kelly pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Silva pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Kelly tumbling to the mat - Silva dives into Kelly's guard.

Kelly has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Silva trying to control but Kelly is working from the bottom.
Silva trying to stand up but can't free himself from Kelly's guard.

Kelly had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Silva defends it easily.

Kelly has an active guard here but Silva has managed to pass into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shinzo Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Silva has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shinzo Silva!