PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Andre Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Balack Rassum (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the cage accompanied by MV C/S. Andre Silva has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Silva
vs
Rassum

175 cm
23
138 lbs
5 - 3 - 1

170 cm
20
135 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Andre Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Balack Rassum!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Radbod Blank and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rassum avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva tries to clinch but Rassum is having none of it.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Rassum shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Silva gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Rassum.

Rassum escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Rassum keeps the fight on the outside.
Rassum keeps the fight on the outside.
Rassum fails with the takedown.
Andre Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balack Rassum.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Rassum pushes him off.

Rassum shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Rassum is controlling him
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rassum trying to pass the guard but Silva defending well.

Rassum seems to be looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is looking to escape.
Rassum is pressing down on Silva's thigh, looking to free his foot. Silva is holding on for now.
Rassum thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Silva's head.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Rassum on the ground.

Rassum is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Rassum is trying to work for a kimura but Silva is defending well.
Rassum looks gassed!

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
No luck for Rassum with that takedown attempt.

That's two 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 fails to land with a series of punches.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Silva connects with a nasty looking knee right to Rassum's face.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rassum.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rassum avoids it.
Silva is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Silva.
Silva lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Rassum avoids it.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rassum.
Rassum goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Rassum with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
Silva misses with a hook from the clinch.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rassum goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silva prevents it.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Silva blocks an elbow strike from Rassum.
Rassum is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Silva gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Silva lands a right hand.
Silva landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Silva lands a nice elbow.
Silva missing with knees to the body.
Silva digs a right hand into Rassum's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Rassum's gas tank.
Silva connects with a knee to the head.
Rassum is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Silva lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Silva gets through Rassum's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Silva throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Silva tries a knee to the head but Rassum blocks it.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but Rassum blocks with his arms.

Rassum successfully pulls guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rassum is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Rassum is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Rassum is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Rassum is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Silva stands up and waves to Rassum to follow him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Silva dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Rassum circles away from the clinch attempt.
Andre Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Rassum keeps the fight on the outside.
Rassum moves out of range as Silva strikes.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Rassum pushes him off.
Rassum fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Rassum swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva is looking to clinch.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Rassum swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rassum swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Silva tries to clinch up but Rassum circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva tries to clinch there but Rassum circles away.

Rassum scores with a takedown into Silva's guard.

Rassum drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Silva dives on top into guard.
Rassum is breathing heavily.
Silva trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rassum's guard.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Rassum working for submissions but it's allowed Silva to get to half guard.
Silva wants to stand but Rassum has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Rassum.
Silva working away.
Rassum tries to improve position but can't.
Rassum wants to control but Silva postures up.
Rassum is trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Rassum avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva thows a body kick. Rassum tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A slapping body kick lands there for Silva.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Rassum swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
Rassum avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Rassum pushes him off.
Silva wants to clinch up but Rassum keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Rassum circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rassum closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Rassum.

Rassum is looking for a kimura here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Rassum is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Balack Rassum 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. This is the final round!

Silva tries to clinch up but Rassum circles away and keeps his distance.
Rassum shoots for a double leg takedown but Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Rassum's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Silva tries to clinch there but Rassum circles away.
Rassum circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva tries to clinch there but Rassum circles away.

Rassum shoots in and bounces Silva off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rassum throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Silva is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to land knees to the body.
Rassum blocks an uppercut.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Rassum has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Silva uses from the top position.
Rassum controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Rassum tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Rassum is trying to control the position but Silva postures up.

Rassum working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

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

Rassum escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Silva gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rassum circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Rassum pushes him off.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Rassum. Rassum gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Rassum circles away.

Silva gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Rassum goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Andre Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Balack Rassum.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Rassum pushes him off.

That's four 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 is looking to clinch.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rassum swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rassum looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Rassum persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

Silva has Rassum up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
Come on Silva - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Silva.
Silva misses with some punches.
Rassum wants a takedown but no success here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Rassum.
Rassum is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Silva taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Silva utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Silva.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Silva 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:28

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