PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ken Norton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Norton

190 cm
22
230 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

225 cm
18
270 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matt Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ken Norton!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Wesley Smith and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva landing strikes.
Silva lands a few punches from side control.
Silva lands a nice forearm strike.
Silva cracks Norton with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Silva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Silva landing a few strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Silva has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Silva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Norton shoots and misses

and Silva counters with a single leg into guard. Norton didn't expect that.
Norton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Norton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Silva is in close to Norton's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Silva is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Silva landing with the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva stands up over Norton, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Silva throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Norton working a defensive guard here.

Silva stands up from Norton's guard - Silva perhaps looking for a knockout.
Silva is breathing heavily.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva working some strikes from top position.
Silva postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Silva working some strikes from top position.
Norton looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Silva postures up.

Silva gets to his feet. Norton looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Norton shoots in but no luck this time.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Silva is defended easily by Norton.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Norton sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Norton counters with a three punch combo that has Silva backing up. Silva nods at Norton to acknowledge the strikes.

Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
Norton leaves Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Norton tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
Norton pushes Silva away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Silva gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Silva decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Silva leaves Norton with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Norton throws a combination. Silva tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Silva has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Norton with a lazy takedown attempt

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Norton's guard now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Norton's head.

Silva gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Norton moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Silva is defended easily by Norton.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Norton doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Silva fails to land the takedown.
Norton looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Norton persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Silva dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Silva shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Norton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Matt Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Silva postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Silva throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Norton bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.
Norton wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Norton tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva is retaining full guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Silva pushes Norton off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Silva shoots in but Norton avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norton closes the distance and clinches up with Silva, looking for a takedown. Norton pushes Silva against the cage but Silva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Norton sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Norton's hands, connecting with Norton's forehead.
Norton taking some punishment here, with Silva in his half guard.
Norton is looking to improve his position.
Silva is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Norton can do to turn this around?
Norton has hold of Silva's hands but Silva slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Nice strikes from Silva there.
Silva lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Norton is trying to control but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Silva trying to mount his opponent but Norton defends it.
Norton wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Silva feints and as Norton raises his hands in defense, Silva changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Norton is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Silva scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Norton trying to control the position.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Silva gets to his feet - Norton follows without any prompting.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Silva.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Norton gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Silva with a nice head shot there.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Silva's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Silva gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Norton shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva wants to pass the guard but Norton is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva drops an elbow to the side of Norton's head.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Norton's hands, connecting with Norton's forehead.
Norton on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Silva is nestled in close to Norton, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Silva landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Matt Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Norton is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Silva scores with a couple of nice shots.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Silva lands a nice short elbow.
Silva drops an elbow to the side of Norton's head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Norton kicks Silva off and gets back to his feet.
Silva tries for a takedown but Norton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Norton lands a jab to Silva's midsection.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Silva dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Silva passes Norton's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Silva is thwarting Norton's attempts to control the position.
Norton pushes Silva off looking to stand but Silva dives back in and keeps control.
Norton trying to control here.
Silva lands strikes from half guard.

Silva decides to stand and escape the position.

Silva feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Norton is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva stands up over Norton, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Norton trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva landing some decent shots from guard.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Norton, up you get!

Silva feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Silva working some strikes from top position.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva stops Norton from standing up.
Silva lands a couple of elbows.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Norton blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva postures up.
Silva scoring with some ground and pound.
Silva working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Norton's head.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Norton is looking to clinch.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Norton sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva lands with a punch from half guard.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Silva here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
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.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Norton's hands, connecting with Norton's forehead.
Norton wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.
Norton is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Silva scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Silva lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Norton on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Silva stands up out of the half guard.
Norton doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Norton's guard now.
Silva with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Silva lands a couple of digs.
Silva makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Silva lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Silva working some strikes from top position.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands with a punch from half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Silva lands a nice short elbow.
Silva throwing shots but Norton is blocking nicely.
Silva prevents Norton from improving his position.
Norton manages to get to full guard.
Silva is in close to Norton's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ken Norton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Norton tries to strike from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:25
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:25
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26

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