PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bob Johnson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose dos Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Johnson comes to the cage accompanied by Smells Like Teen Spirit. Silva has chosen Worst Comes To Worst as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Johnson
vs
dos Silva

180 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
20
146 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

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 Los Angeles, Bob Johnson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jose dos Silva!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Johnson leaves Silva with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Silva looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silva is looking to stand up but Johnson won't let him.
Johnson is looking to stand up but Silva isn't so interested in that idea.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Johnson is retaining full guard.
Johnson wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
Silva wants to control from the top but Johnson keeps moving.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Johnson, up you get!
Bob Johnson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Silva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Johnson uses from the top position.
Silva being controlled here, momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Johnson trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Johnson is really struggling to control Silva but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Johnson is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Silva is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Bob Johnson.
Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Johnson circles away.

Silva closes the distance and pushes Johnson back into the cage.

Silva gets control of Johnson's arms and successfully pulls guard. Silva will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.

Silva pushes Johnson off and gets back to his feet.
Silva looks gassed!
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Johnson doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Silva counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Johnson!

Silva stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Johnson throws a head kick that misses

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Johnson's guard now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva wanted to stand there but Johnson had control of the position.
Johnson wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
Johnson keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Silva controlling from the top position.

Silva stands up from Johnson's guard - Silva perhaps looking for a knockout.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Johnson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bob Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose dos Silva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown. Johnson tries to sprawl out of it but Silva keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Johnson manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Johnson goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Johnson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Silva.

Silva scores a takedown into full mount!
Silva lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Johnson hang on?
Silva trying to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Johnson is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Silva is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose dos Silva dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Silva closes the distance and clinches.
Silva wants a takedown but no success here.

Silva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Johnson uses from the top position.
Johnson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.
Johnson wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
Silva pushes down on Johnson's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Silva is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Silva wants to stand but Johnson has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Johnson is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
It looks like Silva is going to stand back up.
Johnson tries to kick Silva off but Silva keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

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

Silva gets the takedown into side control.

Silva looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Johnson tries to escape but Silva is in control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva stands up.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt
and Johnson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Johnson misses with a few strikes there.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Johnson avoids it really well and circles away.
Bob Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose dos Silva.

Silva closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Johnson did well to prevent Silva getting side control.

Silva decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Johnson stuffs the takedown.
Johnson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Silva circles away quickly and effectively.
Johnson tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Silva stands and steps away. Johnson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Johnson keeps the fight on the outside.

Johnson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Silva is not content to let Johnson control the position.
Silva looking for a sweep but Johnson has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Silva tries to reverse the position but Johnson maintains control.
Johnson tries to control but Silva wriggling away.
Johnson postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Silva looks a forlorn figure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Johnson looking to control but Silva is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Poor strikes thrown by Johnson there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Silva regains half guard.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Johnson is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Johnson is working away from the top position though.
Johnson working Silva over with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose dos Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Johnson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Johnson tries to clinch

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into side control. Johnson won't be happy with that.

Silva stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Johnson sprawls well.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Johnson throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Johnson lands with an overhand left.

Silva shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Johnson's guard.

Silva gets to his feet - Johnson follows without any prompting.

Silva has managed to clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Johnson stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Johnson wants it to stay on the feet.
Silva fails with the takedown
and Johnson counters with a stiff right hand.
Bob Johnson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose dos Silva.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Johnson misses with a looping right.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Johnson to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Silva working for submissions but it's allowed Johnson to get to half guard.
Jose dos Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Silva is looking to control Johnson's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Silva avoid being mounted?

Silva looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Johnson pushes past his half guard into mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Johnson looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva wants to control but Johnson is having none of it.
Silva really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Silva is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Johnson landing strikes from the mount and Silva is in trouble!
Johnson content just to control the position here.
Johnson has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Johnson.
Silva tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Johnson controlling the pace for now.
Jose dos Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva tries to hold on but Johnson postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Johnson is landing with some decent strikes but Silva is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Silva regains half guard.
Silva wants to control but Johnson is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Johnson slows the pace down in half guard.
Silva tries to kick Johnson off but Johnson keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Bob Johnson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Johnson perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jose dos Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Silva 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

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