PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between BJ Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taka Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva's entrance music is All Summer Long. A fine choice. Tanaka comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Muse - Citizen Erased kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Taka Tanaka will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Silva
vs
Tanaka

185 cm
22
205 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

196 cm
18
205 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, BJ Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Taka Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva swinging wilding here.
Silva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for BJ Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tanaka as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tanaka tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tanaka to the ground. Tanaka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tanaka avoids the head kick by Silva.
Tanaka tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva looks for a takedown but Tanaka sprawls well.
Tanaka stuffs the takedown.
Silva looks to land a combination but Tanaka avoids it well.
BJ Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Tanaka pushes him off.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tanaka clinches but Silva breaks the clinch

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tanaka keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.

Silva drops back looking for a leg! Tanaka is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tanaka manages to kick Silva off! Silva jumps back into Tanaka's guard.
Tanaka seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Tanaka is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silvais looking to pass into half guard but Tanaka pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Tanaka is in guard.

Silva had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Tanaka is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Silva Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Tanaka's back instead.
Silva is not going to allow Tanaka to sit and survive in this position.
Tanaka really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four 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 the choke from the back.

Silva is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Tanaka defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva gets his hands free as Tanaka looks to control.
Tanaka is really stuck here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tanaka covering up well under a series of strikes from Silva.
Tanaka trying to control but not successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ 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.

Tanaka wants to clinch but Silva slips to the side

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Tanaka won't allow Silva to pass to mount.

Silva is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tanaka can do anything to dispel that myth.

Silva is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Tanaka doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Silva.
Silva tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tanaka knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Tanaka wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is keen to just control but Tanaka is a slippery customer.

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

Silva is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tanaka stuffs the takedown.

That's two 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.
Tanaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Silva. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Tanaka sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for BJ Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tanaka keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Tanaka lands with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Nice takedown defense from Tanaka. No joy for Silva on that attempt.
Silva shoots for a takedown but Tanaka saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Tanaka tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Silva tries for a takedown but Tanaka sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tanaka slips a jab and a cross from Silva.

That's four 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 fails with a takedown attempt.
Tanaka throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Silva tries to clinch up
and Tanaka counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that BJ Silva will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Silva has his takedown stuffed

and Tanaka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tanaka.

Tanaka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Silva.

Silva looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Silva is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tanaka is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Silva looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Tanaka's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tanaka stops Silva from passing to mount.
Silva trying to control the action but Tanaka is working from the bottom.

Silva is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tanaka has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Silva tries to move into full mount but can't pass Tanaka's legs.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva with a lazy takedown attempt
and Tanaka counters with a head kick.
Tanaka is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Tanaka counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Silva is lucky that one didn't land flush.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for BJ Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tanaka counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Tanaka.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to score a body lock takedown but Tanaka shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Tanaka gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Silva wants to control but Tanaka is keeping busy.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.
Tanaka is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Silva manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva has his foot on Tanaka's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tanaka works his way back into a safe position though.

Tanaka avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tanaka not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Taka Tanaka has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tanaka wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taka Tanaka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:29
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... BJ Silva!