PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tony Cross (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesus Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cross
vs
Silva

150 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
25
141 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tony Cross!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jesus Silva!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Stewart Dunkirk and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cross.
Silva avoids the head kick by Cross.
No luck for Cross with that takedown attempt.
Cross misses with a takedown attempt

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cross is looking to sweep but instead, Silva has passed into half guard.
Cross tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Silva stops Cross from getting back to his feet.
Silva content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jesus Silva hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Cross closes the distance looking to clinch

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Silva jumps into side control!
Cross is pushing Silva's head away, looking to escape. Silva manages to hold on to the position though.
Cross being controlled for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Jesus Silva has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.

Silva scores a takedown into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to control and managing it successfully.
Cross is trying desperately to improve position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jesus Silva dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Cross shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silva's guard.
Silva has his hands on Cross's head, controlling the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Silva dives in and grabs Cross's left leg, looking for a takedown. Cross pushes down on Silva's head and hops out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cross fails to land the takedown.
Silva takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like Jesus Silva has been cut.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cross circles away.
Tony Cross has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jesus Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva blocks a head kick by Cross.
Cross tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Cross shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cross throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Cross wants to clinch

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Cross tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Cross could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Silva in particular looking to stall.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Cross tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

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

Silva closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cross to the mat! Cross manages to get full guard.
Cross trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Cross wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.

Tony Cross has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cross cracks a nice hook into Silva's ribs.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cross looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
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 Tony Cross will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jesus Silva's cut.
That's time! Cross's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Silva slaps away a takedown attempt from Cross, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Cross tries for a takedown but Silva sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Cross shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Cross. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good work by Silva as he checks the leg kick.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Cross enables Silva to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Cross manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cross looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Silva has picked Cross up and slammed him! Cross can't keep hold of the triangle and Silva manages to pass to side control!
Silva slows the pace down.
Cross looks to move to half guard but instead Silva has passed into mount! Damn!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cross wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Cross trying to control the action but Silva just sinks the hooks in.
Silva controlling the position well here. Cross rolled but Silva kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cross shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.

Silva shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesus Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesus Silva!
Jesus Silva decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.