PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Benavidez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eder Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Benavidez
vs
Silva

170 cm
26
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

178 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Andrew Benavidez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Eder Silva!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Aleksandr Martynov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva connects with a jab.
Benavidez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Benavidez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Silva missing with a left hand there. Benavidez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Silva dips to his left and cracks Benavidez with an uppercut!
Silva swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Benavidez.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Benavidez tries to lock up and control but Silva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Silva trying to control but Benavidez is having none of it.
Benavidez wants to hold on but Silva pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva looking for a guillotine from mount but Benavidez is having none of it.
Silva content just to control the position here.
It looks like Silva might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Benavidez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

Silva working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva avoids the attempt from Benavidez to control.
Silva is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Benavidez is in real trouble.
Silva doesn't have the hooks in and Benavidez manages to turn into his guard.
Benavidez is looking to advance position but Silva has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Benavidez tries to hold on but Silva postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Benavidez is working to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Silva trying to control but Benavidez is having none of it.
Benavidez is desperately trying to improve his position but Silva has a good base and remains in mount.

Silva has control of Benavidez's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Benavidez regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez wants to control but Silva is having none of it.
Silva prevents Benavidez from getting the reversal.

Benavidez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Silva.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Benavidez avoids a series of strikes thrown by Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eder 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 cracks Benavidez with a right hand to the side of the head.
Silva throws a hook but Benavidez blocks it.
Nice defenses there by Benavidez.
Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.
Benavidez slips a jab from Silva.
Benavidez uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Silva.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silva throws a body punch but Benavidez moves out of range.
Silva checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Benavidez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Benavidez trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Benavidez struggling a bit here.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Benavidez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Benavidez can't do much from the bottom here.
Benavidez tries to improve position but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Silva asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Silva thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Silva is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Benavidez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Benavidez wants to control but Silva postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Benavidez tries to bench press Silva off him but Silva keeps the position.

Silva swings around for an armbar but Benavidez sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Silva's guard.
Silva is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Benavidez from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Benavidez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Benavidez from controlling successfully.

We're going to have a standup here because Andrew Benavidez wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Benavidez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.
Benavidez wants to land a leg kick but Silva is out of range.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eder Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Benavidez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Silva.
Benavidez dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Silva misses with a two punch combination.
Silva pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Eder Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva throws a hook but Benavidez blocks it.
Benavidez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Benavidez was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws an off balance right hand

and Benavidez moves into the clinch.

Silva tightens his grip and picks Benavidez up, before dumping him to the ground. Benavidez manages to land in guard.
Benavidez tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Benavidez, up you get!
Silva misses with a looping left.
Silva throws a jab but it's blocked by Benavidez.
Silva throws a right hand that misses

and Benavidez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva missing with knees to the body.
Benavidez is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva throws a shot from downtown. Benavidez moves away and avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez avoids the body shot from Silva.
Silva throws a body punch but Benavidez moves out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Benavidez does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silva throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Benavidez counters by moving into the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Benavidez is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Silva changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Benavidez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The fighters circling - Silva throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Silva dives in and grabs Benavidez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Benavidez pushes down on Silva's head and hops out.
Andrew Benavidez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eder Silva.
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.
Silva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Benavidez.
Benavidez throws a low kick but Silva avoids it.
Silva throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Silva misses with a right hand
and Benavidez counters with a stiff right hand.
Silva with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Silva looks to score with a jab to the body but Benavidez is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Benavidez throws a low kick, looking for Silva's leg but Silva calmly moves out of range.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Benavidez tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva misses with a lunging right hand

and Benavidez holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Benavidez is trying to maintain a safe position but Silva gets an underhook and turns Benavidez into the cage.
Benavidez is trying to break the clinch but Silva is controlling him.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Benavidez manages to avoid it.
Andrew Benavidez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eder Silva is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Benavidez swings away with a leg kick that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eder 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

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