PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dominick Silvic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barny Bucket (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Silvic
vs
Bucket

178 cm
23
174 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

188 cm
28
183 lbs
1 - 8 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dominick Silvic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Barny Bucket!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Anthony Taglia and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silvic dives in and grabs Bucket's left leg, looking for a takedown. Bucket pushes down on Silvic's head and hops out.
Bucket lands a leg kick that knocks Silvic off balance momentarily.
Silvic lands a head shot.
Barny Bucket seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silvic looks for a takedown but Bucket sprawls well.
Bucket thows a left - swing and a miss!
Bucket tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Silvic was well out of range. Poor timing from Bucket.
Bucket throws a body punch but Silvic moves out of range.
Bucket fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bucket tries a head kick but it misses.
Silvic has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dominick Silvic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silvic moves out of range of the body kick.
Silvic swats away the attempt to clinch by Bucket.
Bucket tries a head kick but it misses.
Bucket misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bucket misses with a lunging right hand
and Silvic counters with an inside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bucket throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silvic is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Bucket.
Bucket misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Silvic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bucket pinned against the cage. Bucket gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silvic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bucket works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Silvic misses with an attempted mid kick.
Silvic misses with a low kick.
Bucket shoots for a takedown but Silvic saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Bucket tries for a takedown but Silvic circles away easily

and Silvic counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Silvic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Silvic makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silvic trying to control but Bucket is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bucket wants to stand up but Silvic is controlling him.
Silvic postures up in Bucket's guard and throws a big left but Bucket blocks it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silvic is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Bucket is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Bucket has escaped and now he's on top!

Bucket postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Silvic is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Bucket, into his guard.
Silvic looking to sit in guard and control but Bucket gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silvic is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Bucket is controlling him.
Bucket missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Bucket has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silvic is proving hard to escape from.
Bucket engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Silvic on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Silvic tries to get out of the position.
Bucket is looking to stand up but Silvic won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silvic keeping moving, preventing Bucket from controlling successfully.

Silvic manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Silvic shoots in but no luck this time.
Bucket lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Silvic circles away quickly and effectively.
Silvic misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silvic shoots in looking for a takedown but Bucket manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Silvic's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silvic fails with a takedown attempt.

Bucket scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Barny Bucket 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.

Silvic walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Bucket stuns Silvic with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Bucket is looking to chop away at Silvic's legs.
Silvic throws an overhand right that lands on Bucket's shoulder, as Bucket tries to avoid the shot.
Bucket thows a body shot but no joy.

Silvic shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Silvic stands up and beckons Bucket to join him on the feet.
Dominick Silvic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Bucket doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Silvic counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Bucket is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silvic.
Bucket tries to land a front kick but Silvic steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Bucket displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bucket tries to bum rush Silvic with a series of wild strikes but Silvic uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Bucket has closed the distance and engaged Silvic in a clinch.
Silvic tries for a takedown but Bucket manages to get underhooks.
Silvic is trying to stall.
Silvic changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Bucket fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dominick Silvic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bucket misses with a series of wild punches.
Bucket goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Bucket fails to land with a series of punches.
Bucket misses with a double jab.
Silvic throws a poor cross that misses
and Bucket makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Silvic is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bucket sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bucket is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Silvic rather than just go for the knockout.
Bucket misses with a leg kick

so Silvic counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silvic slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Bucket regains half guard.
Silvic is looking to take a break and control but Bucket is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bucket is trying to stand up here but Silvic is controlling him well.
Bucket trying to hold on to Silvic's head to control him but Silvic postures up.
Silvic trying to control from Bucket's half guard. Bucket has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Bucket is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silvic defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silvic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Silvic stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bucket swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silvic with a flurry of punches that miss.
Silvic trying to control the position from guard on top but Bucket is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silvic lands a couple of digs.
Silvic wants to stand and escape but instead Bucket has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Silvic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bucket wants to stand but Silvic is controlling his posture from full guard.
Dominick Silvic overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Silvic pushes Bucket off and gets back to his feet.
Bucket throws a head kick but Silvic moves out of range.
Bucket displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Silvic.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bucket fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Silvic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bucket defends it nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dominick Silvic dominated that second round.
That's time! Silvic's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Bucket slaps away a takedown attempt from Silvic, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Bucket fails to land with a series of punches.

Silvic fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Bucket to the ground. Silvic is now in Bucket's guard.
Bucket working a defensive guard but Silvic passes into half guard.

Bucket pushes Silvic off and gets back to his feet.
Bucket throws a body punch but Silvic moves out of range.
Bucket misses with a series of wild punches.
Barny Bucket seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A slow jab from Bucket misses its intended target.
Bucket throws out a loose jab but Silvic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bucket leaves Silvic with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Silvic fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dominick Silvic. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bucket throws a head kick that misses.
Bucket connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Silvic momentarily.
Silvic throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bucket's waist but Bucket gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Silvic off to one side.
Silvic avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silvic connects with a leg kick. Bucket looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bucket looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Silvic shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bucket pinned against the cage. Bucket gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Silvic takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Silvic moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Bucket has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Bucket tries to clinch up but Silvic circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bucket getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Bucket looks to land a combination but Silvic avoids it well.
Bucket throws a series of punches but Silvic avoids them all with ease.

Bucket moves into the clinch successfully.
Silvic is trying to drag Bucket to the mat but Bucket just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Silvic has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Bucket is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Bucket manages to break the clinch.
Bucket tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Bucket tries to clinch up

and Silvic counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bucket's guard now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bucket looking to control.

Bucket had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Silvic defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silvic trying to control the position from guard on top but Bucket is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silvic postures up in Bucket's guard and throws a big left but Bucket blocks it.

Silvic decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Bucket, up you get!
Nice takedown defense from Bucket. No joy for Silvic on that attempt.
Bucket misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Bucket throws a low kick, looking for Silvic's leg but Silvic calmly moves out of range.
Bucket misses with a takedown
enabling Silvic to counter with a crisp jab.
Silvic fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bucket 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.
Bucket won't allow Silvic to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silvic keeping moving, preventing Bucket from controlling successfully.
Silvic is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Barny Bucket.
I think Bucket 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Barny Bucket!
An out of breath Barny Bucket thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.