PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sergey Ivanov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Alex Silva has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Silva
vs
Ivanov

175 cm
26
150 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
19
155 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sergey Ivanov!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ivanov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Ivanov pushes Silva off looking to stand but Silva dives back in and keeps control.
Silva thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Silva is keen to just control but Ivanov is a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ivanov wants to get back to his feet.
Ivanov avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to take a breather but Ivanov is having none of it.
Silva scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Silva is pressing down on Ivanov's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ivanov is holding on for now.
Silva is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Ivanov!
Poor strikes thrown by Silva there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Ivanov wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Silva.
Ivanov in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Poor strikes thrown by Silva there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Ivanov?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ivanov avoids a series of strikes thrown by Silva.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ivanov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Silva postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Ivanov looks a forlorn figure.

Silva working for a submission but Ivanov is keeping him at bay.
Ivanov blocking the ground and pound.
Silva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Silva misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a head shot.
Silva throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Ivanov wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Silva.
Ivanov wants to get back to his feet.
Silva throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ivanov's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Silva cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Silva landing strikes, looking to finish!

Silva looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice elbow there by Silva.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Silva is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Ivanov has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Ivanov!
Ivanov working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex 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 Ivanov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Silva pushes Ivanov up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva lands a right hand.
Ivanov is looking to take this one to the mat.

Ivanov gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Ivanov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Ivanov not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Alex Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Ivanov is controlling him
Ivanov winds up and cracks Silva with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Silva tries to kick Ivanov off but Ivanov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Silva is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Ivanov scores with a couple of nice shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ivanov stops Silva from getting back to his feet.
Ivanov throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ivanov.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Ivanov is controlling him

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ivanov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ivanov winds up and cracks Silva with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Ivanov is controlling him
Ivanov is nestled in close to Silva, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Ivanov connects with a nice short shot to Silva's temple.
Silva avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ivanov.
Silva keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Silva blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ivanov.
Silva tries to kick Ivanov off but Ivanov keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Silva kicks off Ivanov and gets to his feet.
Silva tries to clinch up but Ivanov circles away and keeps his distance.
Ivanov fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Silva.
Alex Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva clinches with his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A bit of stalling here from Silva.

Ivanov turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Ivanov manages to end up in side control.
Silva is trying to buck Ivanov off.
Ivanov landing a few strikes.
Ivanov looks up at the clock and then as Silva takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ivanov smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Ivanov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Silva some visible discomfort.
Silva takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Ivanov cracks Silva with a big right hand but Silva just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Silva tries to escape but Ivanov is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov scoring with punches from side control.
Ivanov connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Silva some visible discomfort.
Silva pushes Ivanov away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Ivanov gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Ivanov in side control lands a decent elbow.
Silva takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Ivanov works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ivanov working the ground and pound.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Ivanov working the ground and pound.
Ivanov grinds an elbow into Silva's temple.
Ivanov throws an elbow but Silva slips to the side and avoids it well.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Ivanov drags him back down.
Ivanov cracks Silva with an elbow. That is naaassty.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivanov cracks Silva with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva pushes Ivanov away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Ivanov gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Ivanov working the ground and pound from side control.
Ivanov lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Ivanov landing a few strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Ivanov.
Ivanov throwing strikes but Silva manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Silva fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Ivanov is not content to let Silva control the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Silva stands up and we're back to a striking position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sergey Ivanov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ivanov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ivanov.
Silva throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Ivanov manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Oooooh!!! Silva has knocked Ivanov down with a huge combo! Silva steps away and waves a wobbly Ivanov back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Ivanov is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Ivanov is still on wobbly legs! Can Silva finish him?
Silva lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Silva stops a takedown attempt from Ivanov.
Ivanov takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Ivanov wants a takedown but no success here.
Alex Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sergey Ivanov.

Silva has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Ivanov clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Silva punishes Ivanov with strikes from the back mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Silva.
Silva missing with strikes from the back.

Silva sinks in the hooks and is looking for the choke. He's got it! Ivanov taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:33 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Alex Silva!
Alex Silva decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.