PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luther King (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Silva
vs
King

180 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

182 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Wanderlei Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Luther King!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in King's half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
King keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Silva thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed King's head.
Silva prevents King from improving his position.
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 is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, King manages to get to full guard.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
King wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but King is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
King not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

King looking for subs off his back but Silva has passed one foot through into half guard.
King has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.
King is holding on to half guard well.
Silva trying to control the action but King is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Luther King wasn't active enough on the ground.

Silva tries to keep at a distance but King has taken the fight into the clinch.
King wants to get back to striking at distance but Silva won't allow it.
Silva keeps control of King as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
King has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Silva after a bit of a struggle.
King stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Silva jumps guard but King turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Silva jumps guard and drags King to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
King seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to control the position.
Silva wants to sweep but no luck.
King slips nicely into half guard.
Silva trying to control but King postures up.
King sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Silva defending well though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to maintain the position but King is very close to passing his half guard.
King is trying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Silva is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
King wants to stand up but Silva manages to regain full guard.
King tries to stand but Silva is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva looking to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but King can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Silva has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. King is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Wanderlei Silva will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

King throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses King's front leg but catches the back leg as King tries to avoid it.
King takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Silva darts in trying to clinch
and King makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Silva is defended easily by King.
Silva closes the distance and clinches up with King, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes King against the cage but King circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
King avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but King swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Wanderlei Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva fails with the takedown.
King misses with a takedown attempt - Silva sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
King darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
King stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and King wants it to stay on the feet.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
King fails with an attempt to clinch.
King fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
King throws a head kick that misses.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but King avoids it really well and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. King is trying to defend but Silva finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
King is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
King wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.
Silva lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks to land a strike but King avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

King looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.
King is breathing heavily.
Silva scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Silva gets to his feet - King follows without any prompting.
King shoots and misses

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in King's guard now.
King keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva advances to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva is taking a breather. King says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Silva 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.
Well, if Silva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Silva decides to stand and escape the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva misses with a kick to the body.
King is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Wanderlei Silva dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

King avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
King misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
King dives in and grabs Silva's left leg, looking for a takedown. Silva pushes down on King's head and hops out.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.

Silva clinches.
King has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Silva is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Wanderlei Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luther King.
King stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Silva.
King takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Silva gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Silva wants to advance to full mount but King doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Silva distracts King with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Silva stands up and waves to King to follow him.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
King defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva shoots in and drives through. King sprawls well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Silva is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in King's half guard.

Silva is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so King is just riding it out for now. Silva eventually gives up the hold.
King has hold of Silva's hands but Silva slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
King looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
King wants to get back to full guard.
Silva is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
King trying to get back to full guard but Silva takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Silva looking to control but King is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Silva fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Silva.
King takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Silva postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. King looks a forlorn figure.

King 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 postures up and connects with a big shot that has rocked King badly. He's trying desperately to grab hold of Silva around the waist but Silva pushes him off and unloads with more strikes, forcing the referee to jump in and save him! Silva is the winner by TKO! Silva jumps onto the cage and shouts into the camera. "We did it momma!"

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Wanderlei Silva!