PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jerry Springer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva
vs
Springer

173 cm
25
148 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

225 cm
26
150 lbs
4 - 8 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Prefers standup

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Solid 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 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 8 - 1, fighting out of London, Jerry Springer!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Springer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
Springer shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Silva as he avoids it easily.
Silva bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch
and Springer counters with an outside leg kick.
Silva wants to clinch but Springer slips to the side
and Springer makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Silva tries to clinch but Springer moves away
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Silva avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silva darts in trying to clinch
and Springer counters with a big head kick but Silva shrugs it off.
Springer circles away from the clinch attempt
and Springer counters with an outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Springer misses with a low kick.
Sloppy strikes from Springer. Those never looked like landing.
Silva dodges the punch combination from Springer.
Springer shoots for a takedown but Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Springer throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
Springer misses with a wild combination.
Springer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Springer throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Rafael Silva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Springer motions for Silva to come forward. Springer throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Silva has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Springer tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Rafael Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerry Springer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Springer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Springer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Springer looks winded!
Silva wants to clinch but Springer slips to the side
and Springer counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Springer throws a series of punches but Silva moves out of range.
Silva tries to clinch up
and Springer counters with a one-two to the body.
Springer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Silva tries to clinch there but Springer circles away.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Springer circles away.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Springer.
Springer swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Springer.
Springer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva tries to clinch there but Springer circles away.
Springer is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Silva looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Springer throws a right and a left that both miss.
Silva tries to clinch there but Springer circles away.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.
Springer throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
A slow jab from Springer misses its intended target.
Silva tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to clinch but Springer is avoiding it.
A combination from Springer does no damage.
Sloppy strikes from Springer. Those never looked like landing.
Springer swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Springer throws a nice looking combination but Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Springer connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Silva wants to clinch up but Springer keeps it at a distance.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Springer swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Nice defenses there by Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A looping hook to the body misses from Springer. Silva does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silva wants to clinch up but Springer keeps it at a distance.
Springer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
A combination from Springer does no damage.
Silva moves to clinch but Springer breaks away
and Springer counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Springer counters with a shoot takedown. Silva fights it but they end up in guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Springer is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Springer trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva is looking to stand up but Springer isn't so interested in that idea.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Springer passes into half guard.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Springer is looking to stall here but Silva recovers full guard.

Silva scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Springer misses with a head kick.
Jerry Springer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A left and a right from Springer both land. Nice combination.
Silva wants to clinch up but Springer keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks to clinch
and Springer counters with an inside leg kick.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Springer pushes him off.
Silva staying out of range there.
A head kick misses from Springer.
A leg kick checked by Silva.
Silva avoids a punch combination nicely.
Springer misses with a low kick as Silva jumps back.
Springer fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Springer is breathing heavily.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva closes the distance but Springer moves to the side
and Springer counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Springer.
Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Springer counters with a nice low kick that buckles Silva's knee momentarily.
Springer fails to land with a series of punches.
Silva wants to clinch
and Springer counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Springer misses the shot to the body.
Silva closes the distance but Springer moves to the side
and Springer counters with a left and a right that stings Silva.
Silva tries to clinch but Springer is having none of it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Springer.
Sloppy strikes from Springer. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to clinch but Springer is having none of it.
Silva is looking to clinch but Springer is avoiding it.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Springer makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Silva tries to clinch
and Springer counters with a nice uppercut.
Silva blocks a leg kick.
Springer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Springer.
Springer misses with a two punch combination.
Springer misses with a two punch combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jerry Springer 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! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Springer keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Springer finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Springer closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Springer pushes him off.
Springer circles away from the clinch attempt
and Springer counters with an outside leg kick.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.
Springer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Springer throws a low kick, looking for Silva's leg but Silva calmly moves out of range.
Springer is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Springer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Springer circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Springer looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Springer takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Springer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Springer misses with a low kick as Silva jumps back.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Springer circles away.
Rafael Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Springer rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Springer shoots in looking for a takedown. Silva tries to sprawl out of it but Springer keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Silva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Springer circles away from the clinch attempt
and Springer counters with a left and a right that stings Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva darts in trying to clinch
letting Springer counter with a right hand.
Springer misses with the combination.
Silva blocks the body kick.
Springer closes the distance and clinches up with Silva, looking for a takedown. Springer pushes Silva against the cage but Silva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rafael Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerry Springer.
Silva tries to clinch but Springer moves out of range.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Silva wants to clinch up but Springer keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva closes the distance but Springer moves to the side
and Springer counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Silva wants to clinch but Springer slips to the side
and Springer counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Springer swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva wants to clinch but Springer slips to the side
and Springer counters with a nice low kick that buckles Silva's knee momentarily.
Springer has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Some wild striking there from Springer.
Springer swinging wildly here.
Springer circles away from the clinch attempt
and Springer counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Jerry Springer is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Springer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Silva tries to clinch up but Springer circles away and keeps his distance.
No joy there for Springer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Springer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Springer avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Springer pushes him off.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Springer swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Springer throws a head kick that misses.
Springer throws a nice looking combination but Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Silva tries to clinch there but Springer circles away.
Rafael Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva fails to land with a series of punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rafael Silva.
Well Springer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jerry Springer!