PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rich Silva Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva Jr
vs
Li

193 cm
18
225 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
230 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Rich Silva Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Li!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Joseph Jones and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva Jr fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Li, pushing him back against the cage.
Silva Jr trying to land knees to the body.
Silva Jr lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Li avoids the elbow strike from Silva Jr, against the cage.
Silva Jr working Li over with knees to the body.
Li on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Silva Jr lands a good knee to the midsection. Li won't want to take too many of those.
Silva Jr utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Li is working for takedown but Silva Jr is calmly controlling the position for now.
Silva Jr unloads a knee to the mid-section. Li lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Silva Jr connects with a knee to the head.
Silva Jr is pressed up against the cage. Li has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Silva Jr down to the mat. Silva Jr avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Li on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
A clash of legs there as Li blocks the low kick.
Silva Jr throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva Jr scoring well with a low kick there.
Donk. Li catches Silva Jr right on the button with a cross.
Silva Jr lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Silva Jr connects with a leg kick. Li looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Li misses the shot to the body.
Li throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Silva Jr throws a nice inside leg kick.
Li throws a right and a left that Silva Jr avoids nicely.

Li feints and as Silva Jr raises his hands in defense, Li changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Li throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Silva Jr throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Li tries to free his leg and advance position but Silva Jr is retaining full guard.
Li wants to control from the top but Silva Jr keeps moving.

Silva Jr working for a triangle but Li defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva Jr looking to hit a scissor sweep but Li is one step ahead there.
Li trying to control but Silva Jr is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva Jr controls Li momentarily but Li frees himself.
Silva Jr will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Li trying to control but Silva Jr is working from the bottom.
Silva Jr is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva Jr is keen to just control but Li is a slippery customer.
Silva Jr prevents Li from standing back up.
Silva Jr is pressing down on Li's thigh, looking to free his foot. Li is holding on for now.
Li is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva Jr finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Li scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Li misses with an uppercut.
Li fails to land the takedown.
Rich Silva Jr has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Li.
Silva Jr takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Nice defenses there by Silva Jr.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Silva Jr throws a low kick but Li avoids it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Li throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A good leg kick by Silva Jr.
A jab from Li misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Silva Jr, right into the meat.
Silva Jr avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Li fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silva Jr sprawls well initially but Li persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Li wants to control but Silva Jr is keeping him busy.
Li might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Silva Jr haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Silva Jr is trying to maintain the position but Li is very close to passing his half guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Li not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Silva Jr looking for submissions off his back.
Li trying to control from half guard but Silva Jr is working away.
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 Rich Silva Jr will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva Jr throws a solid leg kick but Li takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Silva Jr.
Silva Jr swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Silva Jr slips a straight right by Li.

Li closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Silva Jr quickly recovers to half guard.
Li lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Silva Jr wants to control but Li is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Silva Jr slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
John Li has got the better of the ground game so far.
Li is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Li sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Silva Jr's guard.
Silva Jr is not content to let Li control the position.
Li takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
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 Jr wants to get back to full guard.

Silva Jr looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva Jr is not content to let Li control the position.
Li is thwarting Silva Jr's attempts to control the position.
Silva Jr is looking for a sweep. Li is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Li looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Silva Jr makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva Jr.

Silva Jr working for a triangle but Li defends it easily.
Li trying to control but Silva Jr is working from the bottom.
Li working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva Jr is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Silva Jr keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
Li controls from within his opponent's guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Li stands and throws Silva Jr's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Li slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Li landing a few strikes.
Li working the ground and pound from side control.
Silva Jr takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Li just content to control the position.
Silva Jr tries to buck Li off but Li is having none of it.
Silva Jr taking punishment in the form of punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Li happy to just control the position for now.
Silva Jr taking a bit of punishment here - Li scoring with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva Jr is looking for a sweep.
Li lands an elbow.
Li lands a decent elbow from side control.

Silva Jr is rocked!
Li takes a little break here. Silva Jr wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Oh Silva Jr is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Li lands a strong strike to the head of Silva Jr. That's dazed him! Li looking to finish here. Silva Jr is waving his arms around trying to block but he's hurt badly - Li lands more strikes and the referee steps in to end the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:50 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). John Li!
A victorious John Li thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.