PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tim Sylvia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mick Kortal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Sylvia
vs
Kortal

193 cm
22
210 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

187 cm
19
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tim Sylvia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mick Kortal!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Alec Ball and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Sylvia gets the takedown into side control.
Kortal is looking to reverse the position.

Sylvia is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Kortal knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Kortal is looking to regain half guard here but Sylvia keeps moving and retains side control.
Kortal gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Kortal is trying desperately to improve position.
Kortal tries to improve his position but instead Sylvia has taken his back!
Sylvia is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Sylvia lands a shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sylvia looking to break Kortal's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Kortal remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Sylvia will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kortal tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Sylvia scoring with strikes but Kortal is staying in there.
Sylvia lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Kortal hang on?
Sylvia looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Sylvia landing strikes from the mount and Kortal is in trouble!
Kortal tries to reverse the position but Sylvia maintains control.
Kortal is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sylvia avoids the attempt from Kortal to control.
Kortal regains half guard.
Kortal looks gassed!
Sylvia is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kortal works his way to full guard. Good work.
Kortal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sylvia's guard.
Sylvia trying to keep a closed guard but Kortal is proving a slippery customer.
Sylvia keeping full guard, as Kortal tries to pass.
Sylvia keeping moving, preventing Kortal from controlling successfully.
Kortal won't allow Sylvia to sweep him here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sylvia has his hands on Kortal's head, controlling the position.
Sylvia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kortal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sylvia looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kortal is one step ahead there.
Kortal tries to free his leg and advance position but Sylvia is retaining full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Kortal avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Sylvia darts in and clinches Kortal up against the cage.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Kortal tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Sylvia smiles and moves away.
Sylvia shoots for a takedown but Kortal saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Sylvia scores a takedown into full mount!
Sylvia avoids the attempt from Kortal to control.
Sylvia prevents Kortal from getting the reversal.
Sylvia working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Kortal wants to control but Sylvia is having none of it.
Kortal tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sylvia controlling from the full mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Sylvia dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sylvia has taken the fight to the clinch.

Sylvia manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sylvia punching to the body, from the bottom.
Kortal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Sylvia is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Kortal accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Kortal drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sylvia dives on top into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sylvia stopping the sweep attempt from Kortal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sylvia trying to control but Kortal is working from the bottom.
Sylvia tries to free his leg and advance position but Kortal is retaining full guard.
Kortal working a defensive guard here.
Sylvia is stalling in the full guard.

Sylvia gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Sylvia throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Kortal.
Sylvia fails with the takedown.
Kortal with a poor takedown

and Sylvia counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sylvia.
Sylvia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kortal avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sylvia missing with knees to the body.

Sylvia pulls guard.
Kortal trying to control but Sylvia is working from the bottom.
Sylvia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Kortal drops back looking for a leg! Sylvia is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Sylvia manages to kick Kortal off! Kortal jumps back into Sylvia's guard.
Kortal won't allow Sylvia to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kortal is looking to advance position but Sylvia has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Kortal is trying desperately to improve position.
Sylvia raining down shots from the mount!
Sylvia content just to control the position here.
Kortal is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Kortal slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Kortal has a hand on Sylvia's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Sylvia takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Kortal tries to reverse the position but Sylvia maintains control.
Kortal tries to lock up and control but Sylvia gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Kortal defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Sylvia.
Sylvia can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kortal is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Sylvia dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. 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.

Sylvia bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Kortal struggling a bit here.
Kortal tries to buck Sylvia off but Sylvia is having none of it.
Sylvia working away.
Sylvia trying to control the action but Kortal is working from the bottom.
Kortal manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Sylvia is thwarting Kortal's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sylvia working the head and body with strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kortal is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Sylvia gets the takedown into side control.
Kortal tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Kortal's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Kortal tries to improve position but can't.
Tim Sylvia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sylvia controls the position.
Sylvia tries to move into full mount but can't pass Kortal's legs.
Sylvia trying to control the position but Kortal is working away.
Kortal can't do much from the bottom here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Sylvia 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.
Kortal working a defensive guard here.
Kortal is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Kortal had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Sylvia is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Kortal Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Sylvia's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sylvia is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Kortal gets his way!
Sylvia manages to reverse the position and now he's in Kortal's guard. Nice work there by Sylvia.
Sylvia postures up.
Kortal working a defensive guard but Sylvia manages to pass into side control anyway.

Sylvia tries for a kimura but Kortal is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kortal tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Sylvia wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sylvia trying to control the position but Kortal is working away.
Kortal tries to escape but Sylvia is in control.
Sylvia scores with punches from side control.
Kortal gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Kortal trying to control here.
Mick Kortal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kortal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Sylvia showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sylvia, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim Sylvia!