PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jeff Holland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Spider Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva has chosen Thriller as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Spider Silva will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Holland
vs
Silva

169 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

187 cm
24
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jeff Holland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Spider Silva!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holland has a takedown stuffed.

Silva bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Silva landing strikes.
Holland is looking for a sweep.
Holland wants to get back to his feet but Silva drags him back down.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holland tries to improve position but can't.
Silva working the ground and pound.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Silva stands up and beckons Holland to his feet.

Silva manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Holland on his heels. He'll look to pass Holland's guard now, I'm sure.
Silva tries to stand but Holland is controlling from the bottom.

Silva gets to his feet - Holland follows without any prompting.
Holland dives in for a single leg takedown but Silva sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Holland has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Silva uses from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holland looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Silva passes into side control.
Silva scores with punches from side control.
Silva has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Holland is trying to get back to half guard.
Holland wants to get back to his feet but Silva drags him back down.
Holland is breathing heavily.

Silva wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Holland, who protects the arm well.

Silva is trying to get an arm triangle but Holland is defending well.
Holland could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Holland is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Holland might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Silva trying to control the action but Holland is working from the bottom.

Silva wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Holland, who protects the arm well.

Silva is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Holland is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holland is trying to get back to his feet.
Holland is trying to work for a sweep but Silva has mounted him!

Silva jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Holland manages to avoid the submission attempt.

Silva decides to stand back up.
Holland shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Holland. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva throws a low kick, looking for Holland's leg but Holland calmly moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Silva.

Silva moves into range and clinches up with Holland.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holland trying to control the position but instead, Silva has worked for underhooks and has pushed Holland into the cage.

Silva turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Holland is looking to regain half guard here but Silva keeps moving and retains side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Silva is trying to get an arm triangle but Holland is defending well.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Silva advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spider Silva dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Silva drives through with a takedown into Holland's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Silva chips away with some ground and pound.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Holland, up you get!

Holland decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Silva makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Silva.
Silva pulls Holland in close to prevent any damage.
Holland wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva 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.
Silva is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Holland is controlling him.
Holland wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jeff Holland wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A head kick by Silva misses
and Holland counters with a series of strikes. Silva will be more careful next time no doubt.
Holland looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Holland persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.
Holland closes the distance and clinches up with Silva, looking for a takedown. Holland pushes Silva against the cage but Silva circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holland shoots for a takedown but Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Holland. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick and Holland moves out of range easily.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Holland pushes him off.

Silva closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Silva lands in his opponent's guard.
Silva stays in close to Holland's body and controls the position.
Holland looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Silva has gone for a leg lock! Holland slips out almost immediately though and dives into Silva's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Holland trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Holland has gone for a leg lock! Silva slips out almost immediately though and dives into Holland's guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Silva's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Holland keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Holland has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Holland keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva stands and throws Holland's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Holland knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.

Silva working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Spider Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.

Silva has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva tries to stand but Holland is controlling from the bottom.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Holland, up you get!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spider Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Silva shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Holland napping and manages to drive through into side control!

Silva stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Holland fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Silva drives through with a takedown into guard.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Silva has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Silva got a little sloppy there for a moment and Holland has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Silva has managed to get both his arms back between Holland's legs - danger averted.

Silva gets to his feet. Holland looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Silva closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Holland's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holland throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Holland, up you get!

Silva fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Holland to the ground. Silva is now in Holland's guard.

Silva stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Silva tries to clinch there but Holland circles away.
Silva throws out a leg kick but Holland moves out of range and Silva only half commits.
Jeff Holland is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Holland shoots in looking for a takedown. Silva tries to sprawl out of it but Holland 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 throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holland is trying hard to land a takedown here. Silva sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jeff Holland. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Holland paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Silva shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Holland's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Holland will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Silva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Holland is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Holland is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Silva sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Holland tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.

Silva wants to work for an arm triangle but Holland is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Holland punching from the bottom.

Silva stands up out of the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick by Silva misses

and Holland moves into the clinch.

Silva works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Holland wants to stand and escape but Silva is having none of it.
Holland has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Silva has passed into side control.

Silva in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Holland is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Spider Silva!
Spider Silva decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.