PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Towers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vitor Silva has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Silva
vs
Towers

185 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

200 cm
20
184 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Vitor Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Joe Towers!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Towers misses with a two punch combination.
Towers looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Towers throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Silva's waist but Silva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Towers off to one side.
Silva shoots in but Towers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Silva scores with a spinning back kick!
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Towers circles away.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.
Nice takedown defense from Towers. No joy for Silva on that attempt.
Silva with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Towers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Silva lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Towers is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A nice inside leg kick there by Silva. That's going to slow Towers down.
Joe Towers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Towers keeps the fight on the outside.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Towers steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Silva. That one must have hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but Towers swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Silva wants to stand but Towers is controlling his posture from full guard.
Towers trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Silva is looking to stand up but Towers won't let him.

Silva gets to his feet. Towers looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Towers fails to land the takedown.

Towers rushes Silva and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands a nice knee to the body.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Towers misses with a double jab
and Silva counters with a thumping low kick.
Silva will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Silva stuffs the takedown.
Vitor Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joe Towers.

Towers takes the fight into the clinch.
Silva will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Towers up against the cage.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Towers.
Towers stalls.
Silva has Towers pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Towers manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee calls for Towers to work.
Silva throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Towers blocks it with crossed arms.

Towers has hold of one of Silva's legs. Silva is fighting the takedown attempt but Towers gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Towers dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Silva. That did some damage!
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch but Towers swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Towers tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Towers takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Silva, as that shot connected.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Silva crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Towers - the referee stops the clock and Silva gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Towers. Silva manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks to score with a jab to the body but Towers is just out of range.

Towers fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silva sprawls well initially but Towers persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Towers is trying to work for a kimura but Silva is defending well.
Towers stops Silva from getting back to his feet.

Towers postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Silva to stand up.

Towers closes the distance and clinches.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Knees to the body from Silva.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Towers lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Towers breaks the clinch.
A head kick misses from Towers.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vitor Silva dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Towers clinches.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Silva works the jab nicely.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Silva scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Towers misses with a wild body shot.
Towers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jab, jab by Silva - just one landing.
Towers circles away from the clinch attempt.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Silva.
Towers doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Towers throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
Silva throws a quick inside leg kick.
Silva goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva looks to land a combination but Towers avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Towers.
Vitor Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Towers tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Towers sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Towers has one foot on Silva's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Silva lands with a straight right. Towers didn't see that one coming.

Towers clinches up with Silva and pushes him back against the cage.
Silva fails to pull guard.
Silva tries to stall but Towers uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Towers manages to break the clinch.
Towers wants to clinch.
Towers fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Towers tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Silva throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Towers tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Towers to the ground. Towers escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Towers shoots for a takedown but Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Towers throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.
Silva throws a head kick but Towers moves out of range.

Silva has closed the distance and engaged Towers in a clinch.
Silva is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Towers avoiding damage as Silva throws knees to the body.
Silva looking to slow down the pace here.

Towers breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Towers doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks for a takedown but Towers sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vitor Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Towers tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Towers comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Silva swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Towers takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Towers moves into the clinch.

Towers ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Towers no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Silva would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Silva trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Towers scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva feints and then cracks Towers's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Towers down.

Towers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Towers scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Towers's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Silva scores with a leg kick.
Silva is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Silva shoots in but Towers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Towers swinging wilding here.
Silva throws a leg kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vitor Silva will probably get the nod.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Towers takes a swing at Silva's ribcage but misses.
Silva cracks Towers with an open hand slap.
Vitor Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva scores with a head kick.
Silva tries to clinch up but Towers circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva dodges the punch combination from Towers.
Silva scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Towers avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Silva scoring well with a low kick there.
Silva wants to clinch.
Silva scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Towers's front leg but catches the back leg as Towers tries to avoid it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva moves out of range as Towers throws a body kick.

Towers shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Towers was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Silva is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

Towers goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Silva turns into him and now he's in Towers's guard.
Joe Towers has got the better of the ground game so far.
Towers manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Towers not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Towers advances position into side control!
Silva tries to escape but Towers is in control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Towers wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Silva wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Towers trying to control the action but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Silva is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Towers will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Silva tries to clinch up but Towers circles away and keeps his distance.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.
Towers throws a left and a right that both miss
and Silva counters with an inside leg kick.
Towers throws a sloppy head kick and Silva moves out of range easily.
Towers shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Silva but Silva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Joe Towers has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vitor Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Towers does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vitor Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Silva, 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vitor Silva!