PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gage Asters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simo Silakka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gage Asters had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 158.0lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Both fighters really staring eachother down here, as Simo Silakka enters the cage!

Asters
vs
Silakka

176 cm
24
165 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

170 cm
20
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Gage Asters!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Simo Silakka!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Roosa Järviläinen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silakka throws a right and a left that both miss.
Silakka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Silakka smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Asters moves in looking to clinch but Silakka pushes him off.

Asters shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Asters was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Asters sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

Asters get's back to his feet.
Silakka misses the shot to the body.
Asters doesn't manage to clinch there - Silakka circles away.
Silakka connects with a looping right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silakka fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Asters looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Silakka fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Asters manages to avoid it.
Silakka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Asters looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Asters controlling from the top position.
Asters is breathing heavily.
Asters wants to get up but he can't break Silakka's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silakka wants to stand up but Asters is controlling him.
Asters trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silakka's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Asters wants to control from the top but Silakka keeps moving.
Asters postures up in Silakka's guard and throws a big left but Silakka blocks it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Silakka!
Asters thuds a left hand into Silakka's body.
Silakka throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silakka fails to land with a series of punches.
Silakka lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Asters circles away quickly and effectively.
Silakka looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Asters throws a head kick but Silakka moves out of range.
Asters misses with a wild combination.
Silakka fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Silakka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Silakka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silakka is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Asters rather than just go for the knockout.
Silakka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Asters.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simo Silakka dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Silakka changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Asters lunges at Silakka with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Silakka's hand.
Silakka lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Asters backs up against the cage.
Silakka moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Silakka misses with a double jab.
Silakka fails to land with a series of punches.
Silakka misses with a series of wild punches.
Silakka lands a glancing blow to the side of Asters's head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silakka throws a combination that misses
and Asters counters with a left and a right that stings Silakka.
Silakka scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silakka looks to land a combination but Asters avoids it well.
Silakka tries to bum rush Asters with a series of wild strikes but Asters uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Asters avoids a punch combination nicely.
A lazy left from Silakka finds it's target.
Silakka will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Simo Silakka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No joy there for Silakka, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Asters takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Silakka throws a series of punches but Asters moves out of range.
Silakka misses with a wild combination.
Silakka uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Asters has time to react.
Asters doesn't manage to clinch there - Silakka circles away.
Silakka throws a series of punches but Asters moves out of range.
Asters tries to clinch up.
Silakka looks to land a combination but Asters avoids it well.
Silakka looks to land a combination but Asters avoids it well.
Silakka throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Asters counters with a body kick that stops Silakka in his tracks momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silakka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Asters.
Silakka lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Gage Asters is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silakka dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Asters dodges the punch combination from Silakka.
Silakka sizes up Asters with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Silakka connects with a body shot.
Silakka scores with a body shot.
Silakka scores with a nice strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silakka throws a left and a right that both miss

and Asters moves into the clinch.
Asters throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Silakka is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Asters keeps control of Silakka as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Silakka manages to break the clinch.
Silakka fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Asters looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Silakka throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Asters.
Silakka lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Left hook, right uppercut from Silakka.
Silakka lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Silakka.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simo Silakka showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Silakka throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Asters avoids a punch combination nicely.
Silakka misses the shot to the body.
Silakka lands a nice hook to Asters's body. Asters takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Silakka misses with a series of wild punches.
Asters moves in looking to clinch but Silakka pushes him off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silakka lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Asters backs up against the cage.
Silakka lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Silakka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silakka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Silakka dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silakka ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Silakka throws a right hand that Asters ducks under and follows up with a left that Asters also avoids with ease.
Asters throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A left and a right from Silakka both land. Nice combination.
Silakka misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Asters.
Silakka lands a jab to Asters's midsection.
Asters takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Silakka punishes Asters's body with a nice straight punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silakka throws a right hand that Asters ducks under and follows up with a left that Asters also avoids with ease.
Asters takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Asters has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Silakka scores with a shot to the body.
Silakka throws a right hand that Asters ducks under and follows up with a left that Asters also avoids with ease.
Silakka connects with a good right hand that stumbles Asters. Asters circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Silakka lands with an uppercut that bounces Asters off the cage and back into rage.
Silakka just misses with a punch to the body.
Silakka just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silakka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silakka throws a series of punches but Asters moves out of range.
Simo Silakka seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Silakka misses with a few strikes there.
Silakka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Silakka throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Some wild striking there from Silakka.
The fight stays on the outside here - Asters looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silakka lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Silakka.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Silakka connects with a good right hand that stumbles Asters. Asters circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Silakka swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silakka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Asters moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Asters slips a jab and a cross from Silakka.
Asters shoots in looking for a takedown. Silakka tries to sprawl out of it but Asters keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Silakka manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Silakka throws a series of punches but Asters moves out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simo Silakka comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Silakka winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 26:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simo Silakka!