PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Chael Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Henson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Silva
vs
Henson

178 cm
18
163 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Chael Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mark Henson!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Henson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Henson drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Henson breaks from the clinch.
Silva tries for a takedown but Henson sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Silva dives in and grabs Henson's left leg, looking for a takedown. Henson pushes down on Silva's head and hops out.
Henson misses with a series of wild punches.
Silva throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Silva.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Chael Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Henson wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Henson looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Silva looks to throw a body kick

and Henson counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Henson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henson landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Stalling in the clinch from Silva.
Silva fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Henson gets control of Silva's arms and successfully pulls guard. Henson will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Silva postures up.
Silva throws a strike but Henson rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Henson wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.

Henson stands and steps away. Silva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henson shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Silva stuffs the takedown.

Silva clinches with his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Henson keeps control of Silva as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Henson fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Henson manages to break the clinch.
Henson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Silva shoots in but Henson avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Silva rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Henson moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Henson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Henson. Henson gets slowly back to his feet.
A low kick from Silva misses

and Henson holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Henson is pushing Silva up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Henson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Henson has Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Henson prevents the takedown attempt.
Henson digs a right hand into Silva's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Silva's gas tank.
Henson doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Henson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva tries to clinch but Henson moves out of range.
Henson shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Henson looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Henson persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Henson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Henson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Henson fails with a takedown attempt.
Chael Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva wants to clinch.
Silva throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Henson but Henson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Henson stalks Silva and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Silva's face. Silva staggers backwards, shaken.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henson fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Henson connects with a leg kick. Silva looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Silva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Henson shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Chael Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Henson.
Henson lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A punch combination from Silva misses.
Silva has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Henson drives through and clinches with Silva against the cage.
Henson has Silva pressed against the cage, preventing Silva from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Henson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Henson keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Henson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Henson closes the distance and clinches.
Silva is trying to drag Henson to the mat but Henson just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Henson breaks from the clinch.

Henson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Silva tries to pull guard but Henson won't allow it.
Silva can't break the clinch.
Henson struggles to land a body shot inside as Silva controls his hands.
Henson goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Henson doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Henson is defended easily by Silva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to clinch but Henson is avoiding it.
Silva fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Henson shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Henson sprawls well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Henson looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Henson closes the distance and clinches.
Silva tries to pull guard but Henson won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Henson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Henson has Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Henson just stands there and leans against the cage.

Henson manages to break the clinch.
Silva throws a solid leg kick but Henson takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Silva.
Henson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Silva leaves Henson with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Henson goes for a takedown attempt but Silva pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Chael Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Henson.
Silva tries to clinch there but Henson circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Henson. Henson gets slowly back to his feet.
Henson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Silva shoots for a takedown but Henson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mark Henson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Henson misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Silva fails with an attempt to clinch.
Henson shoots in looking for a takedown. Silva tries to sprawl out of it but Henson 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 fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Henson avoids it really well and circles away.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Silva rushes Henson and presses him up against the cage.
Henson is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Silva is keeping busy.

Henson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Silva looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Henson is fending him off so far but Silva persists. Nope, Henson circles away and we're back to standing.
Henson misses with a wild body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Henson misses.
Henson throws a chopping leg kick but Silva manages to avoid taking any serious damage.

Henson clinches up against the cage.
Henson lands a knee to the head.
Henson tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Henson tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Henson letting Silva take a breather here.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Henson jumps guard but Silva turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Silva goes for a takedown attempt but Henson pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Henson circles away quickly and effectively.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Silva lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Henson has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Henson and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Silva tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Henson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silva tries to clinch up.
Silva keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Henson avoids it really well and circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Henson fails with the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Chael Silva.
Well Henson has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 28:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mark Henson!