PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Holmes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the cage accompanied by Axe Murdrer. The crowd seem to be enjoying Holmes's choice of entrance music: "Trip the Darkness" by Lacuna Coil. The key to victory for Thiago Silva has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Silva
vs
Holmes

180 cm
25
180 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

190 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Thiago Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Andre Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Cecil Peabody and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva shoots for a double leg takedown but Holmes sprawls well. He's pushed Silva's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Silva looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Holmes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Holmes tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Holmes to the ground. Holmes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holmes tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Silva fails to land the takedown.

Holmes gets the takedown into side control.

Holmes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Holmes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.

Silva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Holmes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holmes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes 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.
Holmes wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Andre Holmes was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Holmes shoots for a double leg takedown but Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Holmes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Holmes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Holmes has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Holmes tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Holmes misses with a knee strike.
Silva is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Holmes gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Holmes swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Silva wants to take the fight to the mat but Holmes manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Holmes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Silva smiles and moves away.

Holmes manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Silva on his heels. He'll look to pass Silva's guard now, I'm sure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holmes passes Silva's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Holmes is looking for a kimura here.
Holmes tries to pass to full mount but Silva defends it.
Silva tries to get to full guard but Holmes has control of the leg.
Silva won't allow Holmes to pass to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Holmes controlling the pace.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holmes working over Silva with some ground and pound. Silva looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Ground and pound from Holmes.
Holmes slows the pace down in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Holmes works his way into full mount!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Holmes looking for a guillotine from mount but Silva is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andre Holmes dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Silva slaps away a takedown attempt from Holmes, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Holmes shoots for a takedown but Silva saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Holmes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but Holmes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Silva to the ground. Silva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Thiago Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Holmes.

Silva has managed to clinch.
Holmes taking a breather.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Holmes has double underhooks.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Holmes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Silva tries to avoid it but Holmes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Silva to the ground. Silva escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Holmes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Thiago Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Holmes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
Holmes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Silva circles away.
Holmes throws a head kick that misses
and Silva counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Silva has Holmes up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Silva keeps Holmes at a distance using the push kick.
Silva changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Holmes tries to avoid it but Silva manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Holmes to the ground. Holmes escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Holmes 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 Holmes off to one side.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Silva.
Thiago Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Holmes counters by moving into the clinch.
Silva tries to pull guard but Holmes forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Holmes jumps guard but Silva turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Holmes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Holmes shoots in but no luck this time.
Holmes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Silva shoots in but no luck this time.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Holmes.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holmes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Holmes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silva lands with a thumping leg kick.
Silva fails to land the takedown.
Holmes is looking to chop away at Silva's legs.

Holmes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Silva manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Holmes is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Holmes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Andre Holmes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Holmes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silva's guard.
Holmes is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Holmes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Holmes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Holmes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Holmes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Silva's guard.
Holmes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Silva does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Holmes tries to pass to full mount but Silva defends it.
Holmes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Andre Holmes.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes looks for a takedown but Silva sprawls well.

Holmes clinches up against the cage.
Silva has had enough of the clinch but Holmes keeps him there for the moment.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Holmes has him pressed against the cage.
Holmes has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Silva is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Holmes is trying to pull guard but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Thiago Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Holmes.

Holmes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva slips under a jab.
Holmes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Holmes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Holmes or perhaps it was just good defense by Silva which made him look bad.
Silva shoots in for a takedown but Holmes shows good takedown defense.
Silva shoots in for a double leg but Holmes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Holmes tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Holmes shoots in but no luck this time.

Holmes gets tackled into the cage by Silva. Silva maintains the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Holmes as Silva tries to tie him up.
Holmes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Silva avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Holmes smiles and moves away.
Holmes tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.

Silva gets tackled into the cage by Holmes. Holmes maintains the clinch.
Holmes tries to break free but Silva pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Holmes throws a punch but it's blocked by Silva.
Holmes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Thiago Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Andre Holmes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andre Holmes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Holmes 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andre Holmes!
Andre Holmes seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.