PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rodriguez Salas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Spider Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Thriller. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Salas
vs
Silva

177 cm
23
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
24
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

VICIOUS FIGHT GEAR

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rodriguez Salas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Spider Silva!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Ben Zyskovitsi and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Silva lands a damaging elbow.
Silva with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Salas can't find room to land a body shot as Silva controls the action.
Silva looks to throw an elbow but misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Silva.

Silva jumps into guard, dragging Salas to the mat.
Salas has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silva is proving hard to escape from.

Salas gets to his feet - Silva follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva closes the distance and pushes Salas back into the cage.
Salas blocks an elbow strike.
Silva misses with a hook from the clinch.
Silva misses with some punches.
Salas doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salas misses with a punch to the body.
Silva scores with a shot to the side of Salas's head.
Salas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Silva blocks a body shot from Salas.
Silva throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Silva wants to break free but Salas has control.
Silva pushes off an throws an elbow but Salas leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Silva has a couple of punches blocked by Salas.
Salas tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Salas blocks an elbow strike.
Silva misses with a knee strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Salas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Salas struggles to land a body shot inside as Silva controls his hands.
Silva misses with a knee strike.
Salas misses with a punch to the body.

Silva has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Salas is trying to keep an underhook but Silva manages to get the takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Salas is trying to stand back up but Silva is controlling him
Silva not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Silva is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Salas defends it well.
Silva throwing shots but Salas is blocking nicely.
Salas is trying to stand.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva winds up and cracks Salas with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Silva is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Salas avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Silva is looking for a kimura here.
We've been informed that Silva has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Silva trying to work for an americana but Salas has managed to regain full guard.
Silva won't allow Salas to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva postures up in Salas's guard and throws a big left but Salas blocks it.
Salas keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.
Silva throws an elbow that misses. Salas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Silva's guard. Nice move by Salas!

Salas gets to his feet - Silva follows without any prompting.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Silva clinches.
Silva throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Salass head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Spider 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.

Silva has managed to clinch.
Silva blocks a body shot from Salas.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.
Salas dodges an elbow strike from Silva.
Silva looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Silva.
Silva tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Salas tries to throw a body punch but Silva avoids it by throwing Salas back against the cage.
Salas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Silva misses with an elbow strike.

Silva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Salas uses from the top position.
Salas trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.
Salas prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salas wants to stand and escape but instead Silva has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Salas blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Silva throws an elbow that misses. Salas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Silva's guard. Nice move by Salas!
Spider Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Salas trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Silva has closed the distance and engaged Salas in a clinch.
Salas tries to throw a body punch but Silva avoids it by throwing Salas back against the cage.
Silva throws a punch but it's blocked by Salas.
Silva lands an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Silva.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with an elbow over the top.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Salas avoids it.

Silva manages to pull guard.

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

Silva clinches.
Silva throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Salas prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.
Silva misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Salas.
Silva throws a head punch that misses.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Silva obliges.
Silva tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
Salas doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Silva.
Silva swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Silva is trying to push Salas away but Salas has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Silva prevents a body shot from Salas.
Salas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Silva lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Salas backwards.
Silva misses with a hook from the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Salas doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Silva is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Salas is defending well for now.
Salas misses with a hook to the ribs.
Salas blocks an elbow strike from Silva.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Salas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Salas can't find room to land a body shot as Silva controls the action.
Silva tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Salas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
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.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Silva instigates a clinch.
Silva missing with knees to the body.
Salas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Silva throws a knee to the head but misses.
Salas tries to throw a body punch but Silva avoids it by throwing Salas back against the cage.
Salas misses with a hook to the ribs.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Silva.
Silva fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Salas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Silva fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Salas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.
Salas tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Salas struggles to land a body shot inside as Silva controls his hands.
Salas tries a body shot but Silva blocks it.
Silva lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Salas backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Salas doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Salas tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Silva's elbow.
Silva is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Salas is defending well for now.
Salas tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Silva missing with knees to the body.
Salas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Silva lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Salas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Salas blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Silva scores with a nice hook to the head.
Silva lands a nice elbow.

Silva gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Silva lands strikes from half guard.
Salas wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva seems to be looking for submissions.
Rodriguez Salas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva prevents Salas from standing back up.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

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

Silva is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Salas to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Silva postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Silva throws a big elbow that misses.
Silva prevents Salas from getting back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Salas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Silva drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Salas dives on top into guard.
Salas is looking to stand up but Silva won't let him.
Salas 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Silva moves into range and clinches up with Salas.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Salas avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva has clasped his hands together around Salas's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Salas is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Silva asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Salas avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Silva.
Salas wants to get back to his feet but Silva drags him back down.
Silva cracks Salas with a big right hand but Salas just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva tries to score with some ground and pound. Salas controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Spider Silva is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Silva throwing shots but missing, from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spider Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Silva 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 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Spider Silva!
Spider Silva was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.