PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Anton Obuhov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Starling Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Obuhov
vs
Silva

190 cm
23
200 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

191 cm
22
192 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

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 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Anton Obuhov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Starling Silva!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Viktor Lagutenko and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Obuhov avoids the head kick by Silva.
Obuhov tests Silva's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

Obuhov tightens his grip and picks Silva up, before dumping him to the ground. Silva manages to land in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Obuhov wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Obuhov has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva has his hands on Obuhov's head, controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obuhov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Obuhov trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Obuhov lands a jab.
Obuhov misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Silva.
Obuhov sets himself, and Silva steps forward looking for the clinch! Obuhov avoids it this time.
Silva misses with a left hand
and Obuhov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Obuhov sizes up Silva with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A chopping leg kick lands by Silva.
Silva bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Obuhov drops Silva with a big left hand and mounts him. Silva is in big trouble!

Silva is rocked!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Obuhov sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Silva is still in real trouble! Can Obuhov finish him?

Obuhov is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Silva is surviving well by controlling Obuhov's body position as best he can.
Obuhov looking to control and managing it successfully.

Obuhov is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Silva can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Silva seems to have recovered his senses.

Obuhov looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Obuhov tries to control but Silva wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Obuhov is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Silva has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Silva!
Silva wants to control from the top but Obuhov keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Obuhov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Silva controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obuhov is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Obuhov content to control rather than advance.
Silva wants to get back to full guard.

Obuhov is working for a kimura but Silva is defending it quite comfortably.
Obuhov wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anton Obuhov dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Obuhov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Silva but Silva pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Obuhov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Obuhov sets himself, and Silva steps forward looking for the clinch! Obuhov avoids it this time.
Obuhov looks to land a combination but Silva avoids it well.
Silva walks into a stiff left hand from Obuhov.
Obuhov throws an overhand right that lands on Silva's shoulder, as Silva tries to avoid the shot.
Silva steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Obuhov.
Obuhov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Obuhov moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Obuhov throws a looping overhand right but Silva ducks down to avoid it.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Obuhov loads up on a big right hand but Silva slips the punch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Obuhov just misses with a punch to the body.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Obuhov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
Obuhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silva moves away.
Obuhov connects with a nice looking jab.
A slapping leg kick lands for Silva.
Anton Obuhov seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obuhov throws a right hand that Silva ducks under and follows up with a left that Silva also avoids with ease.
Obuhov throws a big shot that misses.

A jab-cross combination lands for Obuhov and sends Silva crashing to the mat! Obuhov follows him down to the mat - Silva regains half guard but he's not out of trouble yet!

Obuhov is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Obuhov. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Silva keeping control of the position.

Obuhov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Silva defends it well.
Silva is looking for a sweep. Obuhov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Obuhov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Obuhov has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Anton Obuhov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Obuhov is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Silva sees it coming and defends easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Obuhov trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.
Silva trying to control from the bottom.
Obuhov is trying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Obuhov is looking for a kimura but Silva is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Obuhov to get the leverage.

Obuhov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Obuhov is trying to work for a kimura but Silva is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control but Obuhov is keeping busy.
Obuhov has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Silva is looking to get to half guard.

Obuhov with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Obuhov has control of Silva's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Silva regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Obuhov wants to control the pace but Silva is squirming around nicely.
Silva regains half guard.
Obuhov is trying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Obuhov is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anton Obuhov dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Obuhov. That did some damage!
Silva moves out of range of the strikes.
Silva takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Silva throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Obuhov throwing a counter right hand but Silva manages to avoid it.
A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.
Obuhov takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Obuhov is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Obuhov thows a left - swing and a miss!
Silva ducks under a wild hook from Obuhov.
A jab from Obuhov misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Obuhov lands with a nice body punch.
Silva uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Obuhov.
A telegraphed right hand from Obuhov misses the target.
Silva keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Silva wants to counter with a clinch but Obuhov pushes him away.
An inside leg kick lands from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Obuhov works Silva's body with a nice hook.
Obuhov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Silva.
Obuhov throws the left hand but Silva avoids the punch easily.
Silva tries to counter with a clinch but Obuhov shakes him off and moves away.
A leg kick checked by Obuhov.
Obuhov lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Obuhov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Obuhov swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Obuhov throws a jab when Silva was well out of range.
Obuhov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Silva as he jumps to the side.
Silva tries to counter with a clinch but Obuhov shakes him off and moves away.
Obuhov chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Silva can pounce on him.
Obuhov waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Silva.
Obuhov looks to score with a jab to the body but Silva is just out of range.
Starling Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws out a powerful jab.
Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Obuhov. That did some damage!
Obuhov looks to score with a jab to the body but Silva is just out of range.
Silva takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Obuhov throws a big shot that misses.
Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Obuhov throws an overhand right that lands on Silva's shoulder, as Silva tries to avoid the shot.
Obuhov looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Anton Obuhov is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Obuhov scores with a one two! Silva had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Silva takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Silva with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Obuhov to score with a decent uppercut.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Obuhov throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Obuhov. That did some damage!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Silva.
Silva misses with a body kick.
Obuhov swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Obuhov looks to land a left hand but Silva moved out of range nicely.
Obuhov checks a low kick from Silva.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Obuhov.
Silva staying out of range there.
Silva fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Obuhov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Silva attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Silva digs a good hook to Obuhov's body.
Obuhov lands a jab.
Obuhov ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Silva moves away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Silva. That's going to slow Obuhov down.
Obuhov misses the shot to the body.
Silva tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Obuhov walks forward, straight into a front kick from Silva.
Obuhov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Obuhov's front leg but catches the back leg as Obuhov tries to avoid it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters circling - Obuhov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A slow jab from Obuhov misses its intended target.
Anton Obuhov is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Obuhov connects with a jab.
Silva fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Obuhov has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Silva thumps Obuhov with a low kick.

Obuhov is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Silva's half guard.
Silva is refusing to be controlled, as Obuhov sits in half guard.

Obuhov is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Silva doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Obuhov.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anton Obuhov showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Obuhov, 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anton Obuhov!
Anton Obuhov thanked the fans post fight for their support.