PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mika Verkko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony Silva has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Silva
vs
Verkko

180 cm
23
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
162 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Prefers standup

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mika Verkko!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Reed Andrews and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Silva connects with the punch.
Verkko lands a jab followed by a vicious hook that sends Silva sprawling to the canvas. Verkko follows him down, looking for the kill. Can Silva hang on?

It looks like Anthony Silva has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva is trying to get back to full guard.
Verkko controlling the action here.
Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Verkko is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Verkko wants to stand up but Silva is controlling the position.
Verkko stops Silva from getting back to his feet.

Verkko stands up out of the half guard.
Silva shoots in looking for a takedown. Verkko tries to sprawl out of it but Silva keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Verkko manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Verkko staying out of range there.
Silva will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Silva throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Silva tries a head kick but it misses.
Silva closes this distance looking for a takedown but Verkko circles away.

Verkko clinches with his opponent.

Verkko breaks the clinch.
Silva misses with a double jab

and Verkko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva is breathing heavily.

Verkko manages to break the clinch.
Good exchange - Silva coming out on top.
Silva lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Silva throws the left hand but Verkko avoids the punch easily.
Verkko will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Verkko wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verkko throws a head kick that misses
and Silva counters with a head kick.
Verkko misses with a two punch combination.

Verkko moves into the clinch.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Verkko has double underhooks.
Silva has had enough of the clinch but Verkko keeps him there for the moment.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Verkko clinches.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva wants to clinch but Verkko slips to the side

and Verkko counters by moving into the clinch.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Verkko won't allow it.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Verkko has double underhooks.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva throws an overhand right that lands on Verkko's shoulder, as Verkko tries to avoid the shot.
Silva loads up on a big right hand but Verkko slips the punch.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
Silva misses with an uppercut. Verkko saw that one coming.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Verkko tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Silva tries to clinch

and Verkko counters by moving into the clinch.

Verkko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva throws a low kick but it's checked well by Verkko.
Verkko dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Verkko walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Verkko tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva wants to clinch

and Verkko counters by clinching up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Verkko lands a left hand.
Verkko lands with a light punch inside.
Silva is pressed up against the cage. Verkko has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Silva down to the mat. Silva avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Silva slips a jab and a cross from Verkko.
Silva shoots in and drives through. Verkko sprawls well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mika Verkko dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Silva's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Verkko pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Verkko prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.

Verkko breaks the clinch.
Silva misses with a looping right.
Anthony Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva looks to land a right hand but Verkko moved out of range.
Verkko tries to bum rush Silva with a series of wild strikes but Silva uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Silva is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Silva throws a left and a right that both miss

and Verkko holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Verkko throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silva throws a head kick but Verkko moves out of range.

Verkko moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Verkko has him pressed against the cage.
Verkko scores with a shot to the side of Silva's head.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Verkko falls off balance throwing a combination
and Silva counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Verkko is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Silva throws a shot from downtown. Verkko moves away and avoids it.
Verkko tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.

Verkko takes the fight into the clinch.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Anthony Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Verkko.
Silva misses with a wild body shot.

Verkko rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.

Verkko manages to break the clinch.

Verkko clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Verkko's takedown attempt.
Nice elbow from Verkko.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Verkko ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
A big right from Silva misses.
Silva checks a leg kick nicely.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.

Verkko rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.

Verkko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nice combo by Verkko! Oh, that's hurt him - Silva falls to the canvas and Verkko follows him into side control.

Silva is rocked!

Anthony Silva's cut is getting worse.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva seems a little lost for a moment, as Verkko dominates the positioning.
Let's hope that Verkko has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet.
Silva trying to remain calm as Verkko controls from the top position.
Silva is trying to improve his position.
Silva pushes Verkko away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Verkko gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Silva seems a little lost for a moment, as Verkko dominates the positioning.
Silva is trying to improve his position.

Verkko decides to stand back up. Verkko steps back and let's Silva get back to his feet.
Verkko misses with a double jab
letting Silva counter with a right hand.

Verkko moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Verkko lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Silva.

Verkko decides to pull guard.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Verkko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mika Verkko showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Anthony Silva's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Verkko misses with a few strikes there.
Verkko slips under a jab.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but Verkko sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Verkko moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Verkko misses with a two punch combination.
Silva misses with a combination

and Verkko counters by moving into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Verkko breaks the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Verkko looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Verkko uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Silva.
A jab from Silva finds it's way through Verkko's defenses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva misses with a two punch combination.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

and Verkko counters by clinching up.

Verkko breaks from the clinch.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Verkko.
Verkko stuffs the takedown attempt from Silva. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.

Silva tries to keep at a distance but Verkko has taken the fight into the clinch.

Verkko breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Verkko has managed to clinch.
A short right from Verkko on the inside.
Verkko lands with a short shot to the head.
Verkko lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Verkko scores with a shot to the side of Silva's head.
A short right from Verkko.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Verkko prevents Silva from breaking the clinch.
Verkko is trying to drag Silva to the mat but Silva just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Verkko escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mika Verkko seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Silva misses with a series of wild punches.

Verkko clinches.

Verkko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva scores with a crisp jab that stopped Verkko in his tracks.
Verkko fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Verkko blocks a head kick by Silva.
Silva misses with a looping right.

Silva tries to keep at a distance but Verkko has taken the fight into the clinch.

Verkko breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Verkko connects with a good right hand that stumbles Silva. Silva circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Silva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mika Verkko is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.

Verkko gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Verkko 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.
Verkko is trying to break free.
Verkko tries to score a body lock takedown but Silva shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Anthony Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mika Verkko.
Silva wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Verkko scores with a shoulder strike.
Silva is looking to break free of the clinch but Verkko has double underhooks.
Verkko lands with a light punch inside.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Verkko's takedown attempt.
Silva wants to get back to striking at distance but Verkko won't allow it.
Silva wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Verkko breaks the clinch.
Silva clinches but Verkko breaks the clinch
and Verkko counters with a nice body kick.
Silva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Verkko.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Verkko has taken the fight to the clinch.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Verkko has him pressed against the cage.
Verkko lands with a short shot to the head.

Verkko pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Verkko clinches up against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Verkko scores with a nice short uppercut.

Verkko breaks the clinch.
Silva jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Verkko throws a right and a left that both miss.
Verkko tries to clinch but Silva is having none of it.
Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Verkko counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Anthony Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Verkko breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Mika Verkko is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva looks to land a right hand but Verkko moved out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mika Verkko comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Verkko 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 26:30
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 26:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mika Verkko!