PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Borja Escobar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Escobar kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is killing in the name of. Alex Silva will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Escobar
vs
Silva

170 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Borja Escobar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alex Silva!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Escobar will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Escobar misses with a head kick.
Silva throws a leg kick but Escobar sees it coming and moves out of range.

Silva clinches up with Escobar and pushes him back against the cage.

Silva drags the fight down to the ground.
Silva pulls Escobar in close to prevent any damage.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Escobar from controlling successfully.
Escobar is breathing heavily.
Escobar prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.
Escobar might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva has a closed guard, preventing Escobar from standing up.

Silva working for a triangle but Escobar defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Escobar is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Silva controls Escobar momentarily but Escobar frees himself.
Escobar has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silva is proving hard to escape from.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Escobar but Escobar pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Silva dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two 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 scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Silva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Silva uses his free foot to push down on Escobar's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Escobar.
Silva controlling from mount.
Silva lands a heavy elbow.
Escobar taking shots to the head.
Silva pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva controlling the pace for now.
Silva postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Escobar looks a forlorn figure.
Silva controlling the pace for now.
Escobar wants to control but Silva is having none of it.

That's four 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 sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Silva has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Escobar's face.

Silva working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Escobar wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Silva dominated that round.
That's time! Escobar's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Escobar stuffs the takedown attempt from Silva. Silva gets slowly back to his feet.
Escobar shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Escobar's guard.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Escobar is keeping the position for now.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva trying to control but Escobar is working from the bottom.

Silva stands and steps away. Escobar gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Escobar has his takedown stuffed

and Silva counters by clinching up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Silva.

Silva pulls Escobar into guard.

Silva scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Silva fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Silva drives through and clinches with Escobar against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Silva takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Escobar tries to clinch but Silva moves away

and Silva counters with a shoot takedown. Escobar fights it but they end up in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva stands up and waves to Escobar to follow him.
Escobar with a poor takedown
and Silva makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Borja Escobar. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Escobar shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Escobar working a defensive guard here.
Silva landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Escobar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Escobar had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Silva is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Escobar Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Silva's back instead.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva looking very determined here, making life difficult for Escobar.

Escobar has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Silva has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Escobar doesn't have the hooks in and Silva manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Escobar wants to hit a switch here but Silva passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Escobar there!
Escobar is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Silva cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Escobar has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

Escobar fending off the submission attempt from Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex 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 fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Silva fails to land with a series of punches.
Silva misses with a takedown
and Escobar counters with a nice kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Escobar closes the distance but Silva moves to the side

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Silva wants to control from the top but Escobar keeps moving.
Alex Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Escobar wants to sweep here but Silva controlling him for the moment.
Silva content to stall in guard here.
Silva wants to stand but Escobar has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Silva stops Escobar from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Escobar misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Borja Escobar is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Silva forces Escobar back against the cage and clinches.
Escobar trying to land knees to the body.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Escobar shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Silva stuffs the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Escobar is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Silva is trying to trip Escobar. He has hold of a leg but Escobar is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Silva persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Silva stops Escobar from standing up.
Escobar tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Escobar keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Escobar is trying to keep Silva in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva won't allow Escobar to get back to his feet.
Escobar is trying to keep Silva in close.
Silva not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Silva has Escobar up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva lands an uppercut.
Escobar is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Borja Escobar has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Alex Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Silva has clasped his hands together around Escobar's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Silva!