PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Klaus Silverstein (ranked 3301 p4p, 6076 weight class) and Daniel McCullen (ranked 320 p4p, 464 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Silverstein
vs
McCullen

168 cm
27
145
7 - 3 - 0

176 cm
19
155
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Klaus Silverstein!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Daniel McCullen!
The judges for this bout are Chris Saunders, Jeff Smith and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCullen misses with a kick to the body.
Silverstein walks into a straight right hand from McCullen.

Silverstein clinches with his opponent.
McCullen working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Silverstein drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silverstein fails to pull guard.
Silverstein is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but McCullen is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Klaus Silverstein. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from McCullen.
Silverstein looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
McCullen gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Silverstein.
McCullen misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCullen tries a body shot but Silverstein blocks it.

McCullen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silverstein ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McCullen moves away.
McCullen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
McCullen connects with a jab.
Silverstein cracks McCullen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Daniel McCullen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McCullen throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Silverstein tries to work over McCullen's front leg with a kick but McCullen checks it.
Silverstein definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Silverstein on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Silverstein swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A punch lands to the side of Silverstein 's head but he takes it in his stride.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silverstein bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Silverstein swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Silverstein throws a head kick but McCullen moves out of range.
Silverstein moves in looking to clinch but McCullen pushes him off.
Silverstein takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Silverstein slips a straight right by McCullen.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silverstein looks to score with a jab to the body but McCullen is just out of range.
McCullen throws out a counter right but Silverstein avoids it with no problem.
McCullen has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Silverstein tries to clinch up.
McCullen looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Silverstein takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
McCullen thuds his right hand into Silverstein's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Silverstein tries to clinch there but McCullen circles away.
Silverstein is looking to clinch.
Silverstein darts in trying to clinch
and McCullen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silverstein drives through and clinches with McCullen against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, McCullen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
McCullen working aggressively here.
McCullen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
McCullen lands an uppercut.

McCullen breaks the clinch.
Silverstein misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting McCullen counter with a right hand.

Silverstein looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for McCullen!
This has been an exciting period of action!
The strikes coming from Silverstein are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCullen trying to remain calm as Silverstein controls from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Daniel McCullen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Some wild striking there from Silverstein.
McCullen appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Silverstein dodges the punch combination from McCullen.
Silverstein wants to clinch but McCullen slips to the side
letting McCullen counter with a right hand.
A combination from Silverstein does no damage.
McCullen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The crowd cheers as Silverstein lands an impressive looking overhand right. McCullen doesn't seem phased though.
McCullen cracks Silverstein with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silverstein tries to clinch up.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from McCullen! But no joy.
McCullen swings for the body but Silverstein moves out of range.
Silverstein feinted with a counter takedown.
A slow jab from Silverstein misses its intended target.
Daniel McCullen seems to be getting the better of the standup.
McCullen throws a lazy right hand but Silverstein sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silverstein drops down looking for a counter takedown but McCullen sprawls and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silverstein fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. McCullen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
McCullen throws a jab when Silverstein was well out of range.
A right-left combo lands from Silverstein.

It looks like Daniel McCullen has been cut.
Silverstein tries to clinch up.
Silverstein fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
McCullen throws a leg kick that is checked
and Silverstein counters with a right hand to the body.
McCullen misses with a hook
and Silverstein counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
McCullen pushes Silverstein away with a front kick.
Silverstein tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but McCullen was well out of range. Poor timing from Silverstein.
A countering left hand to the body from McCullen misses.
Nice straight punches there by McCullen. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of McCullen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silverstein connects with the punch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silverstein wants to clinch.
McCullen looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Silverstein decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Silverstein is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silverstein's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Silverstein has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Silverstein stops McCullen from getting back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Silverstein wants to clinch.
McCullen tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silverstein throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Silverstein has closed the distance and engaged McCullen in a clinch.
McCullen lands a left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Klaus Silverstein dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Daniel McCullen's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

McCullen misses with a series of wild punches.

McCullen gets tackled into the cage by Silverstein. Silverstein maintains the clinch.
Silverstein tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. McCullen just stands there and leans against the cage.
McCullen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Silverstein is trying to pull guard but McCullen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
McCullen misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCullen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Silverstein tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Klaus Silverstein. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silverstein is trying to pull guard but McCullen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
McCullen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right hand to the side of the head by McCullen.
McCullen lands a hook to the side of the head.
McCullen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A short right hand to the side of the head by McCullen.

McCullen breaks from the clinch.
McCullen scores with a jab to the jaw.
Silverstein tries to clinch there but McCullen circles away.
Silverstein looks to land a body kick but McCullen moved away.
Silverstein throws a right hand that misses
and McCullen counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Silverstein thinking.
McCullen lands with a straight right. Silverstein didn't see that one coming.
McCullen misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCullen moves away from the strike by Silverstein.
Silverstein misses with a wild body shot.
Silverstein tries to clinch but fails miserably
and McCullen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A looping hook to the body misses from Silverstein. McCullen does a little dance to reset his feet.
McCullen throws a nice inside leg kick.
Decent striking displayed by McCullen there.
Silverstein uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before McCullen has time to react.
Silverstein is looking to clinch.
Silverstein tries to clinch but McCullen is having none of it.
Silverstein is looking to clinch.
McCullen appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Klaus Silverstein seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A good leg kick by McCullen.
McCullen keeps the fight on the outside.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from McCullen! But no joy.
Silverstein takes one to the chin there.
Silverstein takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Silverstein lands a right hook to the body.
McCullen circles away from the clinch attempt
enabling McCullen to counter with a crisp jab.
McCullen lands with a shot to the body.
Silverstein lands a slapping body shot.
McCullen blocks a head kick by Silverstein.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big left from McCullen misses.
A little feinted left hand from Silverstein on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

McCullen gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silverstein trying to control the position from guard on top but McCullen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silverstein controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Further stalling from Silverstein.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel McCullen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think McCullen has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Daniel McCullen!
An out of breath Daniel McCullen thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.