PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Felipe Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Mikel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Silva
vs
Mikel

188 cm
21
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

184 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Das Labor
Demonic Drugs

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Felipe Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Johnny Mikel!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Mikel shoots in but no luck this time.
Mikel shoots in looking for a takedown. Silva tries to sprawl out of it but Mikel keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Silva manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Silva gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Silva pulls guard effortlessly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Mikel off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Silva closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Mikel is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

Mikel looking for submissions off his back.
Silva thows a huge punch but Mikel dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikel wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mikel trying to control here.
Mikel is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Silva is staying active.
Silva is controlling the pace.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva throws a head kick but Mikel moves out of range.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Silva is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Silva takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Mikel makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Mikel.
Mikel keeping full guard, as Silva tries to pass.

Mikel working for submissions but it's allowed Silva to get to half guard.
Mikel wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to control the action but Mikel is working from the bottom.

Mikel looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Mikel looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Mikel looks gassed!

Mikel is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.

Mikel actively working from the bottom here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Mikel counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.
Silva tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Mikel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mikel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Mikel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Silva has escaped the position, nice work there.
Silva struggling a bit here.

Mikel goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Silva rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mikel's guard! Nice work there by Silva!
Silva is working Mikel over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Felipe Silva dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

An inside leg kick lands from Silva.
Mikel tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Mikel's guard now.
Mikel punching to the body, from the bottom.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Mikel working for a triangle but Silva defends it easily.
Silva trying to control but Mikel is working from the bottom.
Silva makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikel wants to stand up but Silva is controlling him.
Silva landing with the ground and pound.

Mikel looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Mikel wants to control the position but Silva says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Silva is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Silva is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mikel has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.

Mikel looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva trying to control the pace.
Silva stalling away here and it's allowed Mikel to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Mikel is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Mikel controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Mikel wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mikel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Silva gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.

Silva gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Mikel darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Mikel is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mikel prevents Silva from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Mikel.

Mikel wants to work for an arm triangle but Silva is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Silva is pressing down on Mikel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Mikel advances to half guard.

Mikel is working for a kimura but Silva is defending it quite comfortably.
Silva is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Felipe Silva will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A slow jab from Silva misses its intended target.
Mikel circles away from the clinch attempt.
Silva walks into a straight right hand from Mikel.
Silva fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mikel throws a combination. Silva tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Silva fails with the takedown

and Mikel decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Silva's guard.
Mikel trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mikel drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mikel jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mikel wants to stand but Silva has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mikel slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Mikel tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Mikel has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Mikel misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Mikel sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Silva is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Silva is looking to regain half guard here but Mikel keeps moving and retains side control.

Mikel wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Silva, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mikel working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Mikel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Mikel is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Silva has escaped the position, nice work there.

Mikel is trying to get an arm triangle but Silva is defending well.
Silva is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Mikel.

Silva is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Mikel pulls his head out easily.
Silva misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Mikel is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Silva is staying active underneath Mikel, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Mikel is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Mikel with the ground and pound but Silva uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Silva striking off his back but it's not causing Mikel any problems.
Felipe Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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

Silva drives through and clinches with Mikel against the cage.
Mikel gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.
Mikel looking for a takedown.
Silva looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Felipe Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mikel fails to pull guard.
Mikel wants a takedown.

Silva successfully pulls guard.

Silva has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mikel can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Johnny Mikel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Mikel is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Mikel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

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