PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Gerson Silva (ranked 3006 p4p, 4600 weight class) and Elmo Whibley (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
Whibley

165 cm
25
165
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
165
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Gerson Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Elmo Whibley!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Daniel Franklin and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva throws a body punch but Whibley moves out of range.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Whibley.
Silva can't do much from the bottom here.
Silva dodges the ground and pound from Whibley.
Whibley wants to stand but Silva is controlling his arm.

Whibley is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Silva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whibley working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is trying to control Whibley's posture but Whibley avoids it.
Whibley controls the position.
Silva gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Silva could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Silva is pressing down on Whibley's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Whibley showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Whibley got a little sloppy there for a moment and Silva has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Whibley has managed to get both his arms back between Silva's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Whibley defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whibley's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Whibley stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Whibley pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Silva is keeping the position for now.
Silva has a closed guard, preventing Whibley from standing up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Whibley closes the distance and clinches.
Silva is looking for a takedown.

Whibley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Whibley shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Silva is trying to defend but Whibley finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Whibley really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Whibley seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Silva does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Silva makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Whibley misses with a two punch combination.

Whibley gets a double leg takedown into Silva's guard.

Silva wriggles free and stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Whibley on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Whibley throws a head kick that Silva semi-blocks.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Whibley avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Silva is breathing heavily.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Whibley.
Silva tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Whibley shoots in and gets a takedown into Silva's guard.

Silva is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Elmo Whibley will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Whibley pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva fails to land the takedown.
Silva darts in looking for a takedown but Whibley gets double underhooks and turns Silva into the cage.

Whibley successfully pulls guard.
Whibley keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva won't allow Whibley to get back to his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Whibley will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Whibley swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Whibley can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Whibley has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Silva is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Whibley.
Whibley is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Silva is controlling him well.
Whibley is looking for a sweep.

Silva working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Silva wants to control but Whibley is keeping him busy.

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.
Whibley can't do much from the bottom here.
Whibley tries to improve position but can't.

Silva tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Silva decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Silva feints and as Whibley raises his hands in defense, Silva changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva stands and steps away. Whibley gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Whibley.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva parries the strikes from Whibley easily there. Whibley is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Silva to escape.

Whibley swings around for an armbar but Silva sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Whibley's guard.
Whibley is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Whibley, up you get!

Whibley shoots in and bounces Silva off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.

Silva looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Whibley's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Whibley wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Whibley loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Gerson Silva dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Silva misses with a head kick.
Silva takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Whibley throws a head kick that misses.

Whibley fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Silva, pushing him back against the cage.

Whibley is trying to trip Silva. He has hold of a leg but Silva is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Whibley persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Silva manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Whibley has picked Silva up - he's going for a ride! Whibley dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Silva has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Whibley is on him like a limpet, forcing Silva back against the cage.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva stalling against the cage.
Silva is trying to pull guard but Whibley has him pressed against the cage.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Whibley is controlling him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whibley is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Silva content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Silva jumps guard but Whibley turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
The referee is keeping an eye on Whibley - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Whibley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Whibley has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Silva is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Whibley jumps into guard, dragging Silva to the mat.
Whibley controlling Silva's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Whibley is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.
Whibley is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Whibley has control of Silva's left arm, preventing Silva from doing any damage.
Silva wants to control from the top but Whibley keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Whibley is working an open guard so Silva takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Silva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Whibley to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Whibley seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Let's hope that Whibley 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.
Silva is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whibley controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Whibley wanted to stand there but Silva had control of the position.
Whibley wants to stand and escape but instead Silva has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Elmo Whibley.
I think Whibley 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 29:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!