PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leonardo Da Silva (ranked 2307 p4p, 1402 weight class) and Mac Bandini (ranked 241 p4p, 162 weight class). Da Silva comes to the cage accompanied by Lil Uzi Vert - XO Tour Llif3. Bandini has chosen Expanse as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Da Silva
vs
Bandini

167 cm
44
145
43 - 24 - 0

179 cm
35
148
19 - 20 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 43 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Leonardo Da Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mac Bandini!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Percy O'Donnell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bandini throws the left hand but Da Silva avoids the punch easily.
Bandini's coach down at Kalashnikov ELITE MMA Gym was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Bandini's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Da Silva misses with a low kick.
Bandini looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Da Silva shoots in looking for a takedown. Bandini tries to sprawl out of it but Da Silva keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Bandini manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bandini! But no joy.
Da Silva throws a low kick but it's checked well by Bandini.
Bandini lands with a good body shot.
Da Silva has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Da Silva there as he acknowledges the shot.
Jab, jab by Da Silva - just one landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Da Silva lands a really nice looking cross but Bandini seems unphased.
Da Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bandini was well out of range. Poor timing from Da Silva.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bandini! But no joy.
Bandini uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Da Silva.
Da Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bandini. That did some damage!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bandini connects with a looping right hand.
Da Silva loads up on a big right hand but Bandini slips the punch.
Leonardo Da Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bandini steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Da Silva.
Da Silva throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Bandini takes a swing at Da Silva's ribcage but misses.
Da Silva feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Bandini misses with an uppercut. Da Silva saw that one coming.
Bandini throws a jab when Da Silva was well out of range.
That kick from Da Silva tenderised Bandini's leg. Bandini is trying to keep his angry face on.
Bandini checks a low kick from Da Silva.
Da Silva misses with a low kick.
It seemed like Bandini was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Da Silva will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bandini throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Da Silva connects with a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva tried to score with a low kick but Bandini checks it.
Da Silva throws a lazy uppercut
and Bandini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Da Silva swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Da Silva takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Da Silva motions for Bandini to come forward. Da Silva throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Da Silva displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Bandini throws out the jab.
Da Silva throws a hook but Bandini blocks it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Da Silva scores with a punch to the head.
Da Silva throws a nice outside leg kick.
Da Silva lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Bandini blocks a leg kick.
Bandini on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Bandini with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Da Silva to score with a decent uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva throws a leg kick but Bandini moved away.
Da Silva throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Bandini looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Da Silva closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Da Silva misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
It seemed like Bandini was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Da Silva cracks a nice hook into Bandini's ribs.
Da Silva falls off balance throwing a combination
and Bandini counters with a nice uppercut.
Bandini misses with a hook. Da Silva ducked under it nicely.
Bandini misses with a lunging right hand
and Da Silva makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A swing and a miss from Da Silva.
It seemed like Bandini was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Bandini checks the leg kick nicely there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bandini takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Da Silva throws a predictable looking body shot
and Bandini cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bandini looks to land a right hand but Da Silva moved out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Da Silva.
A nice leg kick from Da Silva, right into the meat of the thigh.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
A big right from Bandini misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Bandini checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Da Silva getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Good leg kick by Da Silva.
Bandini swings widly with a right hand
and Bandini takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bandini cracks Da Silva with a good jab.
Da Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Da Silva dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Bandini moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Da Silva is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Bandini can do to turn this around?
Da Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bandini's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Bandini takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Bandini moves out of range as Da Silva strikes.
Da Silva slips a straight right by Bandini.
Da Silva misses with an attempted mid kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Bandini! But no joy.
Bandini cracks Da Silva with a right hand to the side of the head.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Bandini might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Da Silva has got the better of the exchanges.
Da Silva throws a jab but it's blocked by Bandini.
Da Silva misses with a left hand
and Bandini counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Da Silva.
It seemed like Bandini was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

Da Silva gets a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Da Silva wants to control but Bandini is keeping him busy.
Bandini is trying to escape back to his feet but Da Silva uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Bandini is pushing Da Silva's head away, looking to escape. Da Silva manages to hold on to the position though.
Da Silva looking to control but instead Bandini has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Bandini is trying to stand.

Bandini makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Bandini throws a hook but Da Silva blocks it.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Da Silva, as that shot connected.
Bandini blocks a head kick by Da Silva.
Da Silva throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bandini's waist but Bandini gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Da Silva off to one side.
A little jabbing left from Bandini on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Bandini takes one to the chin there.
Da Silva throws a hook but Bandini avoids it easily.
Bandini uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Da Silva.
Bandini avoids the body shot from Da Silva.
Bandini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Bandini looks to land a left hand but Da Silva moved out of range nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva scores with a crisp jab that stopped Bandini in his tracks.
Da Silva connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Da Silva throws out a loose jab but Bandini uses good head movement to avoid it.
It seemed like Bandini was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Da Silva throws an overhand right that lands on Bandini's shoulder, as Bandini tries to avoid the shot.
Bandini sizes up Da Silva with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Bandini moves out of range of the leg kick from Da Silva.
Da Silva gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Da Silva throws a poor cross that misses
and Bandini cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Bandini throws a predictable looking body shot
and Da Silva counters with a good low kick that Bandini was not able to check.
Bandini looks to land a right hand but Da Silva moved out of range.
A swing and a miss from Bandini.
Da Silva misses with an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva misses with a body shot
and Bandini counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Bandini scores with a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A bone on bone clash there as Bandini blocks the leg kick.
Da Silva connects with a looping right hand.
Da Silva jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Da Silva fails with a takedown attempt.
Bandini looks like he wants to counter punch here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bandini checks a low kick from Da Silva.
Da Silva lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Da Silva lands a nice hook to Bandini's body. Bandini takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Bandini blocks a jab.
Bandini scores with a jab to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Leonardo Da Silva will probably get the nod.
That's time! Da Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Bandini throws a shot from downtown. Da Silva moves away and avoids it.
Da Silva scores with a jab to the jaw.
Da Silva uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bandini.
Da Silva fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Bandini is out of range.
Bandini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Bandini thuds his right hand into Da Silva's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Bandini blocks a jab.
Da Silva misses with a left hand
and Bandini connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Nice sprawl there from Bandini as Da Silva shoots in.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bandini throws out a loose jab but Da Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
Da Silva tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bandini defends well and Da Silva ends up having to push Bandini into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Bandini throws out a counter right but Da Silva avoids it with no problem.
Da Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Bandini blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Bandini looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bandini wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bandini has had enough of the clinch but Da Silva keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Bandini's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Da Silva scores with a shoulder strike.
Da Silva tries to work over Bandini's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Bandini breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
The fighters circling - Da Silva throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bandini looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Da Silva throws out a loose jab but Bandini uses good head movement to avoid it.
Da Silva misses with a wild body shot.
A head kick misses from Da Silva.
Bandini looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Da Silva throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bandini throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Da Silva darts in looking for a takedown but Bandini gets double underhooks and turns Da Silva into the cage.
Bandini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Leonardo Da Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Da Silva misses with a body punch.

Bandini manages to break the clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Da Silva misses the target.
A shot to the liver by Bandini. Beautiful body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Silva misses with a hook.
Da Silva looks to throw the jab but Bandini is out of range.
Bandini looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Bandini takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Da Silva feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Bandinis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Da Silva connects with a body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bandini ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Da Silva moves away.
Da Silva just misses with a punch to the body.
Da Silva misses with a low kick as Bandini jumps back.
Da Silva looks to land a left hand but Bandini moved out of range nicely.
Bandini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Bandini gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Bandini is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bandini is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Leonardo Da Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Bandini keeping moving, preventing Da Silva from controlling successfully.

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.
Da Silva won't allow Bandini to get back to his feet.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Bandini has his feet on Da Silva's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Da Silva swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bandini swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mac Bandini has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Da Silva shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Bandini lands a right hook to the body.
Bandini defending well as Da Silva loads up on a big left hand.
Da Silva cracks a nice hook into Bandini's ribs.
Da Silva lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Da Silva throws out a loose jab but Bandini uses good head movement to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Leonardo Da Silva.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Da Silva, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonardo Da Silva!
A very excited looking Leonardo Da Silva made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.