PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Justin Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sam Merlotte (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Silva
vs
Merlotte

185 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

170 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Justin Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sam Merlotte!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Ivan Kurochkin and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Merlotte on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Silva. Silva obviously looking to wear him down.
Merlotte uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Silva.
Merlotte checks the leg kick nicely there.
Silva circles away from the clinch attempt.
Merlotte fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Silva drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Silva is looking to stand up but Merlotte won't let him.
Merlotte tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva tries to stand but Merlotte is controlling from the bottom.
Merlotte wants to sweep but no luck.
Silva tries to stand but Merlotte is controlling from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merlotte utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Silva really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Merlotte.
Silva feints and then cracks Merlotte's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Merlotte down.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Merlotte.
Justin Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Merlotte.
Silva throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick and Merlotte moves out of range easily.
Merlotte checks a leg kick.
Silva throws a right hand that Merlotte ducks under and follows up with a left that Merlotte also avoids with ease.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Merlotte shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Silva sprawls well. Silva wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Merlotte gets slowly back to his feet.
Silva defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Merlotte.
Justin Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands with a kick to the temple. Merlotte shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Merlotte throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Silva's waist but Silva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Merlotte off to one side.
Silva walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Merlotte checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Silva misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Merlotte is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
A left and a right from Silva both land. Nice combination.
Silva swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Silva misses with the combination.
Merlotte wants to clinch.
Merlotte fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva is looking to chop away at Merlotte's legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to score with a low kick but Merlotte moves his leg out of the way.
Silva throws a series of punches but Merlotte moves out of range.
Merlotte shoots and misses
and Silva counters with a slapping leg kick.
Merlotte stalks Silva and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Silva's face. Silva staggers backwards, shaken.

Silva closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Check out the look on Silva's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Merlotte wants to control but Silva postures up.
Silva will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Silva wants to stand but Merlotte is controlling his arm.
Merlotte takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Merlotte avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Silva.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Silva tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Merlotte on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merlotte manages to get back to half guard.
Merlotte makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Merlotte.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Merlotte blocks nicely.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
Silva distracts Merlotte with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Merlotte trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin 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.

Silva swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Merlotte counters with a low kick, right behind Silva 's knee.
Merlotte looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Silva is fending him off so far but Merlotte persists. Nope, Silva circles away and we're back to standing.
Merlotte tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Merlotte wants to clinch.
Some wild striking there from Silva.
Justin Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Merlotte swats away the attempt to clinch by Silva.
Silva fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Merlotte checks it well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Merlotte tries to score a power double leg takedown but Silva sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Merlotte somewhat.
Silva does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
Justin Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Merlotte.
Silva misses with a few strikes there.
Silva lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Merlotte backs up against the cage.
A slapping leg kick lands for Silva.
Silva goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Silva throws a right and a left that both miss.
Merlotte throws a lazy head kick
and Silva counters with a head kick. That will keep Merlotte thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Silva buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Merlotte misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Silva tries to land a front kick but Merlotte steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Merlotte throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Silva's waist but Silva gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Merlotte off to one side.
Merlotte blocks a head kick by Silva.
Silva misses with a wild combination.
Silva misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merlotte throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Merlotte has a closed guard, preventing Silva from standing up.
Silva preventing the sweep.

Merlotte has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Silva lands a couple of elbows.
Merlotte is controlling Silva's posture.
Silva trying to stand up but can't free himself from Merlotte's guard.
Merlotte is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Silva wanted to stand there but Merlotte had control of the position.
Silva working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Silva wants to stand and escape but instead Merlotte has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Merlotte trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva throws a left and a right that both miss
and Merlotte connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Silva lands with a thumping leg kick.
Merlotte fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Merlotte tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Merlotte looks to clinch
and Merlotte takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Silva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Silva misses with a leg kick
and Merlotte counters with a stiff right hand.
Merlotte dodges the punch combination from Silva.
Silva looks to land a body kick but Merlotte moved away.
Merlotte tries for a takedown but Silva circles away easily
and Silva makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Silva swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Justin Silva dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Merlotte tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Merlotte blocks the body kick.
Silva takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Silva stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Silva wants it to stay on the feet.
A nice inside leg kick there by Silva. That's going to slow Merlotte down.
Merlotte throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Merlotte.
Merlotte shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Merlotte's front leg but catches the back leg as Merlotte tries to avoid it.

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

Silva has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Merlotte regains guard immediately.
Silva wants to stand but Merlotte is controlling his posture from full guard.

Merlotte working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Merlotte is on top in guard.
Merlotte trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Merlotte postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Merlotte works over Silva with some ground and pound from guard.
Merlotte trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Merlotte trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Merlotte drops back looking for a leg! Silva is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Silva manages to kick Merlotte off! Merlotte jumps back into Silva's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Merlotte from controlling successfully.
Silva on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Silva tries to get out of the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Silva lets loose with a powerful body kick. Merlotte will feel that in the morning.
Silva feints and then cracks Merlotte's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Merlotte down.
Silva moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Merlotte fails with an attempt to clinch.
Silva throws a series of punches but Merlotte moves out of range.
Silva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Horrible takedown by Merlotte or perhaps it was just good defense by Silva which made him look bad.
Justin Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sam Merlotte.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Merlotte.
Merlotte is trying desperately to land a takedown but Silva is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Merlotte.
Silva throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Silva thows a leg kick but Merlotte checks it
and Merlotte counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Merlotte fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Silva avoids it really well and circles away.
Merlotte darts in trying to clinch
and Silva counters with a slapping leg kick.
Sam Merlotte has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Justin Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva pushes Merlotte away with a front kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Justin Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Silva has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27

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