PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sylvester Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and craig roberts (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Silva
vs
roberts

192 cm
22
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
200 lbs
2 - 5 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 Sydney, Sylvester Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, craig roberts!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Eliza Hachem and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
roberts throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Silva drives through and clinches with roberts against the cage.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says roberts as he avoids it easily.
roberts will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
roberts throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Silva has roberts up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva lands a knee to the head.

It looks like craig roberts has been cut.
Silva drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Silva pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts roberts as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sylvester Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva lands a head kick!
Silva scores with a one two! roberts had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but roberts pushes him off.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by roberts.
Silva tries to clinch but fails miserably

and roberts counters with a crisp one two that drops Silva! roberts thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Silva to his feet! Silva is in big trouble!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
roberts throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva lands with a slapping head kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Silva checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
roberts thuds a left hand into Silva's body.

Silva rushes roberts and presses him up against the cage.
Silva stalling.
Silva is breathing heavily.
roberts wants to break free but Silva has control.
roberts has Silva pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Silva manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Silva lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Silva landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Silva breaks the clinch.
roberts throws a wild body kick that Silva sees coming a mile off.
Silva on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
roberts looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Silva misses with a combination
and roberts counters with a three punch combo that has Silva backing up. Silva nods at roberts to acknowledge the strikes.
roberts misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
roberts misses with a double jab.
Silva takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva throws a wild body kick that roberts sees coming a mile off.

roberts changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Silva looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva tries to improve position but can't.

roberts is trying to get an arm triangle but Silva is defending well.
Silva wants to control but roberts postures up.

Silva sneaks out the side door and pushes roberts away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Silva is trying hard to land a takedown here. roberts sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
roberts scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Silva tries to clinch but roberts moves out of range.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but roberts pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
roberts scores with a punch to the head.

Silva rushes roberts and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

roberts escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silva has his takedown stuffed

and roberts counters by clinching up.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
roberts takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
roberts looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Silva swats away the attempt to clinch by roberts.
Silva throws a series of punches but roberts moves out of range.
Silva tries to score a power double leg takedown but roberts sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Silva somewhat.
Silva is looking to chop away at roberts's legs.
Silva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice sprawl there from roberts as Silva shoots in.
roberts tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Silva was well out of range. Poor timing from roberts.
Silva looks to score with a jab to the body but roberts is just out of range.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but roberts swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva tries to close the distance and clinch up but roberts swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Silva with a hook.
roberts shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

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

roberts breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Silva shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with roberts but roberts pushes him off and we're back to square one.
roberts scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
roberts throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Silva counters by clinching up.
The referee calls for Silva to work.
roberts wants to break the clinch but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but craig roberts will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on craig roberts's cut.
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.

Silva throws a right and a left that both miss.

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.
roberts wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
roberts is struggling to control the position.
roberts working hard to break the clinch.
Silva lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
roberts doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

roberts has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Silva uses from the top position.
Silva connects with a couple of short punches.
Silva prevents roberts from getting back to his feet.
Silva stays in close to roberts's body and controls the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Silva's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Silva will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Silva fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Silva throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
roberts misses with a wild combination.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but roberts pushes him off.
Silva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has roberts pinned against the cage. roberts gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Silva looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A head kick by roberts misses

and Silva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
roberts preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
roberts looks to clinch

and Silva counters by clinching up.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
roberts throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Silva tries for a takedown but roberts sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sylvester Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but roberts avoids it really well and circles away.
roberts avoids the head kick by Silva.
roberts swinging wildly here.
roberts stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and roberts wants it to stay on the feet.
roberts fails to land with a series of punches.

Silva bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Silva decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to clinch.
roberts misses with a double jab

and Silva holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Silva manages to break the clinch.

Silva looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
roberts is looking to escape.

Silva stands up out of the half guard.
roberts misses with a two punch combination.
Silva falls off balance throwing a combination

and roberts counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
roberts missing with knees to the body.

Silva breaks the clinch.
roberts throws a one two combo.
craig roberts seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking cross lands there for Silva.

Silva clinches up against the cage.
Silva gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
roberts wants to break free but Silva has control.
Silva pushes roberts back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but roberts sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silva throws a right and a left that roberts avoids nicely.
roberts looks to throw a body kick
and Silva makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
roberts sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.
Silva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Silva darts in and clinches roberts up against the cage.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Silva moves into the clinch successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sylvester Silva dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on craig roberts's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Silva falls off balance throwing a combination

and roberts counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by roberts.
Silva throws a blind hook that connects with the side of robertss head.
Silva lands an elbow inside.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
roberts shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Silva forces roberts back against the cage and clinches.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Silva wants a takedown.
roberts is looking to break free of the clinch but Silva has double underhooks.
Silva comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Silva landing knees to the body.
Silva stalling against the cage.
roberts can't break the clinch.
roberts is trying to break the clinch but Silva is controlling him.
Silva tries for a takedown but roberts manages to get underhooks.
Silva lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Silva breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
roberts looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's one minute gone in the round.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! roberts crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Silva - the referee stops the clock and roberts gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Silva. roberts manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva tries to clinch there but roberts circles away.

Silva gets a clinch.
Silva looking to slow down the pace here.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
roberts circles away from the clinch attempt.
roberts shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

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

Silva stands up and waves to roberts to follow him.
Silva looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

roberts moves into the clinch successfully.
roberts prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sylvester Silva. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva blocking some punches.
roberts is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Silva looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
roberts looks to land a combination but Silva avoids it well.
roberts tries to close the distance and clinch up but Silva swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Silva drives through and clinches with roberts against the cage.

Silva breaks the clinch.
Silva fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by roberts.
Both fighters circling a little - Silva finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
roberts takes a swing at Silva's ribcage but misses.

Silva darts in and clinches roberts up against the cage.
Silva tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Silva is looking to control roberts's arms but roberts gets an underhook and turns him. Now Silva has his back to the cage.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Silva shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has roberts pinned against the cage. roberts gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

Silva gets a clinch.

roberts escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Silva shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Silva tries to pass the half guard into mount. roberts knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
roberts is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva stops roberts from getting back to his feet.

Silva escapes and gets back to his feet.
A decent looking cross lands there for roberts.
roberts slips a jab and a cross from Silva.
Silva avoids the head kick by roberts.
roberts throws a combination that misses

and Silva holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Silva lands a body punch.
Silva lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
roberts finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Silva tries to clinch there but roberts circles away.

Silva darts in and clinches roberts up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sylvester Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28

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