PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Roger Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taavi Liisteri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Liisteri has chosen Solid Base - I like it as his entrance music. This should be fireworks!

Silva
vs
Liisteri

172 cm
26
168 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

170 cm
27
162 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Counter striker
Determined

Fight Club Clothing Helsinki™

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Roger Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Taavi Liisteri!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Liisteri does a little dance to reset his feet.
Liisteri fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Liisteri shoots in and drives through. Silva sprawls well.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Silva.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Silva - that will leave a mark!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Liisteri is defended easily by Silva.
Roger Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taavi Liisteri.

Silva feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Silva looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Liisteri is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Liisteri works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Liisteri is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Liisteri looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Silva passes into side control.
Silva wants to control but Liisteri is keeping him busy.

Silva looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Liisteri is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Silva off and has taken his back!

Liisteri has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Silva has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Silva manages to reverse the position and now he's in Liisteri's guard. Nice work there by Silva.
Silva sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Liisteri's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is keen to just control but Liisteri is a slippery customer.

Liisteri is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Liisteri is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Liisteri misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Liisteri is trying to control but Silva manages to pass to mount!
Silva landing strikes from the mount and Liisteri is in trouble!
Silva lands a heavy elbow.
Liisteri is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Silva manages to capitalize on a mistake by Liisteri to take his back!
Silva is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Liisteri tries to break free.
Liisteri rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Liisteri does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Liisteri gets full guard.
Silva wants to control from the top but Liisteri keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva stays in close to Liisteri's body and controls the position.
Silva content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Silva got a little sloppy there for a moment and Liisteri has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Silva has managed to get both his arms back between Liisteri's legs - danger averted.

Liisteri is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.
Liisteri looks gassed!

Liisteri 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 wants to control from the top but Liisteri keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Liisteri is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.

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

Liisteri 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 postures up and lands a big shot to Liisteri's brow.
Silva tries to free his leg and advance position but Liisteri is retaining full guard.
Silva controlling from the top position.
Silva pushes down on Liisteri's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Roger Silva dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Liisteri doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Silva counters with a right hand to the body.
Silva displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Silva throws a jab but it's blocked by Liisteri.
Liisteri has his takedown stuffed
and Silva counters with a leg kick.
Liisteri has his takedown stuffed
and Silva counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Roger Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Taavi Liisteri.

Liisteri drives through with a takedown into guard.

Silva working for a triangle but Liisteri defends it easily.
Liisteri missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Liisteri thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Liisteri is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liisteri trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva is pulling down on Liisteri's head to control his posture.
Liisteri trying to control but Silva is working from the bottom.
Silva wants to sweep here but Liisteri controlling him for the moment.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Liisteri shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Liisteri showed some decent athleticism there.
Liisteri wants to control but Silva is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Liisteri is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Silva moves into full guard.
Liisteri passes into half guard.

Liisteri is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Silva wants to control but Liisteri is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liisteri looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Silva gets full guard.
Silva not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Liisteri trying to move into half guard but instead Silva has managed to sweep!
Silva postures up.

Liisteri 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 is stalling in the full guard.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Liisteri is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Liisteri is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Silva is aware though and is defending well.
Silva wants to control from the top but Liisteri keeps moving.

Liisteri has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Silva can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Liisteri is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.
Silva pushes down on Liisteri's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Liisteri looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Silva drops an elbow to the side of Liisteri's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Taavi Liisteri will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

A nice inside leg kick there by Silva. That's going to slow Liisteri down.
Liisteri doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into side control. Liisteri won't be happy with that.
Silva scores with a couple of short elbows.
Liisteri is looking for a sweep.
Liisteri can't do much from the bottom here.
Liisteri is trying to improve his position.
Silva trying to control the position but Liisteri is working away.
Silva lands some shots froms side control.
Silva scoring with punches from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Silva tries to move into full mount but can't pass Liisteri's legs.
Liisteri struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Liisteri doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into side control. Liisteri won't be happy with that.
Liisteri tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Silva wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Liisteri's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Silva has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
Liisteri tries to reverse the position but Silva maintains control.
Silva controlling the position easily from mount.
Liisteri is desperately trying to improve his position but Silva has a good base and remains in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liisteri is bucking up trying to escape but Silva cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Liisteri is trying desperately to improve position.
Liisteri is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Liisteri is in a horrible position here. Silva smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Liisteri tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Liisteri tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
Liisteri is desperately trying to improve his position but Silva has a good base and remains in mount.
Silva sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Silva in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liisteri working to try and regain half guard.
Silva unloading with bombs!
Silva controlling the pace for now.
Silva wants to control the pace but Liisteri is squirming around nicely.
Liisteri tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.

Silva looking for a guillotine from mount but Liisteri is having none of it.

That's four 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.
Silva trying to control but Liisteri is having none of it.
Liisteri regains half guard.

Liisteri looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Liisteri trying to control here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Silva lands a nice short elbow.

Liisteri with the active half guard here but Silva passes nicely into side control.
Liisteri wants to control but Silva postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Roger 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 29:28

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