PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between George Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raffaele Sasso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). George Silva has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Silva
vs
Sasso

189 cm
24
189 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

195 cm
25
189 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, George Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Raffaele Sasso!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Anni Minnemäki and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sasso scores with a leg kick.
Sasso tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Sasso tries to clinch up.
Sasso looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
A head kick from Sasso lands but Silva takes it in his stride.
Sasso throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Silva misses with a jab, cross combination.
Sasso fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Silva manages to avoid it.
Silva thows a body shot but no joy.
Silva avoids the body shot from Sasso.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sasso avoids the body shot from Silva.
Sasso scores with a leg kick.
Sasso digs a good body shot into Silva's ribs.
Sasso swings for the body but Silva moves out of range.
Sasso scores with a nice body kick.
Sasso uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Silva.
Nice shot by Silva.

It looks like Raffaele Sasso has been cut.
Sasso scores with a head kick.
Sasso lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Silva takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sasso.
Silva misses with a double jab.
Silva takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but Sasso sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Sasso tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
Sasso throws a leg kick which misses Silva's front leg but catches the back leg as Silva tries to avoid it.
Silva looks to score with a jab to the body but Sasso is just out of range.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Sasso. Silva shrugs it off though.
Sasso lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sasso.
Sasso explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Silva misses with a looping right.
Sasso fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Silva.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
A shot to the body from Sasso misses
and Sasso takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Silva tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A chopping leg kick lands by Sasso.
Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sasso.
Silva is breathing heavily.
Sasso dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva thows a leg kick but Sasso checks it
and Sasso counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Silva chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sasso can pounce on him.
Sasso closes the distance but Silva moves to the side
and Silva counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Sasso thinking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sasso connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Sasso.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sasso. That's going to slow Silva down.
Sasso tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva misses with a straight left.
Silva takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Sasso throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Silva's head.
Sasso lands with a kick to the temple. Silva shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Sasso throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Sasso looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sasso throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Sasso throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Sasso works Silva's body with a nice hook.
Sasso is looking to slow Silva down with leg kicks.
Silva steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Sasso. That one must have hurt.
Sasso cracks the inside of Silva's front leg.
Silva is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Sasso throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sasso feints and then cracks Silva's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Silva down.
Sasso scores with a kick to the midsection.
Sasso scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Sasso lands a body shot.
Silva will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Sasso scores with a head kick.
Sasso scores with a jab to the body.
Sasso tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Sasso changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Sasso throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sasso throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Silva's head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sasso scores with a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
A chopping leg kick lands by Sasso.
Sasso dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Sasso.
Sasso is looking to slow Silva down with leg kicks.
Nice body kick from Sasso.
Sasso ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sasso fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Silva looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Sasso throws a leg kick which misses Silva's front leg but catches the back leg as Silva tries to avoid it.
Sasso feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Silva's calf.
Sasso throws a front kick that sends Silva stumbling back into the cage.
Sasso lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
An inside leg kick lands from Sasso.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sasso buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Sasso throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Good leg kick by Sasso there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sasso.
Sasso lands a nice shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raffaele Sasso dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Raffaele Sasso'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.

An inside leg kick lands from Sasso.
Silva throws out a loose jab but Sasso uses good head movement to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Silva. Sasso does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sasso lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Sasso slips a jab from Silva.
Sasso wants to clinch
letting Silva counter with a right hand.
A head kick from Sasso lands but Silva takes it in his stride.
Sasso fails with an attempt to clinch.
A good leg kick by Sasso.
Sasso lands with a thumping leg kick.

Sasso has closed the distance and engaged Silva in a clinch.
Sasso landing knees to the body.
Sasso misses with a hook from the clinch.
Sasso cracks Silva with a nice body shot.
Sasso has had enough of the clinch but Silva keeps him there for the moment.
Sasso goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Sasso scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sasso lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A hook to the body from Sasso.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Sasso obliges.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sasso utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Sasso misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Sasso.
Sasso wants to break the clinch but can't.
A knee to the head by Sasso.
Sasso landing knees to the head.
Sasso working hard to break the clinch.
Sasso utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Sasso using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Sasso.
Sasso has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Knees to the body from Sasso.
Silva takes a knee right on the jaw!
Sasso unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Silva prevents a body shot from Sasso.
Silva lands a left hand.
Sasso wants to break free but Silva has control.
Sasso putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Silva in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Sasso scores a nice knee to the body.
Sasso unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Sasso landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Sasso landing knees to the body.
Sasso working Silva over with knees to the body.
Sasso is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Sasso wants to break the clinch but can't.
Sasso landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Sasso wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sasso breaks from the clinch.
George Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Sasso scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
A slapping body kick lands there for Sasso.
Silva walks forward, straight into a front kick from Sasso.
Sasso wants to clinch.
Sasso fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Silva on the side of the head.
Sasso scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Silva doesn't seem bothered though.
Sasso feints and then cracks Silva's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Silva down.
Silva throws a right and a left that both miss.
Sasso with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sasso lands a jab-cross combination.
Sasso lands with a kick to the temple. Silva shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Sasso is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Silva looks to throw the jab but Sasso is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sasso tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.
Sasso doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Sasso connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sasso tries to clinch up.
Sasso connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sasso is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Silva chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Sasso can pounce on him.
Raffaele Sasso seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sasso looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sasso.
Sasso lands with a thumping leg kick.
Sasso with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sasso digs a good hook to Silva's body.
Raffaele Sasso seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sasso tries to clinch up but Silva circles away and keeps his distance.
A good leg kick by Sasso.
Silva avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sasso connects with a solid leg kick.
Silva takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sasso is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.
Sasso lands with a nice body punch.
Sasso doesn't manage to clinch there - Silva circles away.
Sasso ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Sasso finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Sasso throws a nice inside leg kick.
Sasso tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sasso turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sasso.
Crunch! Sasso slams his shin into Silva's torso.
Nice body punch from Sasso.
Sasso bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raffaele Sasso showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Raffaele Sasso's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sasso scores with a jab to the body.
Silva takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Sasso is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Silva rather than just go for the knockout.
Sasso throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sasso fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Silva.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sasso.
Sasso moves in looking to clinch but Silva pushes him off.
Silva showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sasso.
Sasso throws a nice outside leg kick.
Sasso blocks a jab.
Sasso tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sasso uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Silva.
Sasso fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sasso scores with a leg kick.
A good leg kick by Sasso.
Sasso wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
A jab lands there for Sasso.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sasso connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sasso digs a good body shot into Silva's ribs.
Sasso throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Sasso fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Sasso moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Sasso thumps Silva with a low kick.
Silva takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Silva takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Sasso, right into the meat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sasso looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Sasso thuds a left hand into Silva's body.
Sasso with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Sasso feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Silva's calf.
Sasso lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Sasso throws a shot to the body.
Sasso closes the distance looking to clinch
and Silva counters with a three punch combo that has Sasso backing up. Sasso nods at Silva to acknowledge the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sasso throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Silva on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Sasso. Sasso obviously looking to wear him down.
Sasso jabs at Silva's body.
Silva on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Sasso. Sasso obviously looking to wear him down.
Sasso connects with a high kick.
Sasso tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Sasso scores with a head kick.
Raffaele Sasso is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sasso. That's going to slow Silva down.
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!
Sasso lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sasso dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Silva on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Sasso. Sasso obviously looking to wear him down.
Sasso scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sasso. That's going to slow Silva down.
Silva takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Sasso fakes the leg kick and cracks Silva in the body.
Sasso thuds a left hand into Silva's body.
Sasso lands a nice hook to Silva's body. Silva takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Sasso fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sasso. That's going to slow Silva down.
Sasso scores with a jab to the body.
Sasso thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Silva if he has to take too many more of those.
Sasso lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Silva at a distance.
Sasso goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A shot to the liver by Sasso. Beautiful body shot.
Sasso thows a body kick. Silva tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A shot to the liver by Sasso. Beautiful body shot.
A slapping leg kick lands for Sasso.

Sasso closes the distance and clinches.
Knees to the body from Sasso.
Sasso using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sasso working Silva over with knees to the body.
George Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sasso with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Sasso lands a knee to the body.
Sasso landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Sasso landing knees to the head.

It looks like George Silva has been cut.
Silva has Sasso pressed against the cage, preventing Sasso from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Knees to the body from Sasso.
Sasso landing knees to the body.
Sasso scores a nice knee to the body.
Sasso lands a knee to the body.
Sasso working Silva over with knees to the body.
Sasso lands a good knee to the midsection. Silva won't want to take too many of those.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sasso lands a good knee to the midsection. Silva won't want to take too many of those.
Sasso using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Sasso landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Silva blocks a body shot from Sasso.
Sasso misses with the head strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Raffaele Sasso comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Sasso has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 25:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 25:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raffaele Sasso!