PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lennon Joe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Wanderlei Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Joe
vs
Silva

200 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 Tokyo, Lennon Joe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Wanderlei Silva!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Yuuki Gou and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joe shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Joe throws an off balance right hand
and Silva counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Some wild striking there from Joe.
Silva throws a right and a left that Joe avoids nicely.
A big right from Joe misses.

Joe shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Joe takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Joe throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Silva is looking to escape.
Joe is thwarting Silva's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Joe stands up out of the half guard.
Silva wants to clinch

and Joe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Joe postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Silva to stand up.
Joe fails in his attempt to clinch.
Joe shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Silva counters with a single leg into guard. Joe didn't expect that.
Silva looks gassed!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joe not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Joe seems keen to control Silva's posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva prevents Joe from getting back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Lennon Joe.
Joe looks to clinch

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Joe is staying active underneath Silva, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Joe tries to kick Silva off but Silva keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Silva escapes and gets back to his feet.
Joe throws a combination that misses

and Silva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Joe's guard.
Silva in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Joe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from Joe.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Joe is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Joe looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.

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.

Wanderlei Silva has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Joe showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Silva tries to clinch but Joe moves away

and Joe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Joe trying to advance position but Silva counters by regaining guard.
Joe stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Joe slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Wanderlei Silva will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Joe counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Joe stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Joe thuds a left hand into Silva's body.
Silva moves to clinch but Joe breaks away

and Joe counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Joe.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva is trying to control the position but Joe postures up.
Joe showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Lennon Joe wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Silva ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Silva doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Joe counters with a big head kick but Silva shrugs it off.

Joe closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Joe not doing much here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.
Joe sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Joe decides to stand and escape the position.
Joe connects with a nice looking jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Joe steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Silva.
Sloppy strikes from Joe. Those never looked like landing.
Silva gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Joe counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Silva!
Lennon Joe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Wanderlei Silva.
Silva tries to lock up and control but Joe gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Joe controlling from the full mount.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lennon Joe overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joe manages to capitalize on a mistake by Silva to take his back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lennon Joe dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Silva with a lazy takedown attempt

and Joe counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Silva!
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Joe tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Silva should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Joe is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Joe sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Joe with a couple of short strikes.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe controlling his opponent.
Joe lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Joe raining down hammerfists from mount.
Joe prevents Silva from getting the reversal.
Joe looking to finish Silva with some ground and pound. This is bad for Silva!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Joe's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Joe has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Joe is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joe closes the distance and pushes Silva back into the cage.
Silva being controlled against the cage.

Joe breaks the clinch.
Joe comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Silva darts in trying to clinch

and Joe counters with a nice double leg into side control. Silva won't be happy with that.

Silva throws Joe to one side and escapes!

Joe closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Joe lands in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.
Joe controlling from the top position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Silva is working an open guard so Joe takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Joe keeps Silva at a distance using the push kick.
Jab by Joe.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lennon Joe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Joe 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 30:25
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:26
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lennon Joe!