PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tom Cargo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexio Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cargo
vs
Silva

180 cm
21
133 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
KO power

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tom Cargo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Alexio Silva!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, John Mangel and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cargo tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Silva moves in looking to clinch but Cargo pushes him off.
Cargo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Silva looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Cargo!
Cargo tries to lock up and control but Silva gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Cargo gets back to half guard.
Cargo tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Silva content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Silva postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Cargo to stand up.
Cargo throws a body kick that misses.

Silva pushes Cargo up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short left from Cargo.
Silva is trying to maintain a safe position but Cargo gets an underhook and turns Silva into the cage.
Silva fails to pull guard.
Silva has Cargo pressed against the cage, preventing Cargo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Silva has Cargo pressed against the cage, preventing Cargo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Silva tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Cargo just stands there and leans against the cage.
Cargo gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.
Tom Cargo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexio Silva.
Silva prevents a takedown attempt there.
Cargo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Silva just stands there and leans against the cage.
Silva wants a takedown but no success here.
Cargo is pushing Silva up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Silva is trying to stall.
Cargo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Silva.
Cargo lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Silva tries to break free but Cargo pushes him back against the cage.
Cargo lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Cargo can't break the clinch.

Cargo has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Silva is trying to keep an underhook but Cargo manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Silva is looking to improve his position.
Cargo really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Cargo trying to control from half guard but Silva is working away.

Silva pushes Cargo off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cargo has taken the fight to the clinch.
A body shot lands from Cargo.

Cargo breaks from the clinch.
Silva tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Cargo counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cargo tries to pull guard but Silva won't allow it.

Cargo breaks from the clinch.
Silva tries to clinch but Cargo moves out of range.

Cargo bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cargo working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cargo stands up.

Silva shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cargo manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Cargo looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cargo looking to control.

Silva stands and steps away. Cargo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Cargo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Cargo tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.
Cargo fails with the takedown

and Silva counters by clinching up.
Cargo gets underhooks to prevent Silva's takedown attempt.
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!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silva keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Cargo's efforts to push away.
Cargo wants to break free but Silva has control.
Silva stalls.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Tom Cargo will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Silva has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Cargo shoots for a double leg takedown but Silva sprawls well. He's pushed Cargo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Silva has Cargo up against the cage in a clinch.
Cargo misses with a short punch on the inside.
Silva tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Cargo smiles and moves away.
Cargo scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Silva doesn't seem bothered though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cargo instigates a clinch.
Cargo is trying to push Silva away but Silva has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Cargo pushes off an throws an elbow but Silva leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

Cargo breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Cargo lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Silva takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Silva looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Silva is trying to control. Cargo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Silva prevents Cargo from standing back up.

Cargo has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Silva escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Silva!
Cargo managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Silva.
Silva staying calm.

Silva tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Silva has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cargo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Silva's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Silva decides to stand and escape the position.
Cargo throws a nice looking combination but Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cargo swings for the body but Silva moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to clinch there but Cargo circles away.
Cargo looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cargo throws a nice looking combination but Silva bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cargo is looking to clinch but Silva is avoiding it.

Silva darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Cargo is defending against the submission attempts here by Silva.
Silva is keen to just control but Cargo is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cargo is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Cargo tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Cargo is working away.
Cargo wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
Alexio Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Cargo wants to control but Silva passes into side.

Silva wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cargo, who protects the arm well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexio Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Silva moves in looking to clinch but Cargo pushes him off.
Tom Cargo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cargo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cargo's guard now.

Cargo 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 trying to control but Cargo is working from the bottom.
Silva controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Cargo controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cargo swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Silva passes into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cargo wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.
Cargo is not content to let Silva control the position.
Cargo is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Cargo avoid being mounted?
Cargo is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Silva is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Cargo moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cargo keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cargo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Cargo tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva tries to clinch up but Cargo circles away and keeps his distance.

Silva scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Cargo wants to control but Silva postures up.
Cargo is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Silva trying to control the action but Cargo is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silva has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

Cargo gets the takedown into side control.
Cargo lands a decent elbow from side control.
Silva is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Cargo wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Silva, who protects the arm well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cargo working the ground and pound but Silva is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cargo working away.
Silva controls the position for a moment.
Silva tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cargo wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Cargo is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Silva will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Cargo tries to stand but Silva is controlling his head.

Cargo is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Silva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexio Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30

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