PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pierre St Ives (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Junior Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think St Ives might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to In a Big Country by Big Country. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

St Ives
vs
Silva

170 cm
20
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
150 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Pierre St Ives!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Junior Silva!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Skip Squint and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva misses with a double jab

so St Ives counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
St Ives passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
St Ives thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Silva to regain full guard.

St Ives postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Silva is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of St Ives, into his guard.
Silva must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
St Ives preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but St Ives blocks nicely.
St Ives is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Silva makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Silva is working St Ives over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. St Ives is keeping the position for now.
Silva wants to control from the top but St Ives keeps moving.

St Ives is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Silva defends well.
St Ives avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Silva's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Silva stopping the sweep attempt from St Ives.

St Ives is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Silva trying to control but St Ives is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Silva drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but St Ives manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Silva has St Ives in his guard.
Silva is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and St Ives dives into side control.

St Ives is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Silva knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
St Ives trying to control the position but Silva is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

St Ives looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
St Ives wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.

St Ives thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Silva is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but St Ives has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
St Ives is working Silva over with some ground and pound from side control.
St Ives working the ground and pound.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
St Ives throwing strikes but Silva manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
St Ives sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
St Ives makes his way to full guard. A much better position for St Ives.
Silva is looking to work some ground and pound but St Ives has wrist control.

St Ives looking for a guillotine here but Silva defends easily.
Silva is looking to work some ground and pound but St Ives has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

St Ives bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Silva's head backwards.
Silva tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but St Ives swivels and escapes.
Silva with a lazy takedown attempt

and St Ives decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Silva's guard.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but St Ives is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Silva keeping moving, preventing St Ives from controlling successfully.
St Ives slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
St Ives is looking to take a break and control but Silva is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is not content to let St Ives control the position.
St Ives throws a strike aimed at the side of Silva's head but Silva avoids it well.

St Ives goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Silva rolls with the submission and now he's on top in St Ives's guard! Nice work there by Silva!
St Ives controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
St Ives controlling the position.

That's two 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.

St Ives 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 throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as St Ives works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Silva showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Silva wants to pass the guard but St Ives is keeping the position.
Silva throwing strikes but missing.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but St Ives is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva throws a strike but St Ives rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St Ives wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva has momentary wrist control but St Ives slips an elbow through the middle.

St Ives drops back, looking for a kneebar! Silva looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Silva looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Silva!
Silva wants to control but St Ives is keeping him busy.

Silva swings around for an armbar but St Ives sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Silva's guard.
Silva wants to stand but St Ives is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St Ives trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Silva manages to escape and get back to his feet.
St Ives cracks Silva with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by St Ives!
Silva takes one on the chin but seems OK.
St Ives checks a low kick from Silva.
Silva misses the body punch
and St Ives counters with a two punch combo.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Silva enables St Ives to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Silva manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but St Ives is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Silva is breathing heavily.
St Ives postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
Silva wants to stand but St Ives is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pierre St Ives dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

St Ives walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

St Ives closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Silva quickly recovers to half guard.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.
St Ives working the head and body with strikes.
St Ives is trying to control. Silva wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Pierre St Ives overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

St Ives is working for a kimura but Silva is defending it quite comfortably.
St Ives sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Silva defending well though.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St Ives is trying to control the action in half guard but Silva is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.

St Ives is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
St Ives frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Silva is squirming around, avoiding St Ives's attempts to control the action.
St Ives connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

St Ives jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Silva is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Silva and St Ives has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

St Ives goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Silva has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for St Ives but great work by Silva.
Silva lands some shots froms side control.
St Ives is looking to regain half guard here but Silva keeps moving and retains side control.
St Ives is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Silva off and has taken his back!
St Ives missing with punches from the back.
Silva covering up well under a barage of strikes.
Pierre St Ives is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet but St Ives has full control of the position and if anything, Silva has just worked his way into a worse spot.
A lull in the action here.
St Ives is really struggling to control Silva but he's trying to hold on to the position.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Silva is trying to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
St Ives has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Silva's body.

We're going to have a standup here because Pierre St Ives wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
St Ives swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Silva counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Silva is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
St Ives is adopting a defensive guard.
Junior Silva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
St Ives will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Pierre St Ives.
Well St Ives 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 John Mangel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pierre St Ives!