PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Johnie Jackman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Silva will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Jackman
vs
Silva

170 cm
19
210 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
25
198 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Johnie Jackman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Thiago Silva!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Andrew Berry and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jackman misses with a body shot

and Silva counters with a takedown into side control.
Jackman is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Silva asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Jackman is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Silva working the ground and pound but Jackman is defending the strikes.
Jackman is trying to control Silva's posture but Silva avoids it.
Silva throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Silva throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Jackman wants to control but Silva postures up.
Jackman manages to get back to half guard.
Jackman is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva is keen to just control but Jackman is a slippery customer.
Jackman is looking to escape.
Silva not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Jackman is doing well to control the position and prevent Silva from advancing to side control.
Silva landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Jackman is trying to stand up here but Silva is controlling him well.
Jackman might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Jackman trying to control but Silva postures up.
Jackman is looking to escape.
Silva is thwarting Jackman's attempts to control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Johnie Jackman.
Jackman falls off balance throwing a combination

and Silva moves into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Jackman's efforts to push away.
Jackman looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Silva breaks from the clinch.
Jackman scores with a crisp jab that stopped Silva in his tracks.
Johnie Jackman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Jackman misses with a leg kick

and Silva decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Jackman's guard.
Jackman is breathing heavily.
Jackman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Silva is controlling him.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Silva decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Jackman, up you get!
Jackman throws a series of punches but Silva moves out of range.
Jackman throws a lazy uppercut

and Silva holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Silva has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Jackman uses from the top position.
Jackman is fighting to break Silva's control of his arms but Silva is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Silva can do anything to dispel that myth.
Silva manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva landing strikes from the mount.
Silva with a couple of short strikes.
Jackman tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Silva raining down shots from the mount!
Silva working away from the top, dropping strikes.
BOOM! Silva connects with a massive shot to the dome!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva raining down hammerfists from mount.
Silva landing strikes from the mount and Jackman is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackman is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Jackman wants to control but Silva is having none of it.
Jackman is looking to get to half guard.
Silva with good strikes from the mount here!
Jackman is trying to escape the mount.
Silva won't let Jackman get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Jackman working to try and regain half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Silva dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Jackman thows a leg kick but Silva checks it

and Silva counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Jackman's guard now.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva wants to control from the top but Jackman keeps moving.
Silva scoring with punches to the head and body.
Silva won't allow Jackman to get back to his feet.
Jackman preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Jackman preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Silva missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Jackman blocks nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Silva thows a big elbow that misses.
Jackman wants to stand but Silva is controlling the position.

Silva stands up and waves to Jackman to follow him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackman swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Silva moves into the clinch.

Silva manages to break the clinch.
Silva needs to keep his hands up - Jackman had a free shot at his head there.

Silva shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Jackman is trying to defend but Silva finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Jackman wants to get back to his feet.
Jackman trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Silva scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Thiago Silva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Silva is trying to control the action in half guard but Jackman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Jackman is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jackman avoid being mounted?
Jackman avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jackman pushes Silva off looking to stand but Silva dives back in and keeps control.
Jackman on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Silva landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Silva lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Jackman is trying to control but can't.
Silva is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Jackman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Silva.
Silva thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Silva. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Silva drops an elbow to the side of Jackman's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands strikes from half guard.
Silva seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Jackman does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Jackman is trying to control but can't.
Silva works his way into side control.
Jackman 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.
Silva scores with a couple of short elbows.
Jackman 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.
Silva trying to control the action but Jackman is working from the bottom.
Silva scoring with punches and elbows.
Jackman is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackman pushes Silva off looking to stand but Silva dives back in and keeps control.
Well, if Silva is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Silva working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Silva prevents Jackman from improving his position.
Jackman has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.
Jackman wants to get back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Silva.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thiago Silva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Silva closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Jackman to the mat! Jackman manages to get full guard.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Jackman is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva won't allow Jackman to sweep him here.
Jackman is trying to control the position but Silva postures up.
Jackman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Jackman not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jackman working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.
Silva postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Johnie Jackman.
Jackman throws a combination that misses

so Silva counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Jackman looking to control.
Silva landing some decent shots from guard.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva chips away with some ground and pound.
Jackman manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Silva manages to get himself to full guard.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Jackman wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Silva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Jackman manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Jackman controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.
Jackman looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.
Silva distracts Jackman with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Silva stops Jackman from standing up.
Jackman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Silva stands and throws Jackman's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Jackman's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Silva working the body and head with strikes.
Silva cracks Jackman with a big elbow.
Jackman taking punishment in the form of punches.
Jackman tries to buck Silva off but Silva is having none of it.
Silva prevents Jackman from escaping the position.
Silva lands a nice forearm strike.
Silva in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Thiago Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva grinds an elbow into Jackman's temple.
Silva staying calm.
Jackman is looking to regain half guard here but Silva keeps moving and retains side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva cracks Jackman with a big right hand but Jackman just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Silva tries to advance to mount but Jackman denies him.
Silva trying to control the position but Jackman is working away.
Jackman manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

And that's the end of the fight!
Thiago Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Silva winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30

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