PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Henry McDonough (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

McDonough
vs
Silva

180 cm
25
267 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

193 cm
25
265 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Henry McDonough!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Antonio Silva!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McDonough shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
McDonough tries to pass the half guard into mount. Silva knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Silva really doesn't want to stay on the ground with McDonough. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Silva looks like he's trying to stand up.
McDonough seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
McDonough stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Henry McDonough.

McDonough scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

McDonough thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
McDonough works to advance to full mount. Silva defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McDonough punishing his opponent with strikes.
McDonough looking to control and managing it successfully.
Silva looks gassed!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McDonough lands a heavy elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McDonough controlling from mount.
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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva taking shots to the head.
McDonough looking to control and managing it successfully.
A nice elbow there by McDonough.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
McDonough in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
McDonough working Silva over with strikes here.
McDonough looking to control and managing it successfully.
McDonough landing punches.
McDonough lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
McDonough takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
McDonough has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henry McDonough dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Silva slaps away a takedown attempt from McDonough, before circling back to the center of the mat.
McDonough fails with a takedown attempt.
Silva looks to score with a jab to the body but McDonough is just out of range.

McDonough scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Silva is trying to buck McDonough off.
A lull in the action here.
Silva is not content to let McDonough control the position.
Silva is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Check out the look on McDonough's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Silva being controlled for a moment.
Silva parries the strikes from McDonough easily there. McDonough is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Silva to escape.

McDonough is trying to get an arm triangle but Silva is defending well.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
McDonough is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
McDonough works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McDonough cracks Silva with an elbow. That is naaassty.
McDonough wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
McDonough advances to full mount.
McDonough with good strikes from the mount here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McDonough dominating with strikes here.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

McDonough working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
McDonough looking to finish Silva with some ground and pound. This is bad for Silva!
McDonough postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Silva looks a forlorn figure.
McDonough raining down shots from the mount!

Silva is rocked!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McDonough content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henry McDonough dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

McDonough is trying hard to land a takedown here. Silva sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
McDonough tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Silva swivels and escapes.
Silva throws a right and a left that McDonough avoids nicely.
Silva misses with the combination.
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McDonough shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Silva sprawls well. Silva wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. McDonough gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Henry McDonough. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silva throws a big shot that misses.
Silva throws a right hand that McDonough ducks under and follows up with a left that McDonough also avoids with ease.
Silva slaps away a takedown attempt from McDonough, before circling back to the center of the mat.

McDonough darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Silva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
McDonough is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McDonough lands strikes from half guard.
McDonough seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Henry McDonough is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Henry McDonough wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

McDonough is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Silva's half guard.

McDonough seems to be working for a kimura but Silva defends the submission attempt.
McDonough controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McDonough seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Silva for as long as he can get away with.

McDonough is working for a kimura but Silva is defending it quite comfortably.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
McDonough perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Henry McDonough just wasn't active enough.
Silva throws a combination but it was largely blocked by McDonough.
Silva displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as McDonough throws out the jab.

McDonough feints and as Silva raises his hands in defense, McDonough changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
McDonough controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
McDonough is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Silva can do to turn this around?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Henry McDonough showed his dominance in that final round.
Well McDonough 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:25
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Henry McDonough!
Henry McDonough tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.