PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Urijah Anthony (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Sliva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony's entrance music is Three Days Grace - Animal I Have Become . A fine choice. Matt Sliva is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Anthony
vs
Sliva

180 cm
25
145 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

167 cm
22
140 lbs
2 - 10 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

TITAN

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Urijah Anthony!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt Sliva!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anthony connects with an inside leg kick.
Sliva misses with a double jab
and Anthony counters with a low kick, right behind Sliva 's knee.
Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sliva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Anthony really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sliva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sliva fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sliva throws a right and a left that Anthony avoids nicely.
Anthony tries to clinch up

and Sliva counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sliva.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Anthony is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Anthony working Sliva over with knees to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Anthony lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Anthony wants to stand up but Sliva has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Anthony stands up from half guard.
Sliva looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anthony tries to clinch there but Sliva circles away.
Sliva throws a sloppy head kick
and Anthony counters with an outside leg kick.
Sliva throws a nice looking combination but Anthony bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Anthony lands with a slapping head kick.
Anthony connects with an inside leg kick.
Anthony looks to clinch
and Sliva connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Anthony is looking to clinch but Sliva is avoiding it.
Anthony blocks a head kick by Sliva.
Anthony doesn't manage to clinch there - Sliva circles away.
Sliva misses with the combination.
Sliva keeps the fight on the outside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anthony moves to clinch but Sliva breaks away

and Sliva counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Anthony is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sliva is controlling him.
Sliva must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Anthony pushes Sliva off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Sliva shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Anthony defends it nicely.
Urijah Anthony is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Anthony wants to clinch.
Matt Sliva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sliva swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anthony's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sliva under the eye.
Sliva just misses with a punch to the body.
Sliva fails with a takedown attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Anthony looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Anthony throws a quick inside leg kick.
Anthony lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Sliva takes a kick to the side of the head.
Anthony is looking to clinch.
Sliva fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Anthony avoids it really well and circles away.
Urijah Anthony has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Matt Sliva.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anthony is looking to clinch but Sliva is avoiding it.

Anthony gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Sliva takes a shot to the head.
Anthony manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Anthony lands an elbow that stopped Sliva in his tracks for a moment.
Anthony drops down looking for an ankle pick but Sliva pulls his leg out and moves away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sliva circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Anthony tries to clinch up.
A punch combination from Sliva misses.
A punch combination from Sliva misses.
Anthony tries to clinch but Sliva moves out of range.
Sliva keeps the fight on the outside.
Anthony wants to clinch.
Anthony tries to clinch there but Sliva circles away.
Anthony slips a jab and a cross from Sliva.
Anthony fails with an attempt to clinch.
Anthony cracks Sliva with a good jab.

Anthony tries to sprawl but Sliva drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Anthony won't allow Sliva to pass to mount.
Sliva is breathing heavily.
Anthony trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sliva prevents Anthony from standing back up.
Sliva is looking to stall here but Anthony recovers full guard.
Sliva is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Anthony seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Anthony is looking to stand up but Sliva isn't so interested in that idea.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Anthony manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sliva manages to get himself to full guard.

Anthony gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sliva throws a series of punches but Anthony avoids them all with ease.
Anthony tries to clinch up but Sliva circles away and keeps his distance.
Sliva throws a head kick that misses

and Anthony counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Anthony.
Sliva takes an elbow to the forehead.
Anthony is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Anthony landing some nice looking knees to the body.
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!
Sliva gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Anthony.

Anthony pulls guard effortlessly.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Anthony is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Anthony gets to his feet. Sliva looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Anthony tries to clinch up but Sliva circles away and keeps his distance.
Sliva throws a sloppy body shot
and Anthony counters with a low kick, right behind Sliva 's knee.
Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch but Sliva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matt Sliva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Anthony lands with a kick to the temple. Sliva shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Anthony fails in his attempt to clinch.
Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sliva swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Sliva misses with a series of wild punches.
Anthony tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sliva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Anthony.
Anthony scores with a jab. Sliva acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anthony moves in looking to clinch but Sliva pushes him off.
Anthony tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Sliva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Anthony uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Sliva misses with a few strikes there.
Anthony moves in looking to clinch but Sliva pushes him off.
An inside leg kick lands from Anthony.
Anthony is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Anthony drives through and clinches with Sliva against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sliva tries to pull guard but Anthony forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Anthony looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Sliva takes an elbow to the temple.
Anthony scores with a shoulder strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Urijah Anthony dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch but Sliva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Anthony is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

Anthony rushes Sliva and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Anthony takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Anthony tries to pull guard but Sliva forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

Anthony successfully pulls guard.
Sliva throwing strikes but missing.
Sliva wants to control from the top but Anthony keeps moving.
Sliva throwing strikes but missing.
Sliva takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Anthony kicks Sliva off and gets to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sliva scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Sliva is trying to control the action in half guard but Anthony is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Anthony looks like he's trying to stand up.
Anthony trying to control here.
Anthony pushes Sliva off looking to stand but Sliva dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Sliva shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Anthony napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Sliva trying to control the position but Anthony is working away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Anthony is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Anthony struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anthony wants to get back to his feet but Sliva is dominant here and he's now got Anthony's back!
Sliva avoiding Anthony 's attempts to control his hands.
Anthony controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Sliva is looking to control Anthony but Anthony is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Matt Sliva has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Anthony is trying to get back to his feet but Sliva has full control of the position and if anything, Anthony has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Will Sliva go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Sliva missing with strikes from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anthony turns into Sliva and is now in his guard.
Sliva controls Anthony momentarily but Anthony frees himself.
Anthony has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sliva is proving hard to escape from.
Sliva is looking to stand up but Anthony isn't so interested in that idea.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Anthony stands and steps away. Sliva gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sliva. Anthony does a little dance to reset his feet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
An inside leg kick lands from Anthony.
Anthony tries to clinch but Sliva is having none of it.
Anthony tries to close the distance and clinch but Sliva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

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 Urijah Anthony.
Well Anthony 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight for Urijah Anthony!
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight for Urijah Anthony!
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight for Urijah Anthony!

Urijah Anthony wins by unanimous decision!
Jumping up and down and very excited, Urijah Anthony waved his t-shirt featuring TITAN's logo in front of the cameras.