PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eric Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and MIKE SILVA (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Martin
vs
SILVA

180 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

196 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eric Martin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, MIKE SILVA!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martin lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Martin misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from SILVA.

SILVA feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
SILVA throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Martin managing to control the position.
Martin being controlled here, momentarily.
Martin is wriggling around but SILVA manages to pass to half guard.
SILVA has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Martin trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but SILVA manages to pass to mount!
SILVA unloads with some shots from mount but Martin bucks and avoids them well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
SILVA trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Martin avoids a series of strikes thrown by SILVA.
SILVA is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Martin can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

SILVA looking for a guillotine from mount but Martin is having none of it.
SILVA fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

SILVA moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Martin has worked his arm free - good work by Martin!

SILVA goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Martin rolls with the submission and now he's on top in SILVA's guard! Nice work there by Martin!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
SILVA looking to hit a scissor sweep but Martin is one step ahead there.

SILVA is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Martin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
SILVA looks gassed!
SILVA has a closed guard, preventing Martin from standing up.
Martin stays in close to SILVA's body and controls the position.
SILVA working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Martin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
SILVA is trying to keep Martin in close.
SILVA 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Martin fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. SILVA sprawls well initially but Martin persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Martin could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
SILVA trying to control from the bottom.
Martin is looking to take a break and control but SILVA is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Martin prevents SILVA from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin trying to control from SILVA's half guard. SILVA has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
SILVA 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.
Martin trying to control the position from guard on top but SILVA is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Martin cracks the inside of SILVA's front leg.
Martin shoots for a takedown but SILVA saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

MIKE SILVA dominated that 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.

Martin throws a quick inside leg kick.
SILVA on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Martin. Martin obviously looking to wear him down.
SILVA fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Martin, right into the meat.
SILVA keeps the fight on the outside.
Martin tries to clinch up but SILVA circles away and keeps his distance.
Martin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt SILVA.
SILVA takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Martin with a poor takedown
and SILVA counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
SILVA circles away from the clinch attempt

and SILVA counters with a takedown into side control.
SILVA is breathing heavily.
A lull in the action here as SILVA stalls from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
SILVA is looking to take a break and control but Martin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Martin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for SILVA on the ground.

SILVA tries for a kimura but Martin is defending well.
Martin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Martin wants to control but SILVA postures up.

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.
Martin is looking to work his way out of this bad position but SILVA is controlling him well.

SILVA has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
MIKE SILVA is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A solid leg kick lands there for Martin.
Martin scores with a leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Martin.
SILVA walks forward, straight into a front kick from Martin.
Martin throws a lazy head kick

and SILVA counters with a takedown into side control.
Martin is looking for a sweep.

SILVA has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
SILVA takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and SILVA moves out of range easily.
SILVA tries to land a leg kick but Martin saw it coming and moves away.
Martin throws a nice outside leg kick.

SILVA shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

SILVA decides to stand up.
SILVA with a lazy takedown attempt
and Martin counters with an outside leg kick.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and SILVA moves out of range easily.

SILVA takes the fight into the clinch.

SILVA breaks the clinch.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.
Eric Martin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
SILVA throws a head kick that misses.
Martin swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Martin slow jab from SILVA misses its intended target.
Martin has his takedown stuffed
and SILVA counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Martin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and SILVA counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Martin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

SILVA jumps guard and drags Martin to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
SILVA trying to keep a closed guard but Martin is proving a slippery customer.
Martin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
SILVA seems keen to control Martin's posture.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now SILVA is on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

MIKE SILVA showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Martin cracks the inside of SILVA's front leg.
Martin throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by SILVA.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and SILVA moves out of range easily.
Martin shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and SILVA counters with a big head kick but Martin shrugs it off.
SILVA throws a sloppy head kick
and Martin makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Martin tries to clinch
and SILVA cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Martin misses with a leg kick.
Martin thows a leg kick but SILVA checks it
and SILVA counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
SILVA looks to land a right hand but Martin moved out of range.
Martin misses with a body punch

and SILVA counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by SILVA.

SILVA manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
SILVA wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
SILVA with a flurry of punches that miss.

Martin is working an open guard so SILVA takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Martin tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling SILVA to counter with a crisp jab.
SILVA's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Martin misses with a takedown
and SILVA counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Martin cracks the inside of SILVA's front leg.
SILVA is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Martin with a lazy takedown attempt

and SILVA counters with a takedown into side control.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Martin. That's going to take a lot out of him.

SILVA decides to stand back up.

SILVA gets a takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin trying to control but SILVA postures up.
Martin wants to get back to his feet.
Martin is trying to get back to full guard.
Martin is trying to stand up here but SILVA is controlling him well.
Martin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
SILVA trying to control the action but Martin is working from the bottom.

SILVA stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
SILVA ducks under a wild hook from Martin.
SILVA circles away from the clinch attempt
and SILVA counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Martin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with SILVA but SILVA pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Martin looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

SILVA bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Who's going to make the next move?
SILVA is trying to move to mount but Martin reverses beautifully and ends up in SILVA's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

SILVA looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
SILVA throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
SILVA looking to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
SILVA throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

SILVA is looking for a triangle but Martin pushes his legs off easily.
Eric Martin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

SILVA manages to escape and get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
MIKE 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... MIKE SILVA!