PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thor Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Felix Tilthammer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva's entrance music is Vlad the Impaler. A fine choice. Tilthammer has chosen Autumn - Suffer the wild dogs as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Silva
vs
Tilthammer

192 cm
27
218 lbs
17 - 7 - 1

197 cm
34
214 lbs
27 - 9 - 1

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Lethal high kicks
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 17 - 7 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Thor Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 9 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Felix Tilthammer!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva looks to land a body kick but Tilthammer moved away.
Tilthammer avoids the head kick by Silva.
Tilthammer will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Silva's corner calls for a 1-2. Silva obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Silva scoring well with a low kick there.

Silva shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Silva prevents Tilthammer from improving his position.
Silva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Tilthammer moves into full guard.
Tilthammer is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva trying to stand up but can't free himself from Tilthammer's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tilthammer seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tilthammer pulls Silva in close to his closed guard and prevents Silva from doing any damage or advancing position.
Tilthammer is trying to keep Silva in close.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Felix Tilthammer wasn't active enough on the ground.
Tilthammer blocks a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Silva connects with a solid leg kick.
Silva tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Silva loads up on a big right hand but Tilthammer slips the punch.
A head kick by Tilthammer misses
and Silva counters with a body kick that stops Tilthammer in his tracks momentarily.
Silva scores with a jab. Tilthammer acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Felix Tilthammer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tilthammer looks to score with a jab to the body but Silva is just out of range.
Silva throws a leg kick which misses Tilthammer's front leg but catches the back leg as Tilthammer tries to avoid it.
Tilthammer throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Silva staying out of range there.
Silva bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tilthammer throws a head kick but Silva moves out of range.
Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tilthammer. That did some damage!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tilthammer tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Silva dodges the punch combination from Tilthammer.
Tilthammer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Silva looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Nice takedown defense from Tilthammer. No joy for Silva on that attempt.
Silva is looking to slow Tilthammer down with leg kicks.
Silva digs a good hook to Tilthammer's body.
Silva walks into a left hand.
Silva connects with a solid leg kick.
Silva scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tilthammer showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.
Silva looks to land a combination but Tilthammer avoids it well.
Tilthammer looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Silva throws a leg kick but Tilthammer sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Tilthammer wants to slow Silva down by chopping away at his legs.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tilthammer blocks a head kick by Silva.
Silva lands with a hook. Tilthammer tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Silva takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Tilthammer moves forwards but Silva connects with a nice, crisp jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor 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.

Tilthammer lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Silva fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tilthammer sprawls well initially but Silva persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva tries to pass to full mount but Tilthammer defends it.
Silva controlling the pace.
Silva trying to control from half guard but Tilthammer is working away.
Silva sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tilthammer defending well though.
Tilthammer moves into full guard.
Silva trying to control but Tilthammer is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Silva accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tilthammer swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tilthammer working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Silva.
Tilthammer wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Silva throws a head kick that misses.
Tilthammer's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Silva misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tilthammer is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Tilthammer needs to keep his hands up - Silva had a free shot at his head there.
Tilthammer on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Silva. Silva obviously looking to wear him down.
Silva works the jab nicely.
Tilthammer checks a leg kick nicely.
Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice jab there from Tilthammer.
Thor Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Tilthammer scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Tilthammer fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Silva checks it well.
Silva throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tilthammer turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva scores with a leg kick.
Silva has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Tilthammer.
Silva connects with a single shot there.
Silva throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A low kick from Silva is predictable there
and Tilthammer counters with a good low kick that Silva was not able to check.
Tilthammer takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Silva misses with a head kick.
Tilthammer looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Silva lands a head kick. Tilthammer smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Silva jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
A solid leg kick lands there for Tilthammer.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silva pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
A head kick misses from Tilthammer.
Tilthammer goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Silva swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Tilthammer misses with a head kick.
Tilthammer blocks a low kick nicely.
Silva throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Silva lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A head kick misses from Silva.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tilthammer throws a body kick, spinning off balance
letting Silva counter with a right hand.
Silva lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thor Silva dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Silva misses with a low kick.
Silva moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tilthammer lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Silva moves out of range of the body kick.
Silva lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Tilthammer rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silva moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Silva throws a right hand that Tilthammer ducks under and follows up with a left that Tilthammer also avoids with ease.
Silva dips to his left and cracks Tilthammer with an uppercut!
Tilthammer throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Silva counters with a head kick. That will keep Tilthammer thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Tilthammer stuffs the takedown.
Tilthammer misses with a leg kick
and Silva counters with a flying knee. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tilthammer. Silva does a little dance to reset his feet.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tilthammer throws a series of punches but Silva avoids them all with ease.
Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tilthammer. That did some damage!
Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tilthammer tried to score with a low kick but Silva checks it.
Felix Tilthammer is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silva lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tilthammer's sensitive parts.
Tilthammer lands with a nice body kick.
Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tilthammer blocks a head kick by Silva.
An inside leg kick from Silva misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Tilthammer's calf.
Tilthammer avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva loads up on a big right hand but Tilthammer slips the punch.
Silva fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Tilthammer is out of range.
Silva ducks under a wild hook from Tilthammer.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tilthammer feints and then cracks Silva's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Silva down.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
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!
Tilthammer checks a leg kick.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick and Tilthammer moves out of range easily.
Silva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Silva swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tilthammer throws a half hearted mid kick.
Thor Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva throws a leg kick that misses.
Silva uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tilthammer.
Silva is looking to chop away at Tilthammer's legs.
Silva throws a leg kick but Tilthammer sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Tilthammer misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A clash of legs there as Tilthammer blocks the low kick.
Tilthammer avoids the head kick by Silva.
Silva throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Tilthammer counters with a nice kick to the body.
Silva walks into a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tilthammer scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tilthammer misses with a jab, cross combination.
Silva misses with a low kick as Tilthammer jumps back.
Silva cracks the inside of Tilthammer's front leg.
Tilthammer fails to land with a series of punches.
Felix Tilthammer has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Silva connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Silva fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Tilthammer swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tilthammer on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Thor Silva is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Silva tries a low kick but Tilthammer avoids it.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick and Tilthammer moves out of range easily.

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 Thor Silva.
Well Silva 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thor Silva!
Thor Silva bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.