PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Santhiago Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rico Podster (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.

Silva
vs
Podster

179 cm
22
139 lbs
1 - 10 - 0

225 cm
32
144 lbs
0 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Solid chin

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 1 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Santhiago Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rico Podster!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Podster rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.
Silva looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Silva creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Podster throws a knee to the head but misses.

Silva gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Podster keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Silva sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Podster defending well though.
Silva is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Podster trying to control but Silva postures up.
Silva really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Silva passes the guard and advances to mount!
Podster is working to get back to half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Podster can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva punching from mount but Podster doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Podster is trying to escape the mount.
Silva landing strikes from the mount and Podster is in trouble!
Podster tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
The referee warns Podster that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Silva looking to ground and pound but Podster is blocking nicely.
Silva cracks Podster with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Podster really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Podster is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Podster tries to hold on but Silva pushes him away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Podster is trying desperately to improve position.
Silva thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva prevents Podster from getting the reversal.
Podster gets back to half guard.
Silva thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Podster's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Podster is looking to control Silva's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Podster avoid being mounted?
Silva missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Podster trying to control from the bottom.
Podster wants to improve his position but Silva is controlling well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Podster wants to get back to his feet.
Silva slips a nice elbow through Podster's hands, connecting with Podster's forehead.
Podster wants to control but Silva is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Podster wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva prevents Podster from improving his position.
Silva throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Silva is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Podster trying to control here.
Podster is looking to get back to full guard here but Silva has managed to pass to side control instead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Podster can't do much from the bottom here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Santhiago Silva will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Silva keeps the fight on the outside.
Silva throws a right and a left that both miss.
Podster tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silva paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Podster tries to clinch up
and Silva counters with a left to the body.
Podster wants to clinch up but Silva keeps it at a distance.
Podster tries to clinch but Silva moves out of range.

Podster clinches up against the cage.

Silva is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Podster can't fight it off and eventually Silva manages to take the fight to the floor. Podster looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Podster is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Podster is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Silva has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Podster is working away from the top position though.
Podster really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Silva. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Podster tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Silva.
Silva is trying to control but can't.
Podster tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Silva.

Podster stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Silva to get to his feet.
Podster tries to clinch there but Silva circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Podster tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Podster is looking to clinch.

Podster has taken the fight to the clinch.
Podster connects with a knee to the head.
Podster connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.
Podster throws a knee to the head but misses.
Podster lands a knee to the head.
Podster with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Silva takes a knee right on the jaw!
Podster connects with a knee to the head.
Podster connects with a nasty looking knee right to Silva's face.
Podster scores with a knee to the head.
Podster with a knee to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Podster tries to land a knee to the head but Silva blocks with his arms.
Podster looking to throw knees to the head but Silva is blocking nicely.
Podster tries a knee to the head but Silva blocks it.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Podster has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Podster scores with a knee to the head.
Podster with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Podster tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Silva decides to pull guard.
Podster won't allow Silva to sweep him here.
Podster would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Podster is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Silva might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Podster wants to stand but Silva has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rico Podster showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Podster clinches with his opponent.
Podster lands a hook to the side of the head.
Podster with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Podster with a knee to the head.
Podster using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Silva has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Podster tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Silva wants to break the clinch but can't.
Podster with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Podster tries a knee to the head but Silva blocks it.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Podster avoids it.
Podster scores with a knee to the head.
Podster with a knee to the head.
Podster looking to throw knees to the head but Silva is blocking nicely.
Podster lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Silva gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Podster wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva working the head and body with strikes.
Silva seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Podster tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Podster wants to get back to his feet.
Ground and pound from Silva.
Silva lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Podster is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Podster tries to roll over but Silva keeps him under control.
Santhiago Silva overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva tries to pass to full mount but Podster defends it.
Silva tries to stand and escape but Podster is controlling the position.
Podster is trying to control but can't.
Silva thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Podster's head.
Podster is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Podster wants to control but Silva is keeping busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Podster is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Silva throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Silva is working for a submission of some sort.
Silva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Podster is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Silva pulls his head out easily.
Podster avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Silva.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Podster keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Silva prevents Podster from improving his position.
Podster has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Silva is working away from the top position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Rico Podster.
I think Podster has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rico Podster!