PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shane Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Travolta (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Silva
vs
Travolta

185 cm
33
196 lbs
10 - 15 - 0

188 cm
23
192 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Decent elbows
Very strong

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shane Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Travolta!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Lou da Vinci and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Silva clinches up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Travolta just misses with a elbow thrown towards Silva's brow.
Silva blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Silva throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Travoltas head.
A shot in the inside from Silva.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Travolta has him pressed against the cage.
Travolta is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Silva pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Silva misses with an elbow over the top.
Silva avoids the elbow strike from Travolta, against the cage.

Travolta jumps guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Silva wants to control from the top but Travolta keeps moving.

Travolta scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Travolta tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Silva manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Travolta shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Shane Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Silva has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva unloads a knee to the mid-section. Travolta lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Travolta takes a knee to the side of the body.
Travolta looks winded!
Silva tries to throw a body punch but Travolta avoids it by throwing Silva back against the cage.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silva stuffs the takedown attempt from Travolta. Travolta gets slowly back to his feet.
Shane Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Travolta.

Silva moves into range and clinches up with Travolta.
Silva throws an elbow that misses.
Travolta misses with the head strike.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Silva clinches up with Travolta and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Silva throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Silva scores with a shot to the side of Travolta's head.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Silva as Travolta tries to tie him up.
Silva lands an elbow inside that Travolta shrugs off.
Silva tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Travolta's elbow.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Travolta avoids it.
Silva tries to work over Travolta's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Travolta changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Silva fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Travolta pushes Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Travolta misses with the head strike.
Silva lands with a short shot to the head.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Silva dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Silva misses with a looping left.

Travolta bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Silva avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Travolta.
Travolta throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silva tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Travolta goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Silva rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Travolta's guard! Nice work there by Silva!
Silva throws a big right hand that misses.
Silva is looking to work some ground and pound but Travolta has wrist control.
Travolta being controlled here, momentarily.
Silva trying to control the position from guard on top but Travolta is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silva looking to sit in guard and control but Travolta gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Travolta in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to stand up but Travolta isn't so interested in that idea.
Travolta scoring with punches to the head and body.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Travolta from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva being controlled here, momentarily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Travolta connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shane Silva dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Silva clinches.

Travolta decides to pull guard.
Travolta tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Silva wants to control from the top but Travolta keeps moving.
Silva is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Travolta has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Silva has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Travolta is proving hard to escape from.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Travolta looking to hit a scissor sweep but Silva is one step ahead there.
Travolta controlling Silva's posture.

We're going to have a standup here because Shane Silva wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Travolta showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Travolta has taken the fight to the clinch.

Travolta has Silva pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Travolta pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Silva tumbling to the mat - Travolta dives into Silva's guard.
Travolta postures up in Silva's guard and throws a big left but Silva blocks it.
Travolta lands a couple of digs.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Travolta working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Travolta from controlling successfully.
Travolta is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Travolta missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Travolta works over Silva with some ground and pound from guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Travolta wants to control from the top but Silva keeps moving.
Travolta is working Silva over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Travolta working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Travolta is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Silva trying to control the position.
Travolta loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Travolta sitting in guard here, content to control.
Travolta throwing strikes but missing.
Silva on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Silva tries to get out of the position.
Travolta throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silva avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Travolta is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Silva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Silva displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Travolta.

Travolta moves into the clinch.
Silva throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Travolta is trying to pull guard but Silva turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Silva.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Silva escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Silva darts in and clinches Travolta up against the cage.
Travolta fails to pull guard.
Shane Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Travolta.
Silva lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Travolta 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Travolta shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Silva fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Travolta, pushing him back against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Travolta just misses with a elbow thrown towards Silva's brow.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Travolta is controlling him.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Silva lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Silva.

Silva manages to break the clinch.

Travolta has Silva up against the cage in a clinch.
Silva prevents the takedown attempt.
Silva's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Travolta swings wildly with an uppercut but Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
Silva tries to land knees in the clinch but Travolta avoids the damage to the body.
Travolta prevents a body shot from Silva.
Silva is trying to push Travolta away but Travolta has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva has Travolta pressed against the cage, preventing Travolta from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Silva breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Travolta tries to keep at a distance but Silva has taken the fight into the clinch.
Knees to the body from Silva.
Silva gets underhooks to prevent Travolta's takedown attempt.
Shane Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Travolta.
Silva with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silva tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Travolta's elbow.
Travolta lands a right hand.
Silva blocking some punches.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.
Silva lands with a right to the head.
Travolta tries for a takedown. No joy.
Silva gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Silva scores a nice knee to the body.
Travolta takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Silva misses with a knee to the head.
Travolta tries to pull guard but Silva forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Silva is trying to break the clinch but Travolta is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Silva on the inside.
Travolta tries to work over Silva's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Silva lands with a short shot to the head.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Silva lands a nice uppercut.
Silva working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Travolta has a couple of punches blocked by Silva.
Travolta fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Silva on the inside.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Silva lands a left and a right that send Travolta crashing to the mat, dazed. Silva thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Travolta is rocked!
Shane Silva is winning the standup battle so far.
Silva lands hard precision jab right on the jaw that stiffens Travolta up and sends him tumbling to the mat! The ref grabs Silva from behind before he can pounce. Some folks in the crowd didn't like that stoppage, but I saw Travolta's eyes roll way back in his head, he was done.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:53 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Shane Silva!