PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Antwan Craig (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcio Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antwan Craig has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Craig
vs
Silva

177 cm
24
215 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

188 cm
25
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
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 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Antwan Craig!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcio Silva!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Ren Mimura and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silva shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Craig as he jumps to the side.
Craig tries to close the distance and clinch but Silva swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Silva misses with a takedown attempt

so Craig counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Silva looking for a sweep. Not yet Silva, not yet.
Craig pushing down on Silva's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Craig takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Silva is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig wants to free his trapped foot but Silva is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Silva slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Silva controls Craig momentarily but Craig frees himself.
Craig wants to stand but Silva has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Craig's guard.
Craig keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva trying to move into half guard but instead Craig has managed to sweep!
Craig slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Silva looking for a guillotine here but Craig defends easily.

Craig postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Silva is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Craig, into his guard.
Craig might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to pass the guard.
Silva prevents Craig from getting back to his feet.
Craig seems keen to control Silva's posture.
Craig controls Silva momentarily but Silva frees himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva has gone for a leg lock! Craig slips out almost immediately though and dives into Silva's guard.
Silva preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Craig is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Silva trying to keep a closed guard but Craig is proving a slippery customer.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Craig stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Silva swivels though and keeps the full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antwan Craig dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Silva gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Craig to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Craig wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.
Craig trying to stand up but can't free himself from Silva's guard.
Craig's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Craig trying to control the position from guard on top but Silva is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Craig looking to sit in guard and control but Silva gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Craig has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Craig trying to strike off his back.
Craig keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Silva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Craig swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Craig keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.

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.
Silva tries for a takedown but Craig circles away easily

and Craig counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Craig.
Craig works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Craig trying to control the pace.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Silva gets back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Craig tries to stand but Silva is controlling from the bottom.
Craig stopping the sweep attempt from Silva.
Craig sitting in guard here, content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Antwan Craig wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Craig shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Craig was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Craig's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Who's going to make the next move?
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Craig wants to stand but Silva has his arm trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Antwan Craig dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Silva has his takedown stuffed

so Craig counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Craig has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Silva is proving hard to escape from.
Craig knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Silva on the ground.

Craig is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Silva is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Silva has escaped and now he's on top!
Silva is in close to Craig's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Silva slips nicely into half guard.
Silva wants to control but Craig is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Craig won't allow Silva to pass to mount.
Silva missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Craig is not content to let Silva control the position.
Silva wants to free his trapped foot but Craig is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Craig is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.
Antwan Craig overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Silva prevents Craig from improving his position.

Silva is looking for a kimura here.
Craig tries to get to full guard but Silva has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is looking to take a break and control but Craig is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Silva trying to control from Craig's half guard. Craig has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Craig throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Craig trying to keep a closed guard but Silva is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to control from the top but Craig keeps moving.
Craig is trying to keep Silva in close.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Craig is keeping the position for now.
Silva advances position into side control!
Silva wants to control but Craig is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Silva is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Craig knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Craig sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Craig is refusing to be controlled, as Silva sits in half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Craig is trying to maintain the position but Silva is very close to passing his half guard.

Silva is working for a kimura but Craig is defending it quite comfortably.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcio Silva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Craig has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Antwan Craig!