PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rafa Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Austin Williams (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the cage accompanied by UFC Theme Song. Rafa Silva could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Austin Williams's chin.

Silva
vs
Williams

173 cm
30
142 lbs
30 - 4 - 0

170 cm
28
147 lbs
21 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Hellbent
Mango Nutrition

Milwaukee's Best 160

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 30 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafa Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Austin Williams!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Williams chopping away at his opponent's legs.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Silva enables Williams to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Silva manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Silva is on top in guard.
Williams has Silva pulled in close to control his posture.
Williams trying to control the position.
Williams is trying to hold Silva in close to prevent damage but Silva has managed to pass into half guard.
Silva passes to side control.
Silva controlling from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams wants to control but Silva postures up.
Silva is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Williams's shoulder. That is not cool.
Williams is not content to let Silva control the position.
You can see the frustration on Williams's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Silva closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams letting Silva take a breather here.
Williams doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.
Williams swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A short left from Silva.
Silva lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Williams backwards.
The referee is keeping an eye on Silva - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Williams blocks a body shot from Silva.

Williams pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Williams throws a body kick that misses.
Williams shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense.
Silva moves out of range as Williams strikes.
Williams misses with a leg kick
and Silva counters with a nice body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva misses with a body kick.
Williams throws an overhand right that lands on Silva's shoulder, as Silva tries to avoid the shot.
Williams connects with a single shot there.
Williams throws a hook but Silva avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Williams.
Silva steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Williams.
Williams thows a body shot but no joy.
Silva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Williams.
Williams looks to land a right hand but Silva moved out of range.
Silva ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Williams moves away.
Williams fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Rafa Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Austin Williams.
Silva connects with a leg kick. Williams looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams scores with a jab to the head.
Williams throws a front kick aimed at Silva's knee but Silva avoids it well.
Williams lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Williams throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A punch lands to the side of Silva 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Silva works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva misses with a low kick as Williams jumps back.
The fighters circling - Silva throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Williams closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Silva to the mat! Silva manages to get full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Silva is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Silva wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Austin Williams will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Williams shoots in for a takedown but Silva shows good takedown defense.
Williams pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Williams throws a right hand that misses

and Silva counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
A head punch on the inside from Silva fails to land.
Williams swings wildly with an uppercut but Silva uses good head movement to avoid it.
Williams misses with an elbow strike.
Silva trying to control the position but instead, Williams has worked for underhooks and has pushed Silva into the cage.
Silva tries a body shot but Williams blocks it.
Silva lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Williams tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Williams as Silva tries to tie him up.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Silva.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Williams as Silva tries to tie him up.
Williams prevents a body shot from Silva.
Silva throws a head punch that misses.
A frustrated look appears on Williams's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Silva struggles to land a body shot inside as Williams controls his hands.
Silva lands a body punch.
Silva has a couple of punches blocked by Williams.
Williams has a couple of punches blocked by Silva.
Williams misses with some punches.
Williams misses with a hook to the ribs.
Williams creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Silva throws a head punch that misses.
I was talking to Silva's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Silva blocks a body shot from Williams.
Silva lands with a right to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Silva swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Williams has a couple of punches blocked by Silva.
Silva misses with a body punch.
Silva throws a punch but it's blocked by Williams.
Silva misses with a hook to the ribs.
Silva swings wildly with an uppercut but Williams uses good head movement to avoid it.
Silva swings wildly with an uppercut but Williams uses good head movement to avoid it.
Williams tries to circle away but Silva has him pinned against the cage.
A short right from Williams on the inside.
Williams blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva wants to stall.
Silva stalling.
Silva avoids the elbow strike from Williams, against the cage.
Silva misses with a short punch on the inside.
Silva has a couple of punches blocked by Williams.
Williams misses with some punches.
Silva misses with some punches.
Silva dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Williams drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Silva gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Silva misses with some punches.
Williams fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams blocks an uppercut.

Williams's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Williams misses with a hook. Silva ducked under it nicely.

Williams closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Williams lands in his opponent's guard.
Silva pulls Williams in close to prevent any damage.
Williams throws a big elbow that misses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva looking to hit a scissor sweep but Williams is one step ahead there.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Williams trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Rafa Silva will probably get the nod.
That's time! 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.

Silva feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Williams's calf.
Williams swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Nice jab there from Silva.
A low kick from Silva misses
and Williams counters with a low kick, right behind Silva 's knee.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Silva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Williams was well out of range. Poor timing from Silva.
Silva on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Williams throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Silva moves out of range as Williams strikes.
Williams tries a head kick but it misses.
Austin Williams seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Silva plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silva checks the leg kick.
Silva avoids the head kick by Williams.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Williams on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Silva uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Williams.
Williams pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Silva slips a jab from Williams.
Williams blocks a leg kick.
Williams fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Williams on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Silva uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Williams.
Good shot there by Silva.
Williams misses with a right hand
and Silva counters with a right hand to the body.
Williams throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Williams throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Silva will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Williams scores with a jab.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Silva shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Good shot there by Williams.
Silva lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Silva throws a nice outside leg kick.
Silva wants to clinch.
An inside leg kick lands from Silva.
Williams throws an overhand right that lands on Silva's shoulder, as Silva tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva lands with a thumping leg kick.
A head kick misses from Silva.
Williams misses the jab.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Williams shoots in for a double leg but Silva sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Silva throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Silva moves away from the strike by Williams.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Silva finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Williams shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Silva pinned against the cage. Silva gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Rafa Silva has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Austin Williams.
Silva delivers a nice body kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Williams checks a low kick from Silva.
Williams avoids the body shot from Silva.
Williams slips a jab from Silva.
Williams connects with a leg kick. Silva looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Williams feints and then cracks Silva's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Silva down.
Silva doesn't manage to clinch there - Williams circles away.
Silva looks to land a right hand but Williams moved out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as Williams checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A leg kick checked by Silva.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Williams misses with an uppercut.
Silva cracks Williams with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Silva avoids the body shot from Williams.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafa Silva showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Silva 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Rafa Silva!
A relieved looking Rafa Silva thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.