PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lincoln Hawk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Silver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hawk's entrance music is Winner Takes it All. A fine choice. Benny Silver is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hawk
vs
Silver

188 cm
22
214 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

190 cm
24
221 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lincoln Hawk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Benny Silver!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Don Winkell and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silver throws a body punch but Hawk moves out of range.
Hawk throws a hook but Silver avoids it easily.
Hawk pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Silver throws a front kick aimed at Hawk's knee but Hawk avoids it well.
We've been informed that Silver has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Hawk misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Hawk fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silver sprawls well initially but Hawk persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hawk wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silver keeps working.
Silver is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawk looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hawk passes the guard and advances to mount!
Silver wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Hawk.

Hawk jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Silver manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hawk scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Silver to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hawk wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Silver, who protects the arm well.
Hawk takes a little break here. Silver wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Hawk cracks Silver with a big right hand but Silver just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Hawk working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Silver can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Hawk are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Hawk trying to control the action but Silver is working from the bottom.
Hawk throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Silver is looking to regain half guard here but Hawk keeps moving and retains side control.

Hawk working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Hawk trying to control the action but Silver is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
A lull in the action here.
Hawk misses with the ground and pound.
Silver tries to bench press Hawk off him but Hawk keeps the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hawk wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silver keeps working.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Hawk taking a breather here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lincoln Hawk dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hawk throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Silver sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Silver fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hawk manages to avoid it.
Silver throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jab by Silver.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hawk throws a low kick but it's checked well by Silver.
Hawk on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Silver throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawk misses with a right hand

and Silver counters by clinching up.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Silver.
Silver has Hawk pressed against the cage, preventing Hawk from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Hawk tries for a takedown but Silver manages to get underhooks.
Silver holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Silver throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Silver is trying to maintain a safe position but Hawk gets an underhook and turns Silver into the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Silver.
I was talking to Hawk's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Hawk pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silver lands with a shot to the body.
Silver comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silver throws a right and a left that Hawk avoids nicely.
Hawk misses with a two punch combination.

Hawk tries to keep at a distance but Silver has taken the fight into the clinch.
Silver lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hawk wants to break free but Silver has control.
Hawk is trying to force a seperation but Silver has the dominant position.
Silver lands a damaging elbow.
Silver creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hawk's defenses.

It looks like Lincoln Hawk has been cut.
Hawk is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Hawk throws an elbow that misses.
Silver comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hawk dodges an elbow strike from Silver.
Silver has Hawk pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silver is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hawk tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Silver's elbow.
Hawk blocks an elbow strike from Silver.
Silver trying to control the position but instead, Hawk has worked for underhooks and has pushed Silver into the cage.
Hawk drops down looking for an ankle pick but Silver pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lincoln Hawk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hawk is trying hard to land a takedown here. Silver sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Hawk throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Silver was covering up waiting for the punch and Hawk finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Hawk throws an elbow that misses. Silver uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hawk's guard. Nice move by Silver!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawk is trying to control the position but Silver postures up.
Silver trying to control but Hawk is working from the bottom.

Hawk has his foot on Silver's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silver works his way back into a safe position though.
Silver trying to control the position from guard on top but Hawk is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Silver's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benny Silver showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lincoln Hawk's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Silver lands a glancing blow to the side of Hawk's head.
Silver fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Hawk checks it well.
Silver fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hawk manages to avoid it.
Silver takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Silver displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hawk.
Hawk misses with a straight right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Silver clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hawk is trying to drag Silver to the mat but Silver just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Silver looking to stall.
Hawk with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Silver slowing the pace effectively.
Hawk avoids a wild elbow strike from Silver.
Benny Silver seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Silver pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Silver will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hawk up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Silver lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silver throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hawk tries to break the clinch but Silver is controlling the position.
Hawk goes for a takedown in the clinch but Silver prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lincoln Hawk. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Silver keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hawk's efforts to push away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silver prevents Hawk from breaking the clinch.
Hawk wants a takedown.
Hawk avoids the elbow strike from Silver, against the cage.
Hawk can't break the clinch.
Silver lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Silver gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Silver throws an elbow that misses.
Hawk throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Silver just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hawk's brow.
Silver throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Hawk avoids the elbow strike from Silver, against the cage.
Hawk tries to break free but Silver pushes him back against the cage.
Hawk wants to get back to striking at distance but Silver won't allow it.
Hawk stalling against the cage.
Hawk tries to circle away but Silver has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silver gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hawk.
Hawk is looking to take this one to the mat.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Silver looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Silver has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hawk is trying to break free.
Silver prevents Hawk from breaking the clinch.
Nice elbow from Silver.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hawk is trying to push Silver away but Silver has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hawk looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Silver prevents Hawk from breaking the clinch.
Hawk misses with a punch to the body.
Hawk wants to break the clinch but can't.
Silver stalling in the clinch but Hawk improves position.

Hawk tightens his grip and picks Silver up, before dumping him to the ground. Silver manages to land in guard.
Silver wants to improve his position but instead Hawk has moved into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hawk takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hawk not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Silver is refusing to be controlled, as Hawk sits in half guard.
Hawk tries to pass to full mount but Silver defends it.
Hawk with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hawk passes to full mount!

And that's the end of the fight!
Benny Silver comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Silver 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benny Silver!
Benny Silver very nearly forgot to thank Divinity 160Q for $150 amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.