PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mirko Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Petter Anier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Petter Anier has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Silva
vs
Anier

170 cm
26
155 lbs
7 - 14 - 0

177 cm
34
160 lbs
16 - 25 - 1

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mirko Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 25 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Petter Anier!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anier lands a head kick. Silva smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Anier swinging wildly here.
Silva moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Anier gets the takedown into side control.

Anier is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Silva is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Anier is staying tight to Silva's torso, preventing him from escaping.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Silva tries to escape but Anier is in control.

Anier stands up and beckons Silva to his feet.
Anier lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Anier shoots in and bounces Silva off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Anier is pushing down on Silva's leg trying to pass to half guard. Silva is fighting to maintain full guard but Anier has managed to sneak the leg through.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anier tries to pass the half guard into mount. Silva knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Anier is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Anier is looking for a kimura but Silva is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Anier to get the leverage.

Silva is defending against the submission attempts here by Anier.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Anier working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Anier stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Silva to get to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Anier shoots in but Silva avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Silva gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Anier regains guard.
Silva has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Silva preventing the sweep.
Silva throwing strikes from guard but Anier blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Anier managing to control the position.

Anier manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Silva clinches.

Anier pulls guard successfully.
Anier is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Anier is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Anier kicks Silva off and gets to his feet.

Anier fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Silva sprawls well initially but Anier persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Silva is looking to escape.
Anier sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Anier trying to mount his opponent but Silva defends it.
Silva is trying to stand back up but Anier is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Anier controlling the pace.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Anier drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Anier tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Anier has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Anier decides to stand back up.

Anier moves into the clinch successfully.

Anier breaks from the clinch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Anier.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petter Anier dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Silva has managed to clinch.

Silva has picked Anier up - he's going for a ride! Silva dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

Anier pushes Silva off and gets back to his feet.

Anier rushes Silva and presses him up against the cage.

Anier pulls guard effortlessly.
Anier looking to control.
Anier thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Anier pushes Silva off and scrambles back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Anier, right into the meat.

Silva closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Silva has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Anier is trying to keep an underhook but Silva manages to get the takedown into half guard.

Anier looking for submissions off his back.
Anier makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Anier.

Anier is looking for a triangle but Silva pushes his legs off easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anier keeping moving, preventing Silva from controlling successfully.
Anier working a defensive guard here.
Anier bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Silva's guard.

Silva wants to stand and escape but Anier is having none of it.
Anier passes Silva's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Anier stalling.

Anier is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Anier moves nicely into side control.
Anier takes a little break here. Silva wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Silva knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Anier on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anier prevents Silva from escaping the position.

Anier working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Anier has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Anier cracks Silva with a big right hand but Silva just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Silva wants to get back to his feet.
Anier moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Silva is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Anier has just dragged him back down to the mat.

Anier working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Anier staying calm.
Anier prevents Silva from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Petter Anier showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Silva darts in and clinches Anier up against the cage.

Silva has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Anier is trying to keep an underhook but Silva manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Anier is pressing down on Silva's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Anier throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Silva pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Anier is keeping the position for now.
Anier lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Anier not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Anier is continuing to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anier's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Anier working some strikes from top position.
Anier lands a couple of elbows.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Anier is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Anier wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Anier stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Anier lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Anier closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Silva quickly recovers to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Silva pushes Anier off looking to stand but Anier dives back in and keeps control.
Anier perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Anier is looking for a kimura but Silva is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Anier to get the leverage.
Anier throws a strike but Silva avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Anier looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Anier forces his way into half guard.
Anier is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Anier looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Silva with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Petter Anier has got the better of the ground game so far.
Anier controlling the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Anier uses his free foot to push down on Silva's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Silva.
Anier controlling from the full mount.

Anier stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Petter Anier is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Anier lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Silva has Anier up against the cage in a clinch.

Anier breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Petter Anier comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Anier winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Petter Anier!
Our winner, Petter Anier, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.