PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Oleksandr Usyk (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucian Silvestre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Usyk
vs
Silvestre

190 cm
23
250 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

182 cm
24
265 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Oleksandr Usyk!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lucian Silvestre!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Aafke Stam and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Silvestre connects with a nice looking jab.
Usyk tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Silvestre manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Silvestre digs a good body shot into Usyk's ribs.
Silvestre misses with a hook
and Usyk counters with a nice uppercut.
Silvestre throws a shot from downtown. Usyk moves away and avoids it.
Silvestre looks to score with a jab to the body but Usyk is just out of range.

Usyk darts in and clinches Silvestre up against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Usyk.
Silvestre has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Silvestre is trying to break the clinch but Usyk has him pressed against the cage.
I was talking to Usyk's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
A head punch on the inside from Silvestre fails to land.

Usyk breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Silvestre scores with a jab to the head.
Usyk tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Usyk defending well as Silvestre loads up on a big left hand.
Usyk darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Usyk uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Silvestre.

Usyk darts in and clinches Silvestre up against the cage.
Silvestre tries to break the clinch but Usyk is controlling the position.
A head punch on the inside from Silvestre fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Usyk pushes off an throws an elbow but Silvestre leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Usyk.
Usyk has Silvestre pressed against the cage.

Silvestre escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Usyk misses with a low kick.

Usyk bobbing and weaving well here. And he's unloaded with a massive right hand that drops Silvestre! He dives into his guard looking to finish!

It looks like Lucian Silvestre has been cut.

Usyk gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Silvestre throws a right hand that misses

and Usyk counters with a right hand that sends Silvestre tumbling to the canvas! Can Usyk finish him? He dives into Silvestre's guard looking to do just that!

Silvestre is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Usyk is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Silvestre is still in real trouble! Can Usyk finish him?
Usyk advances to half guard.
Silvestre seems to have recovered his senses.

Usyk stands up and beckons Silvestre to join him on the feet.
Usyk has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silvestre tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Usyk was well out of range. Poor timing from Silvestre.
Usyk drops Silvestre with a huge uppercut! Silvestre drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Usyk is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:15 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Oleksandr Usyk!