PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lucian Silvestre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul OConnell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul OConnell will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Silvestre
vs
OConnell

182 cm
26
265 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

209 cm
26
284 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lucian Silvestre!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paul OConnell!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Wagner Zegers and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by OConnell.
Silvestre misses with a looping right.
Silvestre misses with a body punch
letting OConnell counter with a right hand.

It looks like Lucian Silvestre has been cut.
Silvestre seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
A head kick from OConnell lands but Silvestre takes it in his stride.
Silvestre lands a jab to the head.

It looks like Paul OConnell has been cut.
Silvestre tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but OConnell was well out of range. Poor timing from Silvestre.
OConnell blocks a jab.
Silvestre tests OConnell's chin there with a solid looking shot.
OConnell tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Silvestre paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lucian Silvestre seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
OConnell takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Silvestre fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with OConnell, pushing him back against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
OConnell content to slow the pace in the clinch.
A short left from Silvestre.
Silvestre working aggressively here.
OConnell goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Silvestre.
Silvestre scores with a shoulder strike.
Silvestre is trying to force a seperation but OConnell has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silvestre lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of OConnell backwards.

Silvestre breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Silvestre closes the distance and pushes OConnell back into the cage.
Silvestre tries to circle away but OConnell has him pinned against the cage.
Silvestre tries to break the clinch but OConnell is controlling the position.
A nice left hand lands by Silvestre.
OConnell working Silvestre over with knees to the body.
Silvestre misses with a hook from the clinch.
Silvestre throws a punch but it's blocked by OConnell.
OConnell scores with a nice hook to the head.
A bit of stalling here from OConnell.
Silvestre lands a nice uppercut.

Silvestre breaks from the clinch.
Silvestre throws a jab but it's blocked by OConnell.
Silvestre swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
OConnell lands a slapping body shot.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
OConnell scores with a jab to the jaw.
OConnell takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silvestre throws a hook but OConnell avoids it easily.
Silvestre lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Silvestre throws an off balance right hand
and OConnell counters with a nice uppercut.

OConnell has Silvestre up against the cage in a clinch.
OConnell manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
OConnell has Silvestre pressed against the cage, preventing Silvestre from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
OConnell scores with a shoulder strike.
Silvestre swings away with an uppercut that misses.
OConnell looks to throw an elbow but misses.
OConnell wants to stall.

Silvestre breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
OConnell connects with a body shot.
OConnell misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big right from Silvestre misses.
Silvestre misses with a looping left.
Silvestre misses with a hook
and OConnell counters with a nice body kick.
Silvestre is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by OConnell.

OConnell pushes Silvestre up against the cage in a clinch.
Silvestre wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Silvestre looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

OConnell breaks from the clinch.
Silvestre misses with a looping right.
OConnell keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Silvestre.
Silvestre throws a looping overhand right but OConnell ducks down to avoid it.
OConnell looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Silvestre just misses with a punch to the body.
OConnell throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
OConnell throws a body shot but no joy.
Silvestre moves out of range of the strikes.
Silvestre misses with a straight left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Silvestre throws a lazy uppercut
and OConnell counters with a nice kick to the body.
Nice defenses there by OConnell.
OConnell tries to counter with a clinch but Silvestre shakes him off and moves away.
Silvestre looks to score with a jab to the body but OConnell is just out of range.
OConnell throws a nice looking combination but Silvestre bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
OConnell connects with the punch.

OConnell closes the distance and clinches.
Silvestre can't break the clinch.
Silvestre swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Silvestre working aggressively here.

Silvestre pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jab, jab by Silvestre - just one landing.
OConnell displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Silvestre throws out the jab.
OConnell takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Silvestre cracks OConnell with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Silvestre throws a shot from downtown. OConnell moves away and avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lucian Silvestre will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

OConnell throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
OConnell on the wrong end of a nice jab.
OConnell uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Silvestre.

OConnell rushes Silvestre and presses him up against the cage.

Silvestre pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Silvestre looks to throw the jab but OConnell is out of range.
Paul OConnell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Silvestre throws an off balance right hand
and OConnell counters with a good low kick that Silvestre was not able to check.
OConnell catches Silvestre with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Nice defenses there by Silvestre.
OConnell uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Silvestre.
OConnell swings and misses with a hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
OConnell slips a straight right by Silvestre.
OConnell raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
OConnell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
OConnell goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
OConnell lands a nice looking kick to the body. Silvestre takes a step back to recover.
Silvestre misses with a hook.
Paul OConnell seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A combination from OConnell does no damage.
Silvestre fails to land with a series of punches.
OConnell throws a leg kick but Silvestre sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Silvestre throws a shot from downtown. OConnell moves away and avoids it.
OConnell takes a swing at Silvestre's ribcage but misses.
Silvestre throws an ugly left hook that misses
and OConnell makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Silvestre really felt that one!
Silvestre jabbing away but nothing is landing.
OConnell slips a jab from Silvestre.
Silvestre is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Silvestre misses with an uppercut.
Silvestre misses with a jab to the body
and OConnell counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
OConnell misses with a lunging right hand
and Silvestre counters with a straight right hand.
Jab by Silvestre.
Silvestre throws a hook but OConnell blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Silvestre misses with a looping left.
Silvestre connects with a crisp jab.
Silvestre with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling OConnell to score with a decent uppercut.
Silvestre misses with a jab, cross combination.
A looping hook to the body misses from OConnell. Silvestre does a little dance to reset his feet.
A big left from OConnell misses.
Silvestre throws an off balance right hand
and OConnell counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Silvestre swings widly with a right hand

and OConnell counters by moving into the clinch.
OConnell lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as OConnell takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

OConnell's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
OConnell has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
OConnell rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Silvestre moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Silvestre swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Silvestre misses with a hook. OConnell ducked under it nicely.
OConnell slips a jab from Silvestre.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Silvestre drops OConnell with a beautiful combination! OConnell stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Silvestre is looking for the KO!

OConnell is rocked!
OConnell tries to clinch but Silvestre moves out of range.
OConnell is still on wobbly legs! Can Silvestre finish him?
Silvestre drops OConnell with a big left hand! OConnell is injured, injured bad! Silvestre jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:12 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Lucian Silvestre!
Lucian Silvestre retains his heavyweight title!
Lucian Silvestre decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.