PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Rafa Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viktor Tsoi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Silva comes to the cage accompanied by UFC Theme Song. Tsoi has chosen Zvezda po Imeni Solnce as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Silva
vs
Tsoi

173 cm
38
142 lbs
56 - 10 - 3

169 cm
28
133 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Museum of Monsters & Madmen
Sin City Allstars

Museum of Monsters & Madmen
Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 56 - 10 - 3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafa Silva!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Viktor Tsoi!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, James Glass and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tsoi takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
We've been informed that Tsoi 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.
Silva works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Tsoi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Silva does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Silva tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tsoi looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Tsoi swings for the body but Silva moves out of range.
Silva with a hook.
Silva buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
That kick from Silva tenderised Tsoi's leg. Tsoi is trying to keep his angry face on.
Silva misses with a left hand
and Tsoi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Silva connects with a solid leg kick.
Silva throws a sloppy head kick
and Silva takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Silva is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Silva has Tsoi up against the cage in a clinch.
Tsoi lands a left hand that snaps the head of Silva backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tsoi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Good leg kick by Silva there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Tsoi moves out of range of the body kick.
Tsoi fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Silva looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Silva avoids the body shot from Tsoi.
A counter left hand to the body from Silva misses its target.
Silva lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Silva throws a body kick that misses.

Silva lands a big head kick that sends Tsoi tumbling to the mat! Silva takes a step backwards and waves Tsoi back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Tsoi is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tsoi digs a good hook to Silva's body.
Tsoi is still on wobbly legs! Can Silva finish him?
Nice body kick there by Tsoi.
Tsoi seems to have recovered his senses.
Silva jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Tsoi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Tsoi walks into a stiff left hand from Silva.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Silva tries to clinch

and Tsoi counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Tsoi.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Tsoi from controlling successfully.
Tsoi looking to sit in guard and control but Silva gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Tsoi has his foot on Silva's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Silva works his way back into a safe position though.
Silva controls from within his opponent's guard.

Tsoi working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Silva doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Silva manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tsoi looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Silva passes into side control.
Silva tries to score with some ground and pound. Tsoi controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Tsoi wants to control but Silva postures up.
Tsoi is looking to regain half guard here but Silva keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tsoi being controlled for a moment.
Tsoi is looking to reverse the position.
A lull in the action here.

Silva stands up and beckons Tsoi to his feet.
Tsoi just misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafa Silva dominated that round.
That's time! Silva's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Silva throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tsoi is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Silva rather than just go for the knockout.
Tsoi works Silva's body with a nice hook.
Tsoi connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Silva is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tsoi can do to turn this around?
Silva swings for the body but Tsoi moves out of range.
Tsoi with the counter takedown but Silva avoids it easily.
Rafa Silva seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Silva wants to land a leg kick but Tsoi is out of range.
Tsoi moves out of range of the body kick from Silva.
Silva throws a lazy uppercut
and Tsoi counters with a good low kick that Silva was not able to check.
Silva throws a leg kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva throws out a loose jab but Tsoi uses good head movement to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Silva.
Tsoi is trying to counter with his kicks.
Silva throws a right hand that misses
and Tsoi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Silva throws a low kick, looking for Tsoi's leg but Tsoi calmly moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva takes one to the chin there.
Oh Silva is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tsoi takes one to the side of the head.
Silva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tsoi with the counter takedown but Silva avoids it easily.
Silva seems to have got his legs back now.
Silva closes the distance looking to clinch
and Tsoi counters with a straight right hand.
Silva lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Silva fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Tsoi.
Silva shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Tsoi throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Silva throws a half hearted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tsoi misses with a wild body shot.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Tsoi 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.
A leg kick checked by Silva.
Silva misses with a low kick as Tsoi jumps back.
Tsoi throws out a counter right but Silva avoids it with no problem.
Tsoi lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick by Tsoi misses
and Silva counters with a leg kick.
Silva avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Silva tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Tsoi manages to circle out of the way.
Silva misses with a low kick.
Silva lands a leg kick that knocks Tsoi off balance momentarily.
Silva throws a lazy body kick

and Tsoi counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Tsoi is stalling in the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva controlling the position.
Tsoi throws a big elbow that misses.
Tsoi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Silva is trying to control the position 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.
Tsoi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tsoi won't allow Silva to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Silva throws a lazy right hand but Tsoi sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Silva connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tsoi's hands.
Silva jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A low kick from Silva misses
and Tsoi counters with a solid body kick.
Tsoi cracks the inside of Silva's front leg.
Silva lands a nice leg kick that just misses Tsoi's sensitive parts.
Tsoi blocks the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Viktor Tsoi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Silva will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Silva tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Tsoi is able to avoid easily.
Silva moves forwards but Tsoi connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Tsoi will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Tsoi misses with a hook.
Silva thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tsoi if he has to take too many more of those.
Tsoi ducks under a wild hook from Silva.
Tsoi swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Tsoi blocks the body kick.
And Tsoi tries to counter it with a takedown but Silva pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Tsoi.
A head kick by Silva misses
and Silva takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tsoi throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tsoi lands a nice looking body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Tsoi counters with a thumping low kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tsoi moves out of range of the leg kick from Silva.
Silva thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tsoi if he has to take too many more of those.
Silva lands a jab.
Tsoi checks the leg kick nicely there.
Tsoi tries a quick counter leg kick but Silva is wise to it.
Tsoi moves out of range as Silva throws a body kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tsoi! But no joy.
Silva misses with a lunging right hand
and Tsoi counters with a body kick that stops Silva in his tracks momentarily.
Silva dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tsoi. That did some damage!
Silva misses with a hook
and Tsoi counters with a right hand to the body.
Tsoi checks a low kick from Silva.
Silva slips a straight right by Tsoi.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good work by Silva as he checks the leg kick.
Tsoi dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Silva. That did some damage!
Silva goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Some bone on bone action there as Silva checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Silva throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Silva buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Silva keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Silva misses with a hook
and Tsoi counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Silva connects with a good right hand that stumbles Tsoi. Tsoi circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Tsoi walks forward, straight into a front kick from Silva.
Silva throws a right hand that misses
and Tsoi counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Silva thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tsoi.
Tsoi's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Silva slips a jab from Tsoi.
Silva thows a leg kick but Tsoi checks it
and Tsoi counters with a low kick, right behind Silva 's knee.
Silva scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tsoi in his tracks.
Good shot there by Tsoi.
Silva lands a nice looking kick to the body. Tsoi takes a step back to recover.
Silva throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Silva misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A low kick from Silva is predictable there
and Tsoi connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Silva lands a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tsoi blocks a leg kick.
Silva misses with a hook
and Tsoi counters with a big right hand! Oh Silva is in trouble here! Tsoi follows up with more strikes and that's it! The ref has stopped it!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:15 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Viktor Tsoi! Viktor Tsoi retains his bantamweight title!
Viktor Tsoi seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.